All the tech products that I used over the years to care for my loved one with dementia from halfway across the world. This is the main page and I've added links below for easiness. These are all the products I’ve bought and tried for myself or others over the years. I’ve noted on the page if I didn’t find them helpful. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t work for you. I purchased them all myself. The ones I post are just ideas—so, for example, if you find another camera th

I eventually had part time carers for Mama, but I still wanted to make sure she was safe. So, I had several trackers to make sure she got home okay, so I wouldn’t panic if she didn’t arrive at a certain time. That’s where these came in. When a smartphone wouldn’t do (Mama would flat-out refuse to carry a smartphone, saying it was too heavy), I opted for the devices below. If your loved one is used to carrying a smartphone, then you are sorted. However the time may come when t

Label Maker Signs Tape Pill Organisers First aid Kit Mattress Protectors Back up lights A lot of these I had in place before dementia. Like I mentioned, I love gadgets and anything that makes life easier, but many of these are necessities. For example, a first aid box—why wouldn’t there be one handy in the house? When I started clearing things away and decluttering (from the bathroom and kitchen), I consolidated and added everything in one place. Below are the items I purchas

I put these in place fairly early on, thankfully. They were ideal because Mama used to walk around in the dark all the time. She just wouldn't turn on the lights, trying to save electricity. Knowing that there would be an issue at some point, I installed motion sensor lights. These are great for several reasons: they light up the path when getting up in the middle of the night to go to the loo, they reduce electricity bills (yep, mama was right!), and they provide comfort sin

Big button mobile phones worked well for us for a while. Dementia or not, they are ideal for seniors in my opinion. Mama had never been used to smartphones so these were simple to use, one touch access was key. The large buttons were much easier to see and press, reducing the chance of dialing the wrong number. Most also have an SOS button that can be programmed with emergency contacts. Like any mobile phone, you'll need a SIM card. I used a Pay-As-You-Go SIM in the UK. All m

Easy to install cameras for help with caring for your loved one long distance.

NOTE: When purchasing electrical devices, it is crucial to ensure that you buy from the correct country. Electrical standards vary significantly and the device might not fit or function properly. Timers also became invaluable during Mama's dementia. I actually installed some of these before she had dementia, as it was difficult for her to reach to switch off some lights. I believe timers are a must for all elderly. And they are not just for lights. I got very, very creative w

Simplicity - and remotes may become an issue. It did with mama. Try out a few and see which ones will suit then adjust as needed. There are lots however these are the ones I tried. If you'd like to see exactly how I set up our home, along with the things that worked, the things that didn't, and how I adapted as dementia progressed, you'll find it all in my caregiving planning handbook. You can also learn more on my How I Can Help page. Flipper Big Button Universal TV Remote f

Bathroom Items Here are some of the products I put in place in our bathroom. As mentioned previously, they worked until they didn't and I had to adjust. There are more tips at the bottom, but always remove clutter. Keep it simple. If you'd like to see exactly how I set up our home, along with the things that worked, the things that didn't, and how I adapted as dementia progressed, you'll find it all in my caregiving planning handbook. You can also learn more on my How I Can H

On my quest to find kitchen accessories for Mama, I tried a lot of different products. Very few stayed exactly as they were. I usually ended up tweaking or adapting them to make them work for our situation. I had to get very creative. You'll find me saying that a lot throughout this guide. What seemed obvious to me often didn't make sense to other people. As dementia progressed, I found myself changing, adapting, and eventually removing more and more items around the house. E

These big button phones are ideal for the elderly and worked well for my mama, who has dementia. They are landline-only and feature large buttons for easy dialing and customizable volume settings, perfect for those who are hard of hearing. They also have one-touch memory keys, with the number of keys varying by model to suit different needs. Some models include SOS buttons and visual flashers for added safety. These phones are not cordless for a reason—my mama often misplaced

As Mama's dementia progressed, I noticed her depth perception deteriorating significantly. It affected the way she saw and interacted with her food, and even something as simple as the colour of a plate made a difference. I eventually replaced our everyday crockery with something that worked much better for her. It also gave me one less thing to worry about, as I was always concerned about broken plates and glasses. It's amazing how small changes like this can make everyday l

At first, I used a mobile router because I didn't want to get tied into a long-term broadband contract. It meant I could get everything up and running quickly and stay in touch with Mama straight away. As time went on, I realised a stable broadband connection was essential, although I kept the mobile routers as backups. I ended up with a few of them around the house. Not because we lived in a mansion, but because UK walls are thick and I needed reliable coverage throughout th

These were another two cameras I experimented with, and they were similar enough that I'm grouping them together. I used the Tapo C210, which had pan and tilt, good picture quality, excellent night vision, motion alerts, two-way audio, and an easy-to-use app. Like most cameras, it wasn't perfect. There was occasionally a lag with the audio and pan functions, and every now and then it needed resetting. See exactly how I set up our home in my caregiving planning guide. You can

Back in 2020, when I first started caring for Mama from another country, I used wireless Blink cameras. At the time, they seemed like the perfect solution. They were small, battery-operated, easy to install, and I could place them almost anywhere. They worked really well... at first. The biggest surprise was the battery life. Although they were advertised to last much longer, I found myself replacing the batteries roughly every three months with the way I was using them. That

ALEXA ECHO VIDEO PORTALS: When I realised that seeing me gave Mama comfort, I started looking at the Alexa Echo Show. Without question, the feature that made the biggest difference was Drop In. Like any technology, it wasn't perfect. There were the occasional glitches, freezes, random music playing, and the odd restart, but despite all of that, it was still one of the best tools I found for staying connected while caring from another country. I also discovered a few ways to

Dementia clocks - easy to see day and time and in different languages

OUTDOOR RING Old faithful. This product stands out as the best option in my opinion. It is particularly useful for elderly (like my Mama) who was living alone and made me feel more comfortable halfway around the world knowing that I can see everything outside. Now I realise in the USA, you would be hard pressed to find someone that doesn't have a Ring Doorbell however it is definitely a novelty in my surrounding area. I have purchased this device as I've promoted it heavily a