Mom has moderate/advanced Alzheimer’s and is unable to use the tv, phone, etc. Is there a device I can buy that would allow me to turn music on for her, control the sound and music selection remotely?
We use Amazon Alexa. We installed a nanny cam with a two way talk feature. I can open the camera app on my phone, touch the talk icon and speak to Alexa via the camera speaker to turn music on and off for my mom. I can also hear the volume of the music via the camera so I can tell Alexa to turn music up or down. Works great!
We got this for my Dad and he loves it. You need to load it up with music files, but the interface is easy, and this way, you can pick your Mom's favorites. It holds a LOT of music. The start/stop feature is very simple and obvious. (We tried another one previously, and Dad didn't take to it. This one looks like a radio, which helped.) We got it at the Alzheimer's store, but you can also get it new on Amazon. I usually switch out the playlist every few months. https://www.alzstore.com/simple-music-player-like-new-p/2114.htm
Yes, the Simple Music Player is great if the person with AD can learn to lift the lid to get the recordings playing. Alternatively, staff can help.
p.s. I am programming one for me IF I am one of the 1 in 3 who end up with dementia. It holds 40GB which is a lot of music, podcasts, audio books, etc. - anything in MP3 format.
My brother had a stroke in 2020. He loved music and remembers dancing to orchestra music. We bought an Amazon Echo Dot and subscribed to Amazon Music and setup a playlist.
He could (by voice) tell Alexa to play music. He is in a memory care facility and can play his music anytime he wants, when he is in his room.
They have renovated the facility to include a Community Area, where he goes most of the day. I am currently setting up a watch with an Alexa app to play in the community room. I will let you know the details when this is setup.
Yes, I was a Technology Teacher in my career days. The Facility keep telling my brother that he is lucky to have me. Lots of Laughs
The Echo devices are SUPER. I had one in my mother's NH room for many years.
From the Amazon account the Echo is associated with, and the Alexa app on a phone (logged into the Amazon account), the Echo can be programmed with "routines" that play music or turn on a radio station at a specific time and set for a duration (e.g., an hour) up to 4 hours. It can also be controlled remotely from the Alexa App, as well as by your Dad, if he is able to learn from it. And yes, the volume can be controlled from Alexa as well - though you won't know what it sounds like on the other end.
The key is to have decent WiFi that the Echo can be connected to.
I could not find the remote option. I searched, everywhere I could think, to find one,
I ended up buying a one touch music player I found on Amazon. I loaded many, many of her favorite songs. She simply lifted a lever to turn it on and off. The difficult part was the volume was steady and not variable. So, some songs were too loud and others too soft. However, I will say that it brought my mom SO much joy, Her favorite song would come on and she would close her eyes and smile.
She was in an ALF and could turn it on and off on her on without me being there.
My solution was not perfect but so helpful. Music is so soothing. Best of luck on your hunt for the best solution.
Songs bring back joyful memories. My mom was a huge fan of the big band era and Sinatra because she loved dancing with my father to those tunes. So sweet.
I believe GrandPad https://www.grandpad.net/ has an auto-phone answer feature they can turn on if requested. Maybe they also have a feature to remote control the radio and music.
You can customize the radio stations available (and they’ll add stations if they can if they aren’t yet available), have many thematic music channels and can essentially create playlists of favorites.
Only thing they couldn’t do for us was actually plug in the device, which the facility kept unplugging. GrandPad let me know it was unplugged, so I’d go over and plug it back in, but I eventually returned the device to both Mom’s and my sadness.
They have excellent customer support, so you might ask. I’m not affiliated with them, just a satisfied customer.
If she has access to Wi-Fi you might check smart home devices like Apple, Google or Facebook. If you can control your lights in your house when you’re away, maybe you could do something similar.
I use a Bose speaker and connect to my I-phone for Dad at the breakfast table (which I control). At night, he sleeps with his Bose radio (he controls). :)
If you need assistance, private message me - with a way to contact you.
We got it at the Alzheimer's store, but you can also get it new on Amazon. I usually switch out the playlist every few months.
https://www.alzstore.com/simple-music-player-like-new-p/2114.htm
p.s. I am programming one for me IF I am one of the 1 in 3 who end up with dementia. It holds 40GB which is a lot of music, podcasts, audio books, etc. - anything in MP3 format.
He could (by voice) tell Alexa to play music. He is in a memory care facility and can play his music anytime he wants, when he is in his room.
They have renovated the facility to include a Community Area, where he goes most of the day. I am currently setting up a watch with an Alexa app to play in the community room. I will let you know the details when this is setup.
Yes, I was a Technology Teacher in my career days. The Facility keep telling my brother that he is lucky to have me. Lots of Laughs
From the Amazon account the Echo is associated with, and the Alexa app on a phone (logged into the Amazon account), the Echo can be programmed with "routines" that play music or turn on a radio station at a specific time and set for a duration (e.g., an hour) up to 4 hours. It can also be controlled remotely from the Alexa App, as well as by your Dad, if he is able to learn from it. And yes, the volume can be controlled from Alexa as well - though you won't know what it sounds like on the other end.
The key is to have decent WiFi that the Echo can be connected to.
I LOVE the Echo.
I ended up buying a one touch music player I found on Amazon. I loaded many, many of her favorite songs. She simply lifted a lever to turn it on and off. The difficult part was the volume was steady and not variable. So, some songs were too loud and others too soft. However, I will say that it brought my mom SO much joy, Her favorite song would come on and she would close her eyes and smile.
She was in an ALF and could turn it on and off on her on without me being there.
My solution was not perfect but so helpful. Music is so soothing. Best of luck on your hunt for the best solution.
You can customize the radio stations available (and they’ll add stations if they can if they aren’t yet available), have many thematic music channels and can essentially create playlists of favorites.
Only thing they couldn’t do for us was actually plug in the device, which the facility kept unplugging. GrandPad let me know it was unplugged, so I’d go over and plug it back in, but I eventually returned the device to both Mom’s and my sadness.
They have excellent customer support, so you might ask. I’m not affiliated with them, just a satisfied customer.
If she has access to Wi-Fi you might check smart home devices like Apple, Google or Facebook. If you can control your lights in your house when you’re away, maybe you could do something similar.
Have you asked the staff if they know of something? Maybe they can suggest an a way for your mom to enjoy music.
Best of luck finding a suitable solution.