Summer has officially arrived, and World Cup mania has taken hold of America. But when you’re caring for someone living with dementia, it can feel like the season changes every few weeks. 

We spoke with dementia experts about the products they recommend at each stage, so you’re not wandering through the options like a European entering Buc-ee’s for the first time.

🎙️ Gray Monster took over The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide podcast and put elder law attorney Candace Dellacona in the hot seat with your questions about wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and sibling drama.

🎓 Michigan State University is offering free online dementia-care training for students ages 16 to 26, complete with practical caregiving skills and a $50 gift card for finishing the course.

🖐️ At 78, Days of Our Lives icon Deidre Hall celebrated 50 years in Salem by demonstrating her signature soap-opera slap on Today host Craig Melvin.

💰 Social Security dropped simple ways to help older adults manage their benefits, stay organized, and avoid increasingly convincing government-imposter scams.

Dementia-care products are not one-size-fits-all. A clock that helps Dad today may become meaningless later. A medication dispenser can prevent a double dose, but only while he still understands that the alarm means “take your pills.”

We tagged each tool by the stage when it is most likely to help: early, when Dad is still largely independent; middle, when his routines require more supervision; and late, when his care becomes more hands-on. These are guides, not rules. People move through dementia unevenly, so pay attention to what Dad can do now, including on a bad day. Want to learn from someone who’s been there, done that? Author and dementia advocate Nicole J. Smith wrote the book on it. Literally. 

1. A plate that makes the food easier to find

Stage: Early through late

Dementia can change Dad’s vision and perception. Choose a plain plate that contrasts with both his food and the table. Raised edges and nonslip bottoms can also make scooping easier. Red is not magic. Mashed potatoes may show up better on blue, while tomato soup may need white.

Try: Special Supplies Adaptive Plates

2. A clock that spells everything out

Stage: Early to middle

A calendar clock displays the day, date and time of day in full words. More advanced versions can show reminders such as “lunch at noon” or “Susan visits today.” Introduce one before Dad has trouble reading and following prompts.

Try: Relish Day Hub

3. A phone with fewer ways to go wrong

Stage: Early to middle

A picture phone lets Dad call familiar people by tapping their faces, without navigating apps, passwords, or menus. You can manage his contacts and settings remotely.

Try: RAZ Memory Cell Phone

4. A locked medication dispenser

Stage: Early to middle

These release only Dad’s scheduled dose and can alert you when medication is missed. They work while he can still respond to the prompt and take the pills correctly. Once that stops, someone usually needs to administer his medication directly.

Try: Hero

5. A stove that shuts itself off

Stage: Early to middle

An automatic shutoff can help Dad continue cooking after occasional forgotten burners begin. It is not enough once he can no longer recognize danger, follow cooking steps, or respond appropriately to an alarm.

Try: iGuardStove

6. A door alarm

Stage: Middle into late

A small sensor can alert you when Dad opens an exterior door, particularly overnight. Choose one that pages or notifies you rather than blasting an alarm beside him when he is already confused.

Try: SMPL Wander Alert

7. A GPS tracker

Stage: Early to middle, while Dad is still mobile

GPS can help locate Dad if he gets turned around or leaves unexpectedly. The best tracker is the one he will actually keep on. It should support supervision, identification, and a wandering plan, not replace them. Bonus points if it’s somewhat stylish.

Try: Tranquil

8. A safer bathing setup

Stage: Any stage

Grab bars, a shower chair or transfer bench, a handheld shower head, and a nonslip surface can protect both Dad and the person helping him. Ask an occupational therapist to assess his bathroom before installing equipment. A badly positioned grab bar, especially one that’s not ADA compliant, can create a new problem.

Try: Moen Bath Safety Collection

9. A simplified music player

Stage: Early through late

Large controls and pre-set stations let Dad enjoy familiar music without operating a streaming service. He may stop using it independently later, but you can continue playing music that feels familiar to him.

Try: Relish Radio

10. A bed, chair or room sensor

Stage: Middle to late

Pressure pads and contactless sensors can alert you when Dad gets out of bed, falls, or enters an unsafe area. They can be especially helpful if he will not wear or charge an emergency pendant.

Try: Lundberg Early-Alert Bed Alarm System

Are you the lucky caregiver who keeps getting the "let me know what I can do to help" text? Forward them this article, or the Alzheimer's Association gift guide, as your not-so-subtle answer.

On the other end of that text? You want to help someone caring for a dad with Alzheimer's, you mean it, and you have no clue where to start. Skip the superhero mug. Send a meal-delivery gift card. Cover a grocery order. Pay for housecleaning, lawn care, a laundry service, or a few hours of respite care. Offer to sit with Dad, then put a date and time on the calendar so the caregiver isn't left organizing their own rescue.

You can’t fail this one. Answers and another quiz drop next week.

You said it. This week’s submissions.

"The stranger who said 'God bless you - I'm sure it's hard'. It meant so much."

"My mom needs to be on hospice care but she's in denial. I don't know what to do."

"I got time with a good friend. Made my week!" 

"Both of my parents living with Lewy Body Dementia survived my wedding and my dad even sang."

"How do I move cross country to be closer to my mom with her gloating that the prodigal daughter returns?"