Various memo-pads
Business-card type memo-pad
Let's make a memo-pad by modifying commercially available “Name card”
People with memory impairment ask the same questions over and over again. So I spent 15 years thinking of a way to write the answer on a (sticky) note so that the sticky note would be visible on a memo-pad when they look down. I think this will reduce the number of times they ask the same thing. For example, the answer to "What day is it today? or "Where is my money？"
When you are on the move, you can write on the sticky note of this memo pad and later put the note on a diary, or "New Memory Support Diary" (see my book) for daily management of information.
After many trails, I have created this memo-pad for people with memory impairments and dementia that can be easily made by yourself using commercialized name card. I will show you how to make it below, and I'd be happy if everyone could make one.
How to make a business card type memo-pad.
1. Materials
If you don't have any materials of the following, you can use similar products instead. A soft business card case (about 15 cm wide and 11.5 cm long when facing out) and a ballpoint pen for the memo pad are needed. Double-sided pigeonhole with 10mm outer diameter and 5mm inner diameter is sold at 100 yen (one dollar) stores and handicraft stores. One round can (single ring, 12mm) with 1mm thick, B8 soft card cases and a ring elastic band (hair band) are prepared. Sticky notes (5 x 7.5cm) are also required. "W "style clip with 12mm wide x 7mm long and a strap around your neck is needed too.
If you are worried about the strap swaying when you hang it around your neck, clip the middle of the strap (around your chest) with a large clip to hold the clothes and the strap together. Or put your memo pad in your pocket.
If the cord or strap stretches, your notebook may fall into the water. In this case, use a strap that does not stretch.
How to make a full-featured smart memo pad
The following transparent card holders can be inserted into the above business card. Using this holder makes it easier to check many cards.
If you wear the memo-pad around your neck, it will be slanted, but it looks "smarter" in that way. This is why we named it the business card memo-pad (Smart Memo Pad). Ideally, people should start using the pad before they start to forget things. It would be great if you could recommend them to elderly people who do not take memos, and let's develop goods that can help people cope with memory loss and dementia!
In my "New memory support diary", each sections of the page corresponds to the size of a sticky note (5 x 7.5cm). When you return home from a day out, put the sticky notes you wrote on here. This prevents information from being scattered and allows you to manage your memos. You can also put any paper documents such as receipts on the left page (see "Rehabilitation for MCI and dementia" by Yasuda, 2022).
How to make a business card type memo-pad: Another wasy of easy making one
The above notepad punched a hole in the right corner and then attached a O ring to it. So, here is a simpler method that eliminates those procedures.
The above-mentioned notepad was hung slantingly to look smart. However, when looking at notes on the opened-notepad, it makes somewhat difficult to see. Therefore, we introduce a method of hanging it horizontally.
If the notebook swings, use a double clip or a hair clip to fasten the string in the middle.
As shown in the photo, use a double clip to fasten the center of the front top edge of the notepad. Attach a string with a hook, which is sold at one-dollar stores.
In the left figure, a double clip is attached to the right edge instead of a O ring (see the above photo). Also. attach a double clip to the same area on the opposite side and hang the string between two clips.
After attaching the double clip, the two arms of the clip will be troublesome. Therefore, you can remove one or two of the arms.
However, when the clip is removed, the two arms must be reinserted. Therefore, please keep the removed arms.
Why do we keep our notebooks open?
After a couple of minutes, some people forget what they heard a minuet ago and ask the same thing again. For these people, you would be better to present them with a list of things they often ask, always in plain sight. The memos of the memo pads should be are always visible. (Harlf opening system, see my book). In this way, they would easily notice the memos.
Bracelet-type memo pad
This was originally conceived as a writing aid for people with language impairments. If you wear it on your wrist, you can write things down and refer to them quickly before you forget. When you turn up the skin on the back of the band, you will find several file bags stacked on top of each other. This is where you can write down your phone number or other easily forgotten information and insert it.
Next, open the palm side of the band and you will find a bunch of memo papers. I use them to write down bus schedules when I go out.
Even if I have paper, I can't write anything without writing utensils. So, I set up a storage space for writing utensils. This is where you can put the pens that expand and contract.
This is a prize-winning work in the National Invention Competition. It was also approved as a utility model, but its validity has already expired. If you would like to make one, please open the patent information platform J-PlatPat and search for "Jisshikai 01-114806" or "Kiyoshi Yasuda information arm band" to find detailed drawings.
A smartphone case-holder with memo-pad
You cannot put pens, sticky-notes, or scratch paper in the commercially available case-holders for smartphones, yet they have pockets for cards. I modified a smartphone case-holder by attaching clear plastic pockets for sticky-notes and scratch paper. A tubular ring made of rubber was also fixed for carrying a pen. With this “hybrid memo-pad,” you can take notes easily, can pay by digital cards, and can access various information on the smartphone as well as answering and calling on the phone.
