X10 Helps an
Alzheimers Patient Remember
May 21, 2001 -
The memory is an amazing thing. Thats how we know what we know, both about ourselves
and about the world around us. We remember things like our names, our address, our parents,
how to drive a car, the road home, where we work, what we do for a living. Everything we
have access to in the world is buried somewhere in our long-term memory. But for some, a
disease like Alzheimers comes along and starts to steal that from them, and they
begin to forget. They forget how to get to the bathroom, or where they are, and as the
disease progresses, they forget those closest to them, even spouses and children. Its
a crippling disease, and as it progresses, those who have Alzheimers must be under
constant supervision to protect them from themselves.
Mary Martins mom is just such a patient, who has moved into an
advanced state of dementia. Because of her condition, Marys mom has to live in a
home. As Mary told us, "She frequently gets up at night and cant find the
bathroom by herself. By now, thanks to the motion
sensors with remote chime, the staff is alerted
the second my moms feet hit the floor."
In Marys moms room, they set up the Hawkeye Motion Sensor on the floor by the leg of her
bed so it only sees her feet when she gets up. Also hooked up to that motion sensor
theyve set up a transceiver that turns on a
light so theres no stumbling around in the dark while shes waiting for one
of the staff, who is also alerted when she gets up. In that staff members room is a
second transceiver with a remote chime that also goes off when Marys moms foot
hits the floor. Mary said "The remote part is nice because otherwise the chime would
wake up the other residents.
From there, the staff member tends to Marys mom, and when all is
done, they put her back into bed. About a minute after shes nestled, and the
movement stops, the light turns itself off.
Mary told us "Before I found your motion detector and accessories,
she [Marys mom] would be up for several minutes before anybody heard her, and by
then, its often too late to find the bathroom." Mary also told us "The
staff is so pleased with the setup that they want to order more of [your] products for
themselves!"
Its unimaginable that there can be anything worse than losing
ones memory. After all, everything we are, our whole life is stored in there
someplace. Once that goes, theres a struggle to "remember" who and what
you are. Its a good thing that X10 can at least ease the burden of this crippling
disease. It seems that X10 is finding itself more and more valuable to the medical
community. So until theres a cure, theres X10.
Send comments or feedback on this article to xzone@x10.com
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