technology

It strikes me that technology is going to become quite a big factor in the world of Alzheimer's. In fact this may already be happening. At some point the people who are suffering are going to be people who are accustomed to using technology. Already the people we talk to at the home were confused by the old fashioned iron that we took in, they remember irons being big white plastic things, much easier to lift and use. Soon/already Alzheimer's sufferers will be used to using computers, for many people this is second nature, turning on a computer and checking your e-mail comes as naturally as cleaning your teeth.

This raises the point that the types of activities people with Alzheimer's are doing will have to evolve with time. Making the activities relevant for the individual is something that is already happening but soon relevant activities might involve playing computer games, texting on a mobile phone or reading the paper on the internet.

My Mother told me about a Jeremy Vine show on radio two, where they were discussing dementia and there was a case study of a woman who was diagnosed but afraid to tell people. To disguise the issue she told a few close friends and family and asked them to remind her by text message about things that she had to do. This meant that she could maintain her independence for a while longer.

Today somebody told me about the ihouse a glimpse into the future. Perhaps this could also help to maintain the independence of people with dementia, in fact it could extend the independence of many different people.