Ideas Please

[bednobs]

hi i have an older relative who is living at home and has dementia. he likes to watch TV in bed, but has it on rather lound, than falls asleep with it on and the loudness disturbs the neighbour. The next day he forgets he's even watched TV in bed, and so can't understand why the neighbour is complaining about him. Is there a technical solution to this problem?

[sandyRoe]

A timer that would switch the TV off?

[sherrardk]

Would a timer work - one that you plug into the electric so that the TV doesn't switch off as such but the electricity does? http://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-digital-programmable-7-day-timer-240v/50676?kpid=50676&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&kpid=50676&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping%20-%20Electrical-_-Shopping%20-%20Electrical&gclid=CMOC25eyusQCFYnJtAodOwQAOA

[sherrardk]

Or wireless headphones?

[Sycamore3House]

There are usually sleep functions you can set via the remote. But if he overrides this it is useless in the situation you describe. I don’t know but usb t possible to restrict the volume. Someone may know!

[tonyav]

How old is the TV, most modern TV's will go into standby mode after a certain time.

[Prudie]

Certainly with a smart TV you can set it to switch off at a certain time. Simpler is probably a normal plug in timer like you might use for lights etc when on holiday. That is if you can select a time at night when he'll always be asleep by.

[tonyav]

sandyRoes post reminded me of these.
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[pixie373]

Hearing aids would be better?

[bednobs]

yes tose are the 3 ideas we came up with but there a re [robs with all of them
1) headphones - i don't think he'd be able to use them. Hed probably wonder why no noise was coming out of the Tv and forget to put them on
2)Hearing aids - probably too poorly to easily make the trip to the hospital for tests. Also doesn't seem to have a hearing problem per se, and he can hear normal conversation easily
3)Timer - it feelsa bit wrong to proscribe the times people can watch telly. a bit like he's a prisoner. I was hoping htere might be a fourth way for a way forth :)

[pixie373]

Have the neighbours said what sort of time it's bothering them? That seems to be the only problem- is it every time the TV is on, or when they go to bed later? It might need to be a bit of a compromise with a timer.

[woofgang]

He's not being prescribed. When the Tv goes off, if he is awake, he can put it back on again. Also, does he need the Tv on that loud? On many newish models you can set a maximum that the volume can be turned up to however much you press the volume on the remote. I know its sneaky but if the neighbours complain to the council (as they well might) then he will have more serious problems to deal with.
he might not be turning it up on purpose? Some channels are noisier than others and seem to get noisier late at night, also he may be doin something like turning up the sound instead of changing the channel which my Mum used to do.

[soapnumpty]

Probably a silly question if he has dementia, but could he put the subtitles on? If not, then as others have said, use a plug in timer and switch it to go off at say midnight, so hopefully he'd be asleep by then and wouldn't even know.

[sherrardk]

You actually said it first.

[Gavmacp]

Bednobs,
I don't think (well in my opinion) a timer is that bad as in life there are rules that are the common norm. I had a colleague who visited a client who chose to stay up all night watching tv and spend all day in bed (when there was more staff on). They said it was his choice to watch tv all night. My colleague was rather forthright said bo*****s there are some rules he has to adhere to.
I personally believe she was right!