People with MCI and moderate dementia often find it difficult to write in diaries for several reasons such as “I am not good at writing,” In order to deal with these problems, they are often recommended that write down memos on calendars. Very few calendars suited for people with memory impairment, however, have been available for purchase. Therefore, I have developed several unique calendars, check sheets, and message boards. 

People often say “I keep a diary on a calendar, no need to write in the notebook diary.” However, there is not enough space for the “diary” on the calendar since the space is for the purpose of  noting appointments in a few words. To solve the problem, I created a “monthly memory-calendar” which has enough space for writing about daily events, in addition to appointments. In this calendar, space to write about daily events is hidden under the week. 

   At the beginning of  a week, the user is to remove two clips on both  the sides of the week to fold out the hidden space. The user is expected to repeat this process every week. OHOT’s “Slide Clipper Soft” is recommended for the clip. The original template for this calendar is attached below. Making this calendar with the user’s spouse or friends is recommended.

This is a weekly calendar with four to five sheets for each month. Each sheet has spaces for filling in appointments and schedules and writing about daily events. If the space is too narrow, users can write down on the back of the sheet. Or you can hang it under a regular calendar available for purchase. You can print out the sheets here.

People with moderate-to-severe dementia tend to forget about the routine tasks, and the tasks they have already done that day. They may have things to do only on a certain day of  the week such as putting  out the garbage and going to the day-care center.

   I created schedule checking sheets in which each day’s  schedule  is written and the user is required to check the completed tasks one by one. The user can also add his/her daily tasks into an empty space. There are two subtypes of the checking sheet; the one-page-a-day, the half-page-a-day styles. Users can also modify it to a small-sized sheet and attach it to a wearable memo-pad. When attached to the pad, it will be possible for them to confirm the next tasks to be accomplished or the finished tasks even as they are walking to another location.

Clinicians often provide written instructions to people with dementia for completing activities at home. However, they will often lose these documents when they go home. I created a photo message card on which users attach a photo and an instruction; for example, the card could have a photo of the doctor with the message “Take a walk regularly.” The card stands alone by folding its lower edge. It may be more effective to place an IC recorder behind the message card with a recording of the doctor stating the message (see Yasuda, 2022 for details). The template of this card is below. 

                   When dementia gets more severe, movement of the eyes becomes irregular. Even                      if the answers to the repetitive questions are written on the chest, it is possible                         that the patients will not notice it. Therefore, I made a face message board from                       two mouth shields on the market. The board can change its wearing position to                         neck, mouth, or forehead. Since this board will allow the answer to be displayed                       near the face, it may become one of the solutions to the above problems. 

Persons with dementia often forget to take their medicines and some persons forget the reasons why they take the medicines. A desk-top memo-stand was designed to attract patients’ attention and to remind patients of the reasons for medications. This stand is made from a milk carton. Two sides of the stand can list messages from their doctors and grandchildren. The other two sides may  list information about prescribed medicines and the schedule for taking medicines. The original template of the stand can be printed from below. The medicine envelopes could be placed inside of the stand as well as the Sony IC Rec. If the alarms or voices by the IC Rec are set for automatic output, it will be more effective to prevent the patients from forgetting (see Yasuda, 2022 for details)