Daily Life
Using Post-it Notes as a Memory Aid with Alzheimer's
Article no. 48 · September 27, 2026 · Updated October 8, 2026 ·
Post-it notes can be a simple tool for those of us living with Alzheimer's disease. The problem is, it's easy to end up with too many notes. If they're stuck everywhere, they can actually make it harder to focus and remember what really needs to be done.
So, I've found a simple solution that works for me.
I don't tear off the Post-it note and stick it up. The note stays on the pad until the task is done. And each pad can only have one current task.
I bought a 20-pack of small Post-it pads, 76 × 76 mm, on Amazon. I divide the pads into three piles: one for everyday things that need doing soon, one for tasks related to my website, and one with empty pads.
Appointments, like the dentist and doctor's visits, I keep outside of this system. I write those down on my kitchen calendar.
On the everyday pads, it might say:
Bring in firewood. Mop the kitchen floor. Make an eye appointment.
I focus on the pad that's on top – and on only that task. When it's done, I tear off the note. The pad is empty and can be used again.
The pile for the website works the same way. A note there might contain an idea for a new article, a piece of text that needs to be changed, or some technical detail I need to fix.
Every morning, I go through the pads with tasks, decide what's most important, and then work through them one by one.
Write It Down, So You Don't Have to Remember
That's really the whole point of my system.
I shouldn't have to strain my mind to remember what it was I was supposed to remember. When I think of something that needs doing, I write it down immediately. Not in fifteen minutes or later in the day, but while the thought is still fresh.
