Dementia has a number of early signs, and losing time is one of them. Everyone can be prone to losing track of time, but when someone has a hard time remembering the current date, they might be in the early stages of dementia. Fortunately, there are electronic calendars for seniors that can help seniors enjoy a reliable source of information about the current time and date.
It’s horrible that something as simple as aging results in so many losing their independence just because of ill health and overall weakness. Dementia causes even more loss of the self-sufficiency everyone cherishes, leaving many seniors to depend on other people for even the smallest things.
What Are the Best Electronic Calendars for Older Adults?
Here are some of my favorite automatic calendar day clocks if you or someone you love could benefit from such helpful technology.
American Lifetime Day Clock
- Large, Clear 8 inch Display
- Multiple Display Format Options
- Stand or Wall Mountable
- Medication Reminders
- Battery Backup
American Lifetime’s Digital Day Clock might be the best option for any seniors, especially those dealing with dementia, visual impairment, or memory loss. In fact, it can help anyone who has a hard time remembering the time and date. Even people who are just busy or do shift work that have to focus on time-related deadlines might benefit from this clock. Users can take better control of their time, freeing themselves from anxiety and confusion.
This clock has a simple-to-read and informative display spread out over an 8-inch screen, using big white letters on a black background. It has five different multi-function alarms, complete with options for medication reminders across the whole day.
There’s an built-in battery backup that means you don’t have to reset the clock if there’s a power outage or it gets unplugged. The clock is also wall-hangable or something you can put on a flat surface so that it’s easily visible from the whole room.
There are many different colors so you can either match a home’s visual aesthetic or even make it pop so it’s easier to see. It also comes with multiple language options.
Active Living Oversized Digital Blue LED Dynamic Wall Clock
- Wide 16″ X 7.5″ Display
- Blue LED Display
- Contemporary Display
The LED display is bright blue and very easy to read. Just a glance will tell you the current time, date, and day of the week. You get the information you need quickly and simply, provided you can understand the abbreviations for the day of the week and what month it is. Someone in more advanced stages of dementia might have some trouble with that.
Blue letters stand out from the black background for easy reading. Like the first clock on this list, this can also be placed on a flat surface or wall-mounted for more visibility.
Date and time information doesn’t get lost when the clock is unplugged or the power goes out since there’s a battery backup. Also, the AC adaptor gets plugged into a recessed outlet behind the clock, meaning it can hang straight up on a wall without sticking out awkwardly.
Rocam Extra Large Display LED Day Clock
- 11.5 Inch Display
- Alarm Clock Function With Snooze
- Desk or Wall Mountable
- Battery Backup
- Displays Temperature
This clock has another simple display that prominently displays the day of the week near the top. For someone who spent years working banker’s hours and is now retired, this can help them distinguish weekdays from the weekend. One extra feature is knowing what the current indoor temperature is. Many seniors love knowing information like this, especially as they get used to how their body’s preferences and tolerances to temperature change over the years. It makes it much easier to know when to adjust the thermostat.
The display is a spacious 11.5 inches using blue LED technology to display its information. Further customization is possible thanks to five brightness control settings.
A trio of programmable alarms works for both waking and medication reminders. The top of its display has a snooze button.
A backup battery maintains accurate time and date so settings aren’t lost during power outages. There’s even a USB charger for tablets and smartphones for both seniors and caretakers reliant on such technology.
The Clear Clock Digital Calendar Day Clock
- Large 11 Inch by 8 Inch Display
- 3 Color Choices
- Day Cycle Display (Morning, Afternoon, Evening)
- Multiple Alarm Options
- Desk or Wall Mountable
This is certainly a sound option for anyone afflicted with dementia or Alzheimer’s. The 8-inch LED display brightly displays a big bold source of information where you can see the time, day, week, and month. Even someone with visual issues should be able to see what time it is from quite a distance. This clock works as a desk clock or something wall-mounted, and it suits both home and office decor.
The screen automatically dims at 7:00 PM, and the physical clock has a sleek, contemporary design. Eight different languages are available, and you can set the date mode, an automated calendar, and dual time.
DayClox Memory Loss Digital Calendar Day Clock
- 8 Inch by 6 Inch Display
- Large High Resolution Print
- Desk Clock or Wall Clock
- No Battery Backup
This digital clock uses high-resolution technology that fully spells out the day of the week, along with the month and date. A bold, big, glare-free display makes it easy to see this information without abbreviated details, helping anyone with memory loss. Set it for both 12- and 24-hour cycles in up to eight different languages.
The Ivation Oversized Digital Calendar Clock
- 2 Foot Long Display
- 3.25 Inch High Numerals
- Adjustable Brightness
- Handy Remote Control
This clock has three different levels of potential brightness so it can be adjusted for anything from darkness to bright sunlight. If your eyes still work fine, you might not think much of this, but anyone with visual impairments will rely on this. The time and date are both displayed using big, bold, blue letters. AM and PM are also displayed prominently as well. For peace of mind, there’s battery backup to keep the time current during power loss. It also comes with a limited manufacturer warranty for the first year.
If a simpler clock like this is all you think you need, check out my guide to buying clocks for seniors and the elderly.
Losing Track Of the Day and the Time
Not being able to keep up with the date and time can happen for many reasons. Bad eyesight is one of them. Memory loss is another, whether it’s simply from aging or the onset of dementia. No matter why it happens, it’s a very frustrating part of caring for any senior, especially those with dementia. When they get confused about what time and date it is, they might make phone calls to their family at any hour of the day or night. They might call because they don’t realize it’s the middle of the night, and they might call just to find out what time it is. It’s good that they have people to turn to that they trust, but phone calls like these can cause recipients a lot of anxiety and anguish.
Then again, such dependency and reliance on others can make seniors anxious. That can overwhelm seniors, even leading to anxiety attacks. Over time, this can have a seriously negative influence on mental and physical health that is already frail. If such circumstances are taking hold in the life of someone you love, do whatever you can to help them feel better. Even the most basic of daily activities should be simple for any senior.
Other issues arise from seniors not knowing what day and time it is. Missing medications is a big complication. Not knowing the time means not knowing when to take which meds. Things get even worse if they start missing important events like birthdays. Quite a few seniors take pride in sending out anniversary and birthday cards. You might not even want to think about the consequences and implications of seniors missing bills and not paying things on time.
How Do Electronic Calendar Clocks For Seniors Help Out?
Electronic calendar clocks are some of the most effective tools that can help seniors or even anyone that suffers from dementia, partial vision loss, or dementia. They can help minimize anxiety in the elderly because they prominently display information, such as the time, date, day of the week, and month in ways that are clear. Seniors can use this information to keep up with a structured lifestyle that they love.
A big electronic calendar clock easily tells seniors the time of day, what the date is, and also the day of the week. That helps them know where they are in time. It might even help them distinguish day from night. Even better, they can remember when to pay bills and events like birthdays.
Things To Shop For In Electronic Calendar Clocks For Seniors
Be sure that any calendar clock you look for specifically meets the needs of a person who will use it. Someone suffering from memory loss might need additional reminder functions, whereas someone with poor eyesight might be more likely to need bold, clear letters and digits.
Battery Backup is Important
Make sure the calendar clock maintains the date and time in its memory, even when their power is interrupted. You don’t want to be resetting it every time the clock is moved, the power is out, or daylight savings time starts or ends.
Avoid Abbreviations to Reduce Confusion
Avoid abbreviations if you can. Even people without visual or cognitive impairments might have a hard time distinguishing Mar from May or Tues and Thurs.
Useful Alarms and Reminders
Some alarms aren’t just for waking. They can also be used for pill reminders. Having said that, a senior with serious hearing loss might need a stand-alone alarm clock, given how they can be louder than these clocks. Seniors needing medications frequently might benefit more from other technology, such as automatic pill dispensers.
Brightness and Use at Night
Certain electronic calendar clocks might even work as night lights. The big LED screens might emit a fuzzy glow that’s actually helpful for someone who doesn’t want to trip and fall on their way to the bathroom at night.
Native Language
If the user isn’t originally an English-speaker, help them out. Clocks have more than one language option in many cases.
In Conclusion
Seniors can lose track of the day, date, and time for many reasons, including but not limited to vision impairment and dementia. Simple-to-use electronic calendar clocks for the elderly can compensate for this quite well.
