Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: Does labelling things help?

Posted by judimahoney @judimahoney, Nov 22, 2025

We are all being challenged to be very creative in response to our loved one's behaviors.

I have put up signs in just about every room as guidance for my husband.

There's a sign on the thermostat with the temps we keep the house at day and night. There's a sign on the dishwasher with directions for use, and I taped off the buttons we don't use and labeled them, 'Don't touch' because I had to keep resetting with the correct washing preferences every time he changed them.
The kitchen has a sign reminding him what our dog can't eat. I just bought a white board for the kitchen to track what he eats, since he sometimes has gluttonous behaviors and eats a meal twice because he doesn't remember eating.
There's a breakfast guidance visual showing him pictures of a cereal bowl, with directions to thaw his fruit before putting cereal on it, and quantities for milk and cereal (with photos of those products). Sometimes he forgets to refer to his guidance visual and eats cereal with frozen fruit, or doubles or triples recommended amounts.

In the dining room there's a sign I asked him to make himself (as an attempt to have him internalize the info; ha!), stating he can no longer take walks alone (he was trespassing and peeping in people's windows). I made that sign when he kept telling me he was going for a walk, alone. So, I made a sign that says he no longer walks by himself and needs to have a walking buddy, so far it's just me.
There are several nutritional signs helping us stay on track for the recommended Mediterranean diet.
On the bathroom mirror is a post-it note from his dental hygienist reminding him what areas to focus on, and one demonstrating how to clean his ears in the shower. There's also a love note from me on the mirror, our only happy sign!
I put labels on our bath towel racks, because he was either using mine and leaving me with a wet one, or putting his wet one on top of my dry one.

In the living room are signs for me regarding positive coping strategies, and a reminder to be positive.

I could go on, but wanted to write a bit about how this aspect of our lives has changed.

When our children were learning to read I labeled so many things in our home. I feel like I'm coming full circle, or something?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Caregivers: Dementia Support Group.

I enjoyed this book as it validated many experiences.
I liked it so much I brought 10 copies for her family and friends (Amazon has Spanish).
I was thinking someone would read, comment, take action. Nothing. Ain't no backups on the way.
I always forget that consciousness can not be inflicted.

REPLY
Profile picture for jopa1951 @jopa1951

I enjoyed this book as it validated many experiences.
I liked it so much I brought 10 copies for her family and friends (Amazon has Spanish).
I was thinking someone would read, comment, take action. Nothing. Ain't no backups on the way.
I always forget that consciousness can not be inflicted.

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@jopa1951
Only modeled

REPLY

I've tried to label a few things but that doesn't seem to work. He can't work the lock on the rental house door, so that's become a problem. So now, I'm opening and closing it. The tv remotes, OMG, no matter how many diagrams I do, that doesn't work either. So I'm doing it. He actually picks it up and brings it over to me. So we're trying to make do with what is going on, and any progression, I'm just hoping that these lequembe infusions are going to work and slow down the progression.
He does remember to go in and take my clean towels, fold them, and bring them into the bathroom and arrange them nicely on the rack. So, I guess I have to be thankful for what he does remember, and when. And as for his cereal, it's the same go-to bowl of cheerios, he was doing extra sugar on top of honey nut, but I don't put the sugar out, and he seems to be just as happy with just cheerios!

REPLY
Profile picture for kjc48 @kjc48

I've tried to label a few things but that doesn't seem to work. He can't work the lock on the rental house door, so that's become a problem. So now, I'm opening and closing it. The tv remotes, OMG, no matter how many diagrams I do, that doesn't work either. So I'm doing it. He actually picks it up and brings it over to me. So we're trying to make do with what is going on, and any progression, I'm just hoping that these lequembe infusions are going to work and slow down the progression.
He does remember to go in and take my clean towels, fold them, and bring them into the bathroom and arrange them nicely on the rack. So, I guess I have to be thankful for what he does remember, and when. And as for his cereal, it's the same go-to bowl of cheerios, he was doing extra sugar on top of honey nut, but I don't put the sugar out, and he seems to be just as happy with just cheerios!

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@kjc48
Hi, I can see the writing on the wall that the signs may lose their effectiveness.
Hugs.

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Hugs back. We need all the hugs we can get!

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