About Senior Health
Explore senior health articlesAbout Senior Care Options
Explore senior living articlesAbout Finances & Legal
Explore finances and legal articlesAbout Products for Seniors
Explore products for seniors
5 Clocks to Help Ease Dementia-Related Anxiety
Written by Alissa Sauer
about the author
2 minute readLast updated April 21, 2023
One early sign of Alzheimer’s disease is losing track of dates and time. As the disease progresses it becomes more difficult for those impacted to tell time and distinguish between night and day. The following clocks may help ease some confusion and are specifically designed for people with cognitive impairments and their caregivers trying to stick to a routine. They may also help with the anxiety that accompanies a dementia diagnosis.
Let our care assessment guide you
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
Losing track of time: An early symptom of Alzheimer’s
Some early signs of Alzheimer’s are easy to dismiss as normal signs of aging. Common signs that are overlooked include repeating the same stories, trouble completing familiar tasks and losing track of dates, seasons and time. Even people in early to moderate stages of Alzheimer’s often lose track of dates, seasons and the time of day. As dementia progresses, people need routine and structure to ease the anxiety and confusion that the disease brings. A dementia user friendly clock can help those impacted keep track of dates and times and help to ease confusion. In addition, clocks can help caregivers by reinforcing to the affected individual that it is the time the caregiver says it is. The following clocks are designed specifically to help people with dementia maintain routines while also easing anxiety and confusion.
Let our care assessment guide you
Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.
Clocks to help people with dementia tell time
1. DayClox: DayClox is a digital clock specifically designed to help those experiencing memory loss. This clock displays the date, the time and the day of the week. It can be set to either a 12 or 24 hour display and has a choice of eight languages. It can also adjust brightness based on the time of day. 2. Alzheimer’s Dementia Day Clock: This clock is actually an app available through Google. The clock can be used as a screensaver and is visible at all times. It does not display actual time, but instead, day of the week, and will let the viewer know if it is morning, afternoon, evening or night. This app is available for $0.99. 3. Day/Night Clock: This analog clock has a night, morning, day and afternoon window which helps them understand the exact time of day. The exact words “night,” “morning,” “day,” and “afternoon” are displayed in bold on a colored background and slowly transition into the next time of day. It is about 12 inches in diameter so that the individual can see the hands on the clock easier and it costs about $80.
Talk with a Senior Care Advisor
Our advisors help 300,000 families each year find the right senior care for their loved ones.
4. Thousand Clock Widgets: This app allows you to use thousands of clock designs. Because there are so many options to pick from and the user can even design their own, this is a great option for caregivers who need a very specific setting on the clock. 5. Magnifying Aids Large Number Wall Clock/Calendar: This clock is one of the more comprehensive clocks on the market, featuring a digital clock, an analog clock, the day of the week with a.m. or p.m., and the year. All text is oversized. This clock is available on Amazon for $180.
The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom (of which OurParents is a trademark) and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
OurParents is a trademark of A Place for Mom. A Place for Mom is paid by our participating communities, therefore our service is offered at no charge to families. Copyright © 2023 A Place for Mom, Inc. All Rights Reserved.