Can you imagine how you would feel if you had absolutely no idea what day of the week it was or what time it was?
Disoriented? ….confused? …..agitated? …….
Checking the time is such an ingrained habit for most of us that we’re hardly aware when, or how often we glance at our phones, or look at a clock or watch.
Being able to tell the time is an important skill which helps us orientate ourselves and brings routine to our day. Looking at our watch at 7am tells us it’s time to get up, checking the clock on our computer at 1pm, says it’s lunchtime, and when we glance at the alarm clock on our bedside table at 11pm, we know it’s time to turn off the light and go to sleep.
People who live with dementia often lose the ability to recognise what time it is, or, whether it’s day or night. As dementia progresses, routine and structure is imperative to everyday life. And so, without these time-telling skills, they can quickly become disorientated, anxious, confused and even anger and behave aggressively.
Why Do People Living With Dementia Struggle To Tell The Time?
As brain cognition declines in someone living with dementia, they may have difficulty working out what the different numbers on a traditional clock actually mean or become confused about day and night and think it’s 2pm when it’s 2am.
This is because the logical parts of the brain that are normally used for telling the time are no longer functioning as well as they did. In fact, being able to read a clock face is often used as one of the tests that are carried out to diagnose dementia
This level of confusion can also cause clingy or repetitive behaviour because the person living with dementia thinks their loved ones haven’t visited for days as they can’t work out what day it is, or they may end up ringing them repeatedly to ask what day it is or what the time is because they can’t read a clock.
What Benefits Are There To Using A Dementia Clock?
- They can help to ease confusion
- They differentiate the different parts of the day
- They help with telling the time
- They help keep routines on track
- They help to reduce anxiety and agitation
- They aid independence
- They help to provide a regular routine
You can view our range of dementia clocks here:
https://hcsuk.co.uk/product-category/hcs-catalogue/dementia/clocks/clocks-1/
We hope you find this article valuable, if so why not download our latest innovative guide to Living Well with Dementia designed as a holistic resource for you.
It includes helpful information on the main symptoms of dementia, recognition of the challenges you could be facing and the consequences, best practice advice, hints, tips on how to manage these symptoms, and a clear understanding of how our product solutions can help you to meet the needs of the person living with dementia.
