Healthdirect Free Australian health advice you can count on.

Medical problem? Call 1800 022 222. If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero immediately

healthdirect Australia is a free service where you can talk to a nurse or doctor who can help you know what to do.

Memory aids in the home and dementia

1-minute read

Memory loss is a common symptom of dementia. If you are a carer of someone with dementia, there are many ways you can help them remember things and find their way around.

Think about what types of things the person with dementia usually forgets. This will help you work out what memory aids to use.

For example, if they have trouble remembering to do jobs, then place a whiteboard in a central location, such as near the fridge, and write daily task lists on it. If they are constantly losing their keys, put the keys in the same place each day, and put reminders up in other parts of the house.

Putting photos and familiar objects around the home helps the person with dementia stay connected with their past.

Putting up large clocks, maybe with the day and date, helps them stay connected with the present.

You can find out more by reading the Dementia Australia help sheet about memory changes.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: October 2018

Need more information?

These trusted information partners have more on this topic.

Top results

Do you have memory loss or early dementia? | Dementia Australia

You may have come to this website because you are concerned about memory loss, may be worried about developing dementia or have had a recent diagnosis of dementia.

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Memory changes | Dementia Australia

There is a difference between memory loss as a part of normal ageing and as a symptom of dementia. This information describes those differences and provides some tips on keeping your memory sharp. One of the main symptoms of dementia is memory loss.

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Dementia and brain injury - Synapse

Dementia is a category of brain diseases that result in memory loss and deterioration of speech, motor skills and cognitive functioning as it progresses. 

Read more on Synapse - Australia's Brain Injury Organisation website

Amnesia - memory problems

Amnesia means loss of memory. Transient global amnesia is a sudden temporary episode of memory loss, characterised by the person repeating questions.

Read more on myDr website

Mild Cognitive Impairment | Dementia Australia

Memory loss has long been accepted as a normal part of ageing. Recently there has been increasing recognition that some people experience a level of memory loss greater than that usually experienced with ageing, but without other signs of dementia. This has been termed Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). As MCI has only recently been defined, there is limited research on it and there is much that we do not yet understand.

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Dementia and Sleep

How can we best understand dementia? Dementia causes a set of problems that are related to each other. These include memory loss, trouble communicating, confusion and difficulty with walking around. There might be difficulty with recognising people they know, even if they are close friends and family members. Although

Read more on Sleep Health Foundation website

Safety in and around the home | Dementia Australia

Dementia affects each person differently. However symptoms such as confusion, memory loss and disorientation are usually present, and problems with mobility and co-ordination may also affect safety. It is important that family, carers, friends and health professionals assist the person with dementia to feel and be as secure as possible.

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Dementia | SA Health

Dementia affects short-term memory and loss of other mental faculties caused by disease such as Alzheimer’s or strokes. Find a dementia memory clinic.

Read more on SA Health website

Key principles for planning with, or for, someone else | Dementia Australia

Key principles Recognise and respect the difficulties faced by the person who is losing capacity. Understand the medical and other factors that may be affecting the person’s behaviour and capacity, such as memory loss and difficulty communicating. Foster the person’s dignity and self-esteem by encouraging them to continue making or contributing to decisions as much as possible. Approaches to decision-making Allow your role to change as the person’s capacity decreases. Assisted decision-m

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Early diagnosis of dementia | Dementia Australia

The importance of early diagnosis of dementia and information about the diagnosis process. This information may be helpful to people who have concerns about dementia or to those who are concerned about their family members or friends.

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Find a health service

GP (General practice) Pharmacy Emergency Departments Hospitals

Need more services?

Enter a location

{{prefLabel}}

Use current location

Check your symptoms Find a health service

24 hour health advice you can count on

We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice