Those with dementia may be unable to read hands on a clock
For as long as I can remember, my Mom always wore a wrist watch
Shortly after her diagnosis with Alzheimers, she began to complain that her watch could not tell time. It appeared to be working fine. Still, she complained. For weeks, we had a running battle over watches.
A quick stop to purchase a new watch-battery was included in every shopping trip. Mom saved everything and to my dismay, she resurrected an old cigar box that guarded the bodies of a dozen old watches
Her time-pieces from a lifetime, I imagine. Eventually, they had all been dressed with new batteries, cleaned where necessary and wound till their innards ticked heartily. Still–Mom swore they were broken and she could not read the hands on a clock.
Not a single watch in that box could tell time, she told me. Truthfully, I was baffled. Why would all of her watches stop working at the exact same time?
After checking them all, I struggled to convince her that none of the bundle were broken but all were working/and ticking the minutes away. She would still argue that they did Not!
Working on Mom’s watches, changing batteries, setting and re-setting, snuggling near her ear to test for ticking became every afternoon’s activity.
Finally, in desperation I think, my daughter bought Mom a gorgeous new watch
for Christmas and I was thrilled. Surely, now, the watch battle would end.
–>Wrong! <–
Only days after receiving her brand new watch, Mom was complaining again–“This watch can’t tell time, either.” Determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, I sat down with Mom and her brand new Christmas watch.
Though we tried wind-up watches, battery watches and self-winding watches, Mom’s complaint remained the same. None of them could tell time. I showed Mom the hands on the watch, emphasized how the second-hand jumped with each tick. Mom’s only reply was, “Well, how am I suppose to know what jumping hands mean? Jumping around from number to number, that doesn’t help me know the time! I want a watch like yours. Your watch can tell time.”
I looked down at my own wrist, my digital watch
“See,” Mom exclaimed, pointing to my wrist, “Your watch can really tell time. My watch has those numbers in a circle, what good does that do? It doesn’t tell time. It doesn’t tell me anything. I want a watch
–>> I could hardly stop laughing long enough to trade watches<<–
It had never entered my mind that Mom might have lost the concept of reading the hands on the face of a clock, but she had. And I’m sure it was totally confusing and frustrating for her. She didn’t know what she’d forgotten, she only knew her watch no longer told time. But she certainly couldn’t explain the problem because she didn’t understand it herself. Sometimes, it requires time and thought and patience to decipher what is happening through their eyes.
I have since learned that the “clock test“ is often given by physicians fairly early into symptoms of dementia. They draw a circle on a piece of paper, and ask their patient to add the numbers as the face of a clock, and then set the hands to a particular time. Generally, an Alzheimer’s patient or someone suffering with dementia is unable to do this test. The part of their brain that reasons in that manner is damaged. They can no longer reach the face of a clock or understand the positioning of the hand to create a time.
I did try the test with Mom afterward, and she had no clue where to put the numbers on the round circle that I drew to form the face of a clock.
The Clock Test – Can the Alzheimer’s patient tell time?
Watches, Clocks and Calendars too!
Give your loved one a watch or Clock that can really tell time!
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Ruth Selle says
11/15 at 5:13 pmToday my mom said her watch said 3:30, but she didn’t know if it was am or pm. Is there a watch that shows not just the time, but the time of day? Preferably not a talking watch. I imagine that would freak her out a bit.
We got her a wall clock that shows the time, the day of the week, and what time of day it is – she loves it!
Mark Cooperstein says
02/07 at 9:05 amThe problem with most digital watches is that they have too many buttons that will alter the display and thus confuse more the person with dementia or Alzheimer’s. What we need is a good digital watch with a large display, maybe one that will speak the time as well but NO visible buttons! I bought a digital watch for my sister who suffers from dementia and within two days she was complaining that it wasn’t working and couldn’t keep time. She had pressed a button to put it in ‘stop watch’ mode. How hard would it be to make a watch where theres only one button for setting time, with no other ancillary functions! After all, why does a disabled person need a stopwatch, or timer, or know what time it is in Paris? Just ONE button to set time preferably hidden where it’s not easy to find, maybe on the back of the watch!
Sandysgingham says
02/08 at 6:56 amMark, you are so right. And, I do believe that eventually…they don’t understand the digital either.
I’m constantly testing myself about that. As I’m early to mid stage, I worry about losing that ability. I really never know the day of the week unless I ask hubby. But I have no issues with time yet. I can understand how aggravating that would be.
Thank you for sharing. Hopefully, someone may see this and make a better watch for those with Alzheimer’s. I’ll keep an eye-out myself too.
Sandy
christi says
09/01 at 12:30 amWow. This was so helpful! I’m talking about my mom buying new watches constantly and each time she told us they don’t work. I couldn’t understand why. When cleaning out her apartment, she had about 30 watches. It was crazy. In the hospital the doctor asked her to draw a clock. The first time she drew a circle with 7 numbers in the circle and arrows inside. The 2nd time on the new meds she drew a circle with what looked like two eyes, the numbers 1-8, and a dot in the middle. I never realized how hard telling time was and it makes me wonder how long her mind has been this way. Tomorrow I’m going to go and get my mom a new watch…one she can understand.
~ Sandy says
09/01 at 5:20 amHello Christi,
Your experience sounds a lot like mine. Mom was forever wanting new watches, and always they didn’t work. And my mom’s drawn clocks sound similar to your mom’s drawings as well. Yes, I found the same sort of box stuffed with “broken” watches.
It’s all part of the loss of memory and cognitive decline. They can no longer understand the hands on a clock. A digital clock/watch is easy for them to read. Still, as they continue cognitive decline eventually they lose their sense of time.
I’m glad you realized it as I finally did. It helps to know that they can’t help what is happening to them and all the arguing in the world won’t help them at all. For weeks I tried to convince Mom that her watches really DID work. It’s best to help as much as you can but arguing is frustrating and useless.
Thank you for sharing Christi,
~Sandy
Sheri says
01/11 at 9:16 pmThanks for sharing that Sandy! Bob’s birthday is in March I know the perfect gift!
Marta says
01/02 at 3:12 pmI am looking for a digital wristwatch for my dad, who has Alzheimers. It needs to have large numbers and not much else (date, stop watch, etc), as that would only confuse him. Am finding clocks for Alzheimers/dementia patients, but not watches. Any suggestions? Thank you!
~ Sandy says
01/02 at 3:49 pmHello,
“>. It’s a great resource and shipping is usually free with front door delivery.
I certainly understand. It is difficult for them to understand why a regular watch with hands no longer tells time for them. A digital will help, for awhile. Here’s a link to a few MEN’S DIGITAL WATCHES from AMAZON