One thing that occurs with Alzheimer's disease (and begins early on) is the inability to process recent memories.
When you or I arrive home, for example, and hit the bathroom by necessity and leave the keys by accident, we retrace our steps. "Oh, let's see: when I came home I really had to go and stopped in the bathroom; I don't remember putting the keys in the basket on the kitchen counter, so I bet I left them in the bathroom." People with Alzheimer's probably won't remember they stopped by the bathroom, and they are unable to retrace their steps.
When we travel, we use those little folding travel trays to keep our pocket litter together. Most are pretty blah, and not very large. It's easy to overlook them, whether to drop items in or find the tray.
Last week, Red Oxx (baggage manufacturer
oldpenny16 and I love) had a bright pink folding travel tray on offer (it was limited and temporary) as prizes on FaceBook. I wrote them about our situation (we're celebrating our 50th anniversary next month with a cruise) and asked to purchase one of these limited items; they sent me one gratis! Awesome people! (
Link to Red Oxx travel tray page.)
My wife loves the soft, oversize
VERY VISIBLE travel tray, and it proved most useful on our fourteen day cruise and hotel stays: