Products you'd recommend if caring for elderly parents

Time to resurrect this thread

@Sittingontheporch Don't know if you've sorted something yet as your post was a couple of weeks ago, but Alexa show does what you have described. My DM loves hers. She has photos on one side (it scrolls through her favourite ones we have uploaded) with a clock (time, day and date). The other side of the screen is split into (I think) 6 sections which can be customised. DM has Weather, Calender (one that we have set up and add things to from our phones), Shopping list (she just says "Alexa add bread to my shopping list" and we can see it from our phones) and then "Sticky notes"

On the sticky notes we add little messages - "Thursday - JennyWreny will pick you up for doctors appointment at 1.30pm" "Don't forget to put the washing on" "There's a salad in the fridge for your lunch" - that type of things.

It's not perfect but it works well for us. You need the one with the big screen though to have enough room. It's quite £ but I honestly thing it has made such a big difference to DM that it was definitely worth it.

Having typed all of that I was going to post you a link but now I find that it has been discontinued. Maybe the smaller one would work if you didn't have the photos on it, just the notes. Or maybe they are available second hand on ebay. Here's the link anyway so you know what I was talking about!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/echo-show-15-full-hd-156-smart-display-for-family-organisation-with-alexa/dp/B08X6BHCBT

Some really helpful stuff on here, very useful thread. Now if anyone can give me the magic solution to getting my mum to accept using any of these things... 🙄

This is a wonderful thread, can I please ask for a recommendation for a seat cushion and or back support?
My Mum has lost a lot of weight and finds sitting very difficult, she says there is no padding on her bottom now 😥

This organisation https://storyandsons.com/ is a great resource for lots of living aids. Sometimes it is useful just to have a browse through and you find things you didn't realise existed or you needed. We have one of the talking watches, nice big watch face, easy to read and it auto updates time zones.

@Sittingontheporch I've seen clocks that have the date and day of the week on them and automatically flip over to the following day.
I haven't used this specific one, but there are lots to choose from:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/U-want-Dementia-Calendar-Digital-Display/dp/B07H4GDWYP/ref=asc_df_B07H4GDWYP/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697352240810&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5871364697709760325&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045053&hvtargid=pla-574022781110&psc=1&mcid=b3b4ba90804e37269c2091a293ecf0ef&gad_source=1

For other reminders, the only thing I can think of, which could be accessed remotely, would be a TV screen or a computer monitor in their house. Something like a screen you see in a GP surgery with a message. You could have a timer to turn the screen on/off at set times. It would take someone IT savvy like my DH, but maybe they have installers. DH installed a thing called homeassist and we can turn on lights, plug sockets etc remotely. A TV screen would be no different. The person would need a computer or even just a raspberry Pi in their home that you could access to add the daily messages to the screen though.
www.home-assistant.io/

Sorry, I'm taking and not giving, but does anyone have a recommendation for a calendar/clock thing for those with dementia? In an ideal world, I'd love something that I could update remotely or failing that when I'm there. I want something that says:
day of week
date and time
and then room for 'x is visiting today, y tomorrow and z on Saturday' or any other news.

OP thanks for your recommendation for the riser-recliner company. Did you get them round to measure up and which chair did you get?

These half height shower doors https://www.impeyshowers.com/half-height-shower-doors have been fantastic for helping mum shower whilst staying dry myself.

I was hoping this thread would be recommendations for specific products (tried and tested with links) It would have been helpful for you to have added these specific to your OP!

Useful for someone bedbound, in hospital or otherwise unable to get to a shower to wash their hair:
https://www.boots.com/nilaqua-rinse-free-shampoo-cap-10219520?srsltid=AfmBOopEh_A8VmZUuFE_VBOm_Zos4DinPO5yndWgeoXriKOtkST4rRgJ

https://www.amazon.co.uk/iMedic-Easy-Grip-Cutlery-Elderly/dp/B088ZQY5JH/ref=asc_df_B088ZQY5JH/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4096508178991742085&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045053&hvtargid=pla-2281435178538&mcid=4bc83f15572a3f36a80194ab88684ffe&hvocijid=4096508178991742085-B088ZQY5JH-&hvexpln=74&gad_source=1&th=1

These are handy for those who cannot bend over, or without the dexterity to tie laces.
www.essentialaids.com/dressing/shoes-laces/coilers-shoelaces.html

Thank you

@DPotter because sucking speeds fluid to the back of the mouth.

For an awful lot of imperfect but functional swallows, that time/stimulation of the fluid being actively moved from the lips through the mouth gives everything that needs to happen to close the airway safely with the swallow reflex a fraction more time/notice to happen.

PermanentTemporary

In general as a SaLT I hate spouts and things people have to suck

Out of interest - why is this ? Have heard this before but can't understand why

Keep cup
https://uk.keepcup.com/shop/reusable-cups

Bought a couple for my grandmother when she went almost blind. She liked the glass ones for her tea at home as didn’t like ‘plastic’ for tea and it feels weighty like a mug. The lid stopped spills

The other big hit is clothing from The Able Label. My DM has limited movement in her shoulders plus struggles with buttons. All the clothes are easy to get on and off while looking like something she'd actually choose to wear. Plus any adapted stuff is VAT free.

https://www.theablelabel.com/

My DM's pendant alarm from Taking Care is a big hit. They are light years better than her previous company.

So far they have contacted me:
To tell me her house is too cold - her boiler had broken
That she hasn't been moving around as much as usual - she had a UTI and was in bed
As well as the falls we got the alarm for

After an incident they also contact her later to check she is OK and doesn't need extra help

https://taking.care/collections/pendant-alarms

This lamp has really helped my mother who is nearly blind

https://shop.rnib.org.uk/daylight-magnificent-floor-and-table-magnifying-lamp-93424

long reach handled comb and hair brush, useful if limited mobility in arms/shoulders,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aidapt-Applicable-hand-disabled-Inconvenient-activities/dp/B00C2UWD42?th=1

Help to get in and out of cars It hooks into the door hinge and is absolutely firm and strong

Placemarking in case someone posts a brilliant mobility aid. Good idea for a thread OP.

For rollators, these https://www.byacre.com/carbon-ultralight/ are great. Much more stable than the usual style because they are positioned around rather than mostly in front of the user - which also means standing upright rather than leaning forward. And the seat/pocket bit is still far enough from the legs that it doesn't inhibit stride length.