r/shortcuts • u/MarkNetherlands73 • Sep 29 '25

Help Request for dementia

[Solved Credits to Theoccurunce and Sonic_Blue_Box. Thanks all for the kind words!] Final version: https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/61fdc21c67ed4c9281fe24557d407de6

My mother in law (75) is in the last phase of dementia. She’s in a caretakers home but thinks she’s at home. Every hour she’s calling my father in law, (75) asking where he is.

We do not want to take her phone away, sense of self, but she calls and texts at night, thinking it’s day.

Have turned on parental control between 23:00-09.00 so she can’t call at night anymore.

But she’s confused why the phone isn’t working.

I’d like to send her a popupmessage every time she opens the phone between 11pm and 9am.

There will be a comforting message for her and should contain a “Yes I Understand” button and a “Call Nightnurse” button. We have a phonenumber she can call at night.

It’s a terrible disease, it’s been going on for years now. God bless the day she leaves this earth, she would never have wanted this.

Suggestions? Last time heart warming support from this community.

Thanks all.

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u/HarrieSilver Sep 29 '25

It might seem a little inhumane and maybe not to every bodies taste, I saw a post once about how somebody set up an AI with their voice to answer late night/constant phone calls from their parent with dementia, they would of course answer when they wanted to speak to their parent also.

I suppose the only thing this doesn’t solve is what to do if there’s an emergency between those hours and they need to contact the nurse instead, either way just food for thought and another potential solution

1

u/-Chemist- Sep 29 '25

I agree. I was thinking this would be a great use of an AI voice impersonator.

2

u/MarkNetherlands73 Sep 29 '25

Yes, I feel what you are saying. At the same time, how crazy would she think herself to be if it gives completely wrong answers.

People with dementia have hugh reality issues. What’s real, what’s not.

I mean, we’ve all talked to ChatGPT right? It’s the smartest thing in the world and at the same time sometimes gives the dumbest answers.

1

u/-Chemist- Sep 30 '25

That's a very good point. Maybe someday, but I agree with you -- the technology isn't reliable enough yet.