Dementia-friendly microwave oven

in_my_wellies

Sterlingtimes said:

 My mother plays a game of pretending that she cannot see things which she can. She has a habit of telling people that she is "totally blind".

My aunt has advanced MD. It is very strange what she can see and what she can't. Once, when sitting next to her she picked a small white feather off my navy blue cardigan. But she can't see to use the phone or read. Sometimes she will bump into a door if it's half open

We remember when she went to the specialist and he summed it up like this:
"A person with MD will see a paper clip on the floor but will trip over the coffee table when bending over to pick it up"

Several years on and her sight is a lot worse but she still says what the specialist told her is exactly right. Her sight is patchy and much depends on light, time of day and context. 

I suspect your mum finds it easier to tell people she is "totally blind" than to explain the complexity of her situation


Does she see goblins on the landing in the middle of the night? If she does please believe her, it's a very strange symptom which had my aunt thinking she had completely lost the plot, really scared her but it is a thing! Google Charles Bonnet syndrome

Anyway, sorry, back to microwave oven - good luck with it

Sterlingtimes

in_my_wellies said:

Sterlingtimes said:

 My mother plays a game of pretending that she cannot see things which she can. She has a habit of telling people that she is "totally blind".

I suspect your mum finds it easier to tell people she is "totally blind" than to explain the complexity of her situation

Thank you for all of your kind help. The microwave oven arrives tomorrow, and I will order the paint shortly.

Yes, my mother passes a finger test on the worst eye and is 6/18 on the other. She has performed some beautiful colouring in a colouring book, yet she fails to see relatively large objects. It is all somewhat perplexing. I am straining to be sympathetic, having regard for her peculiarities. 

Savvy_Sue

You will of course find a wealth of information on the RNIB website: https://www.rnib.org.uk/ I'm sure at one point there were examples of what people might be able to see with the different forms of sight loss. 

In Touch on Radio 4 is a brilliant programme (8.40 pm on Tuesdays, IIRC, but also on Sounds). They often cover practical problems and solutions. Mind you, I think the presenter was SURFING (waves, not the web) last week, which blew the mind rather ... 

luvchocolate

You can buy the sheets of coloured dots from stationers which may help 

Sterlingtimes

Savvy_Sue said:

You will of course find a wealth of information on the RNIB website: https://www.rnib.org.uk/ I'm sure at one point there were examples of what people might be able to see with the different forms of sight loss. 

In Touch on Radio 4 is a brilliant programme (8.40 pm on Tuesdays, IIRC, but also on Sounds). They often cover practical problems and solutions. Mind you, I think the presenter was SURFING (waves, not the web) last week, which blew the mind rather ... 

Thank you, Savvy_Sue. My mother uses the RNIB for Audio Books. My mother's problems are partially associated with sight. It is obvious to me that she has suffered substantial cognitive impairment. Notwithstanding her sight problem, she cannot learn and remember a sequence of button pushes. Similarly, I cannot read out a standard telephone number over the 'phone and get her to write them down. The rather odd thing is that she can play a game of Scrabble with her friends and still win.

Sterlingtimes

Thank you all for your great help. The microwave oven that you suggested is now installed. My mother caught on to that straight away. I can now see that my mother has a problem with anything with button sequences. She can only just manage to use her specialist DECT 'phone, a Doro.

MovingForwards

I'm so pleased your mom has adjusted to it quickly, the 'modern' ones are over complicated when all people want to do is heat and eat something.

Mojisola

Sterlingtimes said:

Thank you all for your great help. The microwave oven that you suggested is now installed. My mother caught on to that straight away. I can now see that my mother has a problem with anything with button sequences. She can only just manage to use her specialist DECT 'phone, a Doro.

I'm glad she is coping well with the new one.

Another idea that may help others in this position came from a friend who is a carer - she sets the temperature and time (on a basic microwave with dials) for a client, leaves the door ajar so that all he needs to do is put the food in and shut the door to start it cooking.

Sterlingtimes

Mojisola 

I'm glad she is coping well with the new one.

Another idea that may help others in this position came from a friend who is a carer - she sets the temperature and time (on a basic microwave with dials) for a client, leaves the door ajar so that all he needs to do is put the food in and shut the door to start it cooking.

Thank you. That is another helpful idea. I will see how my mother gets on with the new oven.

Sterlingtimes

My mother is getting on very well with the new simple microwave oven.

Thank you for the kind support from this forum.