A new Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be both shattering and incredibly overwhelming to an individual and their loved ones. Once the dust settles and an individual begins considering how to best cope with the disease, they might start looking into ways to remember their weekly schedule and daily tasks.
A great way to keep track of all these things is by utilizing calendars. It's recommended to use digital calendars with notifications and print calendars that a person can easily reference at home. Google Calendar is a fantastic, simple, and intuitive tool for caregivers, family members, and those living with Alzheimer’s to be on the same page about an individual’s schedule.
There are even calendars explicitly created with those affected by Alzheimer’s in mind. Scroll down to read about a unique calendar designed by someone living with Alzheimer’s for others in similar situations of cognitive decline.
Val & Keith’s Memory Calendar
Val Horncastle, 73, had always led a busy life. As her Alzheimer's progressed, however, she found it increasingly difficult to remember what she was doing on a given day or even what day it was. She told her husband Keith she wished she could have a day-to-day tear-away calendar where she and her husband could write notes. She grew tired of constantly needing to ask him about their plans and wished she could have a designated place she could reference daily.
The idea of the Memory Calendar was born from Val’s desire. She found a simple spiral notebook, and her husband mocked up the design. Keith says, “The notebook could stand up and I turned it over at the end of each day. It was like a stand-up diary and each notebook could hold two months. Val loved it as she didn't have to keep asking me what was happening each day. And after a while she said, ‘If this has helped me, don't you think it could help other people?"'
The couple approached a calendar company with their design, and now The Memory Calendar is available for purchase! Val and Keith stated that it has been helpful to have a project to work on amidst the challenges of Val’s progressing disease.
Look at the Alzheimer’s Society online shop for valuable products related to living with Alzheimer’s, including Val and Keith’s Memory Calendar.
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Senior Care, Palliative Care, and Hospice Care Accommodations in San Diego
BayView Senior Assisted Living is a family-owned and operated independent and assisted living community in Point Loma, California. Our owners have firsthand experience with Alzheimer’s and dementia-affected families and understand what goes into making decisions around memory care for a loved one. We walk alongside families as they traverse the difficult road of Alzheimer’s and have been supporting the greater San Diego community for a decade.
We understand that our residents’ holistic life experiences (social, spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical) are significant. Our compassionate caregivers provide top-notch, individualized care to each member of our memory care communities. Are you looking for assisted living, respite care, or palliative and hospice care accommodations near you? Look no further than BayView Senior Assisted Living.
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