Alzheimer’s and dementia are two of the most common illnesses that the elderly have. These two illnesses could cause seniors to be forgetful, as their memory becomes weak, and their cognitive abilities would also start to weaken.
However, there are certain items that people with Alzheimer’s or dementia can use so that they can remember or at least know what they are going to do for the day, and one of these items is the daily clock. What is a day clock? And what are its uses? Let us find out and take a look at some details about day clocks and their benefits for the elderly.
What are Day Clocks?
A day clock is a device that tells you not only the time but also the day and sometimes even the date. With the help of a day clock, patients that have Alzheimer’s or dementia will know what particular day it is whenever they start forgetting. For example, if a patient forgets what day it is today, they can just look at the day clock and instantly remember the day, as well as the time.
There are particular uses of day clocks for the elderly, which we will discuss later on, but day clocks are also useful for caregivers or loved ones that are administering medications to the elderly. The day clock can serve as a great device to remind the caregiver when it is time to give specific pills, tablets, or other medications during a particular day.
What are the Different Types of Day Clocks?
There are two main types of day clocks that you can buy today, and these types have their pros and cons, so you should pick the one you think has pros that outweigh its cons. To know more, here are descriptions for each type of day clock.
Analog Day Clock
The analog day clock features the classic clock face that is circular in shape and has hands that indicate the hour and the minute of the day. However, what makes the analog day clock different from the classic clock is that it has an extra section that shows the day and the time of the day (day or night). This extra section has its own hand, and the hand is usually in a different color from the other hands so that it would stand out better.
This extra hand would then move gradually throughout the day to indicate if it is still early in the day or if it is already late in the evening. If it is Monday morning, the extra hand would first be at the left side of the Monday section of the clock, but when it is already Monday evening, the extra hand will move to the right until it reaches the Tuesday section to indicate that it is already Tuesday morning.
Digital Day Clock
A popular type of day clock in today’s era is the digital day clock, which doesn’t have the classic clock face but features a screen that shows the time and day in numbers and letters. The difference between a standard digital clock and a digital day clock is that the latter has a big font size, which makes it perfect for the elderly that have poor eyesight.
Besides the time and day, the digital day clock may also show the time of the day (morning, afternoon, and night) and even the date. There are also digital day clocks that have alarms that can be used so that the elderly will be able to wake up in time to take medications or simply get up in the morning to eat a healthy breakfast.
What are the Benefits of Day Clocks?
Day clocks have several benefits that we should talk about so that you will know how useful they are for elderly patients and caregivers. Here are the major benefits of using day clocks.
Can Help the Elderly Remember the Time and Day
Of course, the biggest benefit of day clocks is to help the elderly remember the time and day. Remembering the time is important for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, as it can help them not only in knowing what time it is but also to improve or retain their memorization skills. In addition, knowing the time and day is also essential for the patients to remember when it is time for them to take medication or to do specific activities.
Can Help Caregivers Keep Track of Time
Caregivers and loved ones that are taking care of elderly patients can also benefit from the day clock. The day clock will allow caregivers to keep track of the time and day, which can often be forgotten even by those that still have full-functioning memories and cognitive abilities. Tracking the time is essential for caregivers to give medications to their patients on time and on schedule.
Can Help Patients Wake Up and Sleep on Time
With the help of a day clock, elderly patients that have Alzheimer’s and dementia will be able to wake up and sleep on time. There are many digital day clocks today that have an alarm system, which can then be used to wake up a caregiver or a patient during a particular time of the day. So, the alarm can be set to go off in the morning, and the day clock can be used to indicate when it is time for the patient to sleep.
Day clocks are essential devices that caregivers and elderly patients should have at home or in the nursing facility. Buy the best day clocks available on the market so that they will last longer while also being more effective in showing accurate times, days, and dates.