I need to buy a torch for my partners dad, in his 80s with dementia. I want a black metal body bright LED, about 6" in length, that uses old fashioned batteries, you know, when they're done you toss them in the bin and put new ones in. I don't want a USB rechargeable one, I don't want 20 modes, I want it to turn on, then to turn off.

Why has life got to be so complicated!!

Answers below on a torch with link, about £10 in price gratefully received...

try aliexpress, shein etc. i bought one with 3 modes, focusable torch, cob light side of body, and flashing as in emergency sadly its usb charge, buy a usb plug, youll poss find one way less than a tenner, it lives in the glovebox for emergencies

2 minutes ago, Jimpster said:

try aliexpress, shein etc. i bought one with 3 modes, focusable torch, cob light side of body, and flashing as in emergency sadly its usb charge, buy a usb plug, youll poss find one way less than a tenner, it lives in the glovebox for emergencies

Thanks buddy, USB is out, as is the 3 x modes. He's not capable of understanding 'modes', just want an on/off torch, if they still make them LOL

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374885198911?itmmeta=01J3GJRWWTJAQPKY0QJZAFKBG3&hash=item5748e62c3f:g:mloAAOSwLBNk3P3~&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0HP3eQL%2FxiMUGcZfbaVDSDoGNKlsJizslJnaKALvv4IVYjZWRXFOpEG6bjbBWPagmjkDKgtpVbEdtySPOigBZTeHm2SovOI3D1qFdZLSMnadXW5hB8gplEhCK%2FqxL3sqVTbatykKXHIBHRTOGmQtD%2B7Cuj3r223R5c1YaiSUKFzUkMq6v07btZDwoa2kbLsp%2FrICRvtE2AEgwyheQ1h9dRHhRD4WcdwSb0ZkPPHbAxONZBo6kD02R2%2F5JwfcH7LUDhNamfCMitLdHb2RXqVATqo%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8DO45KcZA

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154659231272?itmmeta=01J3GJRWWVJCWCCAEE437XNZWE&hash=item2402689628:g:AJQAAOSwKwZf4HOH&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8MhpBOOFway3mj6%2B6dzKVnNpFROdis5mnqtwetgNoDILIJ3IOv2UTAy9%2B0MG0bvYnLcE4Dzm0xxdZpxSZFrwobnRWo7D9Ltf7QdNbdi3x%2Bfw6jeHyb5%2FbQOHcSCJgD%2BZBpGM0je%2BDWD4O73k85Z4%2Fbt6IqipQwJiKzt8H77ME8PkOHxyuzgUzhFVXJZrey3WRDK1Dt9Mpsd%2FGF1uwAf4rBLXlLDnl7h8D7%2FPdQme4tGmekfYXc67fNIzHh5yK3J5DrOQpytRjZ4m18SO8lMNwu1s%2FEWPKxaECJtCazGSe61ZCqPN0qj1GsimeSvdrhYE%2BQ%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8LO45KcZA

2 minutes ago, eddie eastwood said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374885198911?itmmeta=01J3GJRWWTJAQPKY0QJZAFKBG3&hash=item5748e62c3f:g:mloAAOSwLBNk3P3~&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0HP3eQL%2FxiMUGcZfbaVDSDoGNKlsJizslJnaKALvv4IVYjZWRXFOpEG6bjbBWPagmjkDKgtpVbEdtySPOigBZTeHm2SovOI3D1qFdZLSMnadXW5hB8gplEhCK%2FqxL3sqVTbatykKXHIBHRTOGmQtD%2B7Cuj3r223R5c1YaiSUKFzUkMq6v07btZDwoa2kbLsp%2FrICRvtE2AEgwyheQ1h9dRHhRD4WcdwSb0ZkPPHbAxONZBo6kD02R2%2F5JwfcH7LUDhNamfCMitLdHb2RXqVATqo%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8DO45KcZA

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154659231272?itmmeta=01J3GJRWWVJCWCCAEE437XNZWE&hash=item2402689628:g:AJQAAOSwKwZf4HOH&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8MhpBOOFway3mj6%2B6dzKVnNpFROdis5mnqtwetgNoDILIJ3IOv2UTAy9%2B0MG0bvYnLcE4Dzm0xxdZpxSZFrwobnRWo7D9Ltf7QdNbdi3x%2Bfw6jeHyb5%2FbQOHcSCJgD%2BZBpGM0je%2BDWD4O73k85Z4%2Fbt6IqipQwJiKzt8H77ME8PkOHxyuzgUzhFVXJZrey3WRDK1Dt9Mpsd%2FGF1uwAf4rBLXlLDnl7h8D7%2FPdQme4tGmekfYXc67fNIzHh5yK3J5DrOQpytRjZ4m18SO8lMNwu1s%2FEWPKxaECJtCazGSe61ZCqPN0qj1GsimeSvdrhYE%2BQ%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8LO45KcZA

Apparently it is very hard LOL Not 'metal' cased, and one doesn't have LED either 🤣 Still, I do appreciate the effort. There are 1000s of Ebay listings, gave up after page 24!

Think I might tryt an old fashioned camping shop...

2 hours ago, StephenFord said:

I need to buy a torch for my partners dad, in his 80s with dementia. I want a black metal body bright LED, about 6" in length, that uses old fashioned batteries, you know, when they're done you toss them in the bin and put new ones in. I don't want a USB rechargeable one, I don't want 20 modes, I want it to turn on, then to turn off.

Why has life got to be so complicated!!

Answers below on a torch with link, about £10 in price gratefully received...

They've got smaller and brighter. These are the type I've got all over the house. Got a box full from a local car booty, but found them in the local garage (batteries included, 3xAAA). ON OFF that's it. Rubberised aluminium bodied. And they are popular with gas men and builders as at least 6 have gone walk about.

6 minutes ago, Mr E said:

They've got smaller and brighter. These are the type I've got all over the house. Got a box full from a local car booty, but found them in the local garage (batteries included, 3xAAA). ON OFF that's it. Rubberised aluminium bodied. And they are popular with gas men and builders as at least 6 have gone walk about.

 

not Cheap, but Maglite.

Other advantage is rotate the lens for On/Off, so no small switch to press.  Small size, but with bright LED, and you can put a lanyard on it.

 

Remember "PIFCO" ?

8 hours ago, Mr E said:

They've got smaller and brighter. These are the type I've got all over the house. Got a box full from a local car booty, but found them in the local garage (batteries included, 3xAAA). ON OFF that's it. Rubberised aluminium bodied. And they are popular with gas men and builders as at least 6 have gone walk about.

I wasn't being funny, but fair enough. I know what it's like to have a parent with vascular dementia, we took their ashes back to Yorkshire 2 years ago.

13 hours ago, Paulkp said:

 

Remember "PIFCO" ?

On sale now at your local Home Bargains, a fast charger 🤣

Hopefully this is suitable as it took me ages to write out the address! 😀

 

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwiXh4iky7-HAxUek2gJHQgyA28YABAcGgJ3Zg&ase=2&gclid=CjwKCAjwzIK1BhAuEiwAHQmU3hYM1RAQGmn8Pg7ReXz4Op_lei3k2CilnVcW2bi-SMVMvVduHvUgMhoCHLQQAvD_BwE&sph=&ohost=www.google.co.uk&cid=CAESwwHg9j-dmyYJDVn5XvX-NG81H4FKkoA1kydy-S4si2yrRPjP5nHN_34JkwapDogFECRh2FfRqEI2GSQVjjLmlHwH6JRCouwoM2OhN_JpmWhgTKRQ7QgfdfNBVoShuY374ecUoRWsQKBVfVxd43LQkGjOk_RpoRLveOWd7u0wirCOhos7z4RYnzhWWYekrCB22OK25LjwSvKC2j9qX7-LAbMAHPTdQtfsTrbWWQfYwC6qe3eJh8k4BTh-nFVxkcRawFCmgP0&sig=AOD64_1YpzmjKP_-4yW3Gg7b4sAIWtgM2Q&ctype=5&q=&nis=7&ved=2ahUKEwifzIKky7-HAxX9ZkEAHc8PGOcQwg8oAHoECAQQEw&adurl=

7 hours ago, Mr E said:

I wasn't being funny, but fair enough. I know what it's like to have a parent with vascular dementia, we took their ashes back to Yorkshire 2 years ago.

It's cool. Actually worst time was the masses of paperwork and heartache when my wife had to have her father put into care. And I couldn't do a thing, I was the husband but not a blood relative. So it was all tea and sympathy from me. Didn't stop me ending up in therapy and group meetings. It's not just the poor soul who's got the illness, it's the whole family that gets it as well. 

But we were not alone. Amazing who drifts out the shadows and makes sense of stuff for you. And now my parents are poorly I'm more aware of the way things work, makes it a bit easier. The biggest advice I took onboard, just like when a new baby arrives, never refuse anything. Food, help, time to sleep, an ear to bend. It's all welcome. 👍

Find someone or a group to talk to if you can. I'm a very vocal advocate of therapy after my breakdown many moons ago. If asked will talk openly about my experiences.

1 hour ago, Mr E said:

It's cool. Actually worst time was the masses of paperwork and heartache when my wife had to have her father put into care....

I've mentioned numerous times on this forum of what I have learned in the last few years now being a primary carer for my elderly mum recovering from a stoke (she's in her late 80s)

Everything from helping her with banking needs, ("no, she doesn't have a darn app, or a mobile phone, don't you have a human I can speak to about my mum??") To BT trying to convert her to 'Digital Voice' where even if she did have a mobile, her home gets no signal, so in a power cut, she'd have no means of communication.

This blind mad rush to 'digital' is being forced by a bunch of youngsters who haven't a clue about real life. We rely on government to protect us, but sadly, they are equally as incompetent. Surely last weeks global IT outage should ring a few warning bells, but I bet it doesn't.

1 hour ago, StephenFord said:

I've mentioned numerous times on this forum of what I have learned in the last few years now being a primary carer for my elderly mum recovering from a stoke (she's in her late 80s)

Everything from helping her with banking needs, ("no, she doesn't have a darn app, or a mobile phone, don't you have a human I can speak to about my mum??") To BT trying to convert her to 'Digital Voice' where even if she did have a mobile, her home gets no signal, so in a power cut, she'd have no means of communication.

This blind mad rush to 'digital' is being forced by a bunch of youngsters who haven't a clue about real life. We rely on government to protect us, but sadly, they are equally as incompetent. Surely last weeks global IT outage should ring a few warning bells, but I bet it doesn't.

Totally agree, we are both in the same boat. I am fortunate that at this moment in time both my parents are still kicking about. But their mobility is an issue and unless you have the funds to convert a house to be more elderly friendly you really are on call 24/7. I actually bought a B Max for the ease of getting elderly folk in and out, slidey doors and no pillar.

But as for technology to be honest it's not so much a bind for us. But to be honest my two aren't really happy with mobiles, never mind laptops and the like.

And this is going off topic a little but when my wife went looking for a new car she freaked when she was introduced to a keyless car. In fact cars are getting so stuffed with tech that driving the things is slowly becoming a secondary consideration. A certain large French car had a gear lever like a spade handle and a dashboard like an Ibiza seafront. Nah! oh for the days when me and the lads were lifting engines out of Minis and getting up to the naffs in grease and crushed fingers. 

I was just thinking, the last few posts are a good analogy of my original quest on this thread. I want a torch that:-

1. Has an LED
2. Works by a disposable battery
3. Is made of metal about 6" in length
4. Simply turns on/off - no fancy strobe modes.

The simple torch is now so overdesigned that a whole generation don't even recognise it as such!

Even buying my mum a replacement landline phone a couple of years back was difficult, as there's no such thing as a 'basic' anymore. It was full of buttons with 'features' that we didn't want. Ended up taping over buttons to stop confusing her. I think manufactures have genuinely forgotten who potentially uses their products...

LED is modern technology. 

The torch no longer needs to be 6" long because LEDs are tiny and they take so little power that they no longer 2x C sized batteries to power a bulb for more than a few minutes.

It is more convenient for most people to plug in and charge them than have to go out and buy disposable batteries.

I could go on for hours about how inaccessible the world is for people like myself, but the problem in this case is that you want a 'hybrid' torch, which very few other people would want, and therefore has no economy of scale for production.

2 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

LED is modern technology. 

The torch no longer needs to be 6" long because LEDs are tiny and they take so little power that they no longer 2x C sized batteries to power a bulb for more than a few minutes.

It is more convenient for most people to plug in and charge them than have to go out and buy disposable batteries.

I could go on for hours about how inaccessible the world is for people like myself, but the problem in this case is that you want a 'hybrid' torch, which very few other people would want, and therefore has no economy of scale for production.

I do appreciate what you say, but with him having arthritis, a 'small' torch is difficult to grip. I still have a couple of MagLites run by 'C' cells and even 'D' cells, just too good to throw out and one of them was my dads! Just wanted to have a good whinge about how fast the world is changing, and like I always say, 'just because you can, doesn't mean you should' LOL

40 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

I do appreciate what you say, but with him having arthritis, a 'small' torch is difficult to grip. I still have a couple of MagLites run by 'C' cells and even 'D' cells, just too good to throw out and one of them was my dads! Just wanted to have a good whinge about how fast the world is changing, and like I always say, 'just because you can, doesn't mean you should' LOL

Could I be nosey and ask what the torch was for? I know it sounds daft but my parents had an issue going out into the backyard. Luckily it was South Facing and I put up some ridiculously bright PIR solar  led security lamps. They did the trick. I even unscrewed the back plates and sealed them up with clear silicone so they should last years. But only come on when someone's there. 

1 minute ago, Mr E said:

Could I be nosey and ask what the torch was for? I know it sounds daft but my parents had an issue going out into the backyard. Luckily it was South Facing and I put up some ridiculously bright PIR solar  led security lamps. They did the trick. I even unscrewed the back plates and sealed them up with clear silicone so they should last years. But only come on when someone's there. 

He has security lights all round house, has done for years. Sadly, despite his dementia, he sometimes goes a 'walk' at night despite everyone telling him he shouldn't. He just likes to have a torch with him, he lost the one he had...

Just now, StephenFord said:

He has security lights all round house, has done for years. Sadly, despite his dementia, he sometimes goes a 'walk' at night despite everyone telling him he shouldn't. He just likes to have a torch with him, he lost the one he had...

Oh right, I get it. I honestly would recommend a car boot sale. They are a treasure trove of stuff they don't want but are gold to you.  I dare say they'd be a torch or two buried there.

23 minutes ago, Mr E said:

Oh right, I get it. I honestly would recommend a car boot sale. They are a treasure trove of stuff they don't want but are gold to you.  I dare say they'd be a torch or two buried there.

I'm a regular attendee, as well as charity shops LOL

6 hours ago, Turvey said:

Hopefully this is suitable

Possibly not if he's a vegetarian, seems like it's made from bits of a Dog 🤣

I have literally just found one, yes, it's a compromise, but it's metal, uses 3 x disposable batteries, is LED, right size, but has 4 x 'modes', simple push button, and a teeny bit over budget. Best I can find for him though. I hope he'll get use to it...

5 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

I have literally just found one, yes, it's a compromise, but it metal, use 3 x disposable batteries, is LED, right size, but has 4 x 'modes', simple push button, and a teeny bit over budget. Best I can find for him though. I hope he'll get use to it...

Awww man! Saw this on Amazon. D cells mind. But rubberised. And £8. I tried 😬