Losing sense of time

[Bubble2bubble]

My DM phoned at 7.00 this morning to say she was going into town and would call with me on the way home - just checking that I would be there.
She thought it was 7.00 in the evening : (
She has a history of turning up for appointments a few hours early, phoning me or other friends at 4.00 in the morning thinking it was lunchtime, coming round at 11.00 in the morning thinking the DC will be home from school etc
When this started I bought her a radio controlled alarm clock for beside the bed, set to the 24 hour clock ( checking she could understand this ), set the alarm for 8.00 every morning . I suggested as nicely as I could that she could check the time before she used the phone ( and not wake up her poor elderly friends in the middle of the night ) and try to stay in bed until 8.00 when the alarm went.
I hoped this would give her some kind of routine, and it did seem to work for a while....
I know it's a hopeless situation, but is there anything else that might help? She is otherwise reasonably lucid and independent.

[ZaZathecat]

Sorry I don't have any suggestions but you're not alone. My dm started phoning at odd times, once at 3am to ask why nobody was in the lounge of the sheltered flats where she lives. Took me ages to persuade her it was the middle of the night, even though it was pitch black outside! It's better now but only because she's forgotten how to use the phone :-( It's also a help thst she now has a carer to get her up in the morning, which structures her day a bit better.

[Bubble2bubble]

Thanks ZaZa :( I think she is at the point of needing someone to call with her at a set time every day, but I can't get her to agree to that yet..

[ZaZathecat]

I know Bubble, I tried for ages to persuade dm to have someone come in the morning to help her dress etc. as it was taking her about an hour to get dressed and then she'd have things on inside out. Unfortunately it was only when she had a fall and ended up in hospital with a broken bone that the hospital put a care package in place when she went home - and it is obvious it will have to continue indefinitely, but she's used to the carers now and even likes some of them.