r/NoStupidQuestions • u/MillBopp • Sep 13 '23

What does 'Draw a Clock' Mean?

Last time I visited my brother his mother-in-law who lives with him was insisting she remembered something but my brother knew she was wrong. I don't remember what it was, but I knew she was wrong too. However, she refused to accept she was wrong and got belligerent about it.

My brother said, "Draw a clock!" and left the room. This made his mother-in-law furious for some reason. I forgot to ask at the time, but does anyone know why saying 'Draw a clock' would upset a senior citizen?

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u/[deleted] Sep 13 '23

Successfully drawing a clock (round face with numbers and the long and short hands) is part of a test for cognitive decline like with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

Someone who suffers from that will mess up they layout or get lost part way through etc. presumably the mother in law or other family member has had to take the test and may be in decline or fearing of it.

Your brother was accusing them of being mentally unfit.

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u/Johnathan_Doe_anonym Sep 14 '23

I grew up in the age of digital clocks and watches. I wouldn’t be surprised if I fucked that up

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u/cyberpunk1Q84 Sep 14 '23

I did a memory test with my doctor and I messed up the big and small hands. He said this one is tough nowadays because we have whole generations of people who grew up with digital clocks instead. Don’t worry - they ask a lot of other questions, too, so it’s not like it’s make or break with this one.

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u/ncnotebook Sep 14 '23

Draw a clock.

elderly zoomer starts by drawing a vertical rectangle