Heloise

Dear Heloise: My husband is in an assisted living facility. I keep an erasable white board in his room. When a visit or trip is planned, I write it on the board. It helps him remember, and the staff loves it. This way, they make sure he’s ready. I also write sport schedules.

In addition, I keep the same type of board in the garage. I write reminders to get gas, fill bird feeders, take something into the house, bring something into the garage, etc. It saves standing in the mudroom and trying to remember what I came in for. Thank you. — Barb Crandell, via email

DEVICE FOR THE HARD OF HEARING

Dear Heloise: I read your column in the Los Angeles Daily News. You recently had a suggesting regarding spam calls. If you are hard of hearing here in California, the state sponsors a device where you can read what the caller is saying. The phone is made and installed by CapTel. It shows you the telephone number and sometimes the name of who is calling.

If I don’t recognize the call, I press the message button, and if it is a spam call, they usually do not leave a message and just hang up. If they leave a message, I can hear it. If it’s someone I know, I pick up the call. I am sure other states offer this phone to the hard of hearing. — Fred Weiss, via email

NURSING HOME VISITS

Dear Heloise: Visiting a loved one in a nursing home who does not always remember you is painful for you both. I have a hint that may help: I walk in with a bright smile and say, “Rose, it’s your old buddy Laura from church. How are you doing today?” By introducing myself like this, Rose does not have to scramble to remember who I am or where she knows me from. And she will often reply with: “Laura, how nice to see you.”

There are so many people walking around in a nursing home, so a simple “introduction” can put a dementia patient at ease. — Laura Ishler, in Curwensville, Pennsylvania

WASHING BY HAND

Dear Heloise: Do you have any hints for those of us who wash our dishes by hand? I just moved into a tiny house (700 square feet) and don’t have a dishwasher. — Malia, in Hilo, Hawaii

Malia, yes, I do, and here they are:

— Add a little vinegar to the water to remove gunk on your dishes and get them nice and clean.

— Wash sharp knives separately, one at a time. Do not drop them into soapy water because it’s too easy to cut your hand.

— Spray baked-on food with oven cleaner and let sit for 30 minutes. Then wash as usual.

— Soak dishes or pans with baked-on egg or milk in cold water. Hot water makes cleaning them more difficult. — Heloise

COUPON HOLDER

Dear Heloise: I found a way to store my coupons before I go grocery shopping. I cut out the ones I need and store them in an old envelope that is held onto the refrigerator with a magnet. This way, I can put the envelope in my purse before I leave the house or just take out a few coupons and put them in my wallet. — Adelle G., in Vergennes, Vermont

Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.