MEDizzy - An 88-year-old woman with vascular dementia (MMSE 19/30) was

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Geriatric Medicine 2

An 88-year-old woman with vascular dementia (MMSE 19/30) was found locked out of her house by her neighbours. She was not prone to wandering and did not usually venture out of the house alone. One month earlier she had been diagnosed as having an adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Her medication was domperidone 10mg TDS and lansoprazole 30mg BD. What assistive technology might she most benefit from?

ExplanationWe are told she does not wander and that she was found locked out of her house, so the correct answer is a reminder to take her keys—this could be a simple note on the door for her to see as she opens the door or a pressure mat near the door, which activates a recorded message (preferably recorded by someone familiar to her) saying ‘take your keys with you if you are going out’. She does not need a wandering monitor—mobile phones can be programmed using GPS to allow dementia sufferers to roam within a specified area and to notify their carers/family if they roam outside of this area. A key safe has a security code, which she may not remember—these are usually provided for carers to gain access. We are not told she has problems with taking her medication, but if she did, then a pill box with alarm function or SMS reminders could be helpful.