When someone has dementia or other memory or cognitive problems, orientation tools can help keep folks grounded.
For a low-tech, inexpensive solution, one caregiver I spoke to used a dry erase board. “This is how I post a daily plan. My hope, in the beginning, is that she would always know where to look for what day it is, and, “What are we doing today? What’s going on today?” It’s right near her electric tea kettle. Her tea is very important. She still pretty much makes her own tea. Her time orientation has gotten worse in a way now and her short-term memory.
That whiteboard helps for a second and then later she will say, “What day is it?” or, “What’s going on today?” I will say, “Where can you look to find out?” Because I’m all about having her do as much as she can for as long as she can. That’s one of her resources, “Go look at the whiteboard.” That’s how it figures into our daily life. “