Esther C. Kane, C.D.S.It’s hard to buy gifts for people with dementia, to get the perfect gift for an older adult who suffers from memory disorders, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
But with the holiday season here, you want to do all you can to give your loved one good gifts that they can enjoy and use.
But if they suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s or any other illness that causes cognitive decline – finding the right present can be daunting.
You don’t want to just hand them a gift card! You want it to be special. So, what is a good gift for someone with dementia?
One of the best gifts for Alzheimer patients or people with dementia is something that will allow them to use their hands and to express themselves artistically.
That’s why arts and crafts type of gifts are so good for anyone with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Another type of good gift is one that can help to make their daily routine a bit easier and safer. The good news is that these days, there are many gadgets and products that can do just that.
What Do You Get Someone With Dementia For Christmas?
Some wonderful ideas for dementia gifts could include items that can make life just a bit easier for them.
Also items that may help to trigger memories. Of course, the gift of family time is usually one of the best Christmas gifts that you can give to someone who is suffering from memory loss.
Some dementia gift ideas are…
Easy To Use Telephones
An easy to use picture phone with photo buttons can be a really good idea for anyone with dementia or Alzheimer’s. It’s one of those useful tools that can be appreciated every day. There are other good options to choose from – just click here.
Some of the best gift for anyone in the early stages of dementia or early stages of Alzheimer will be activities that stimulate their mind as well as products that can help them to keep in touch with friends and family.
Easy To Use Remote Control
It can be frustrating for many adults with dementia or Alzheimer’s to use any of the remote controls needed for a television set. So, this very easy to use remote can be the solution to making their TV watching just a bit easier.
Large Reminder Day Clock
This large clock with date, day and time can be an excellent gift for someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. It clearly shows the day of the week, the date and the time of the day or night.
Puzzles
These easy to use puzzles can be a great activity for many seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Completing one can give him or her a great sense of accomplishment. There are many different ones to choose from.
Twiddle Muffs
Twiddle muffs have been used as a therapy tool for anyone with Alzheimer’s or dementia to help alleviate restless hands.
Activity and Puzzle Books
Activity books filled with crossword puzzles, coloring pages and more can provide someone with dementia an activity to keep them entertained.
Reminiscence Games
These memory cards can be adapted to and played with someone at several stages of dementia.
Gift Ideas For Someone With Early Stage Dementia
Photo Sharing Frame
Photo sharing frames like this one are a great way to families to keep in touch with each other. It’s one of the more practical gifts for any seniors. Keeping in touch with loved ones can be a very powerful tool towards combating depression and anxiety in seniors.
Automatic Pill Dispenser
An automatic pill dispenser can be a life saver for seniors who are having trouble remembering what to take when. They may be skipping medications or taking too much! This great little gadget can give you some peace of mind knowing that they may be able to stick to their medication schedule better.
Scrapbooking Kit
Filling a scrapbook with old memories and stories would be a great gift for anyone with dementia. It can help to stimulate creative ideas and can be modified to several difficulty levels depending on what the person is capable of doing.
Amazon’s Echo Show
Amazon’s Echo Show product is a very versatile tech product that can be used for video chats, games, as a simple music player and podcasts too. Can be used for watching movies and much, much more. It’s the type of gift that can be used every single day in many different ways. Personally, I think it’s a great idea for any home.
Gift Ideas For Someone With Middle Stage Dementia
As dementia progresses, the patient’s needs become more focused on basic sensory activities and memory aids that are as simple to use for them.
In the middle stage of dementia, the person often develops a need for simple memory aids and tactile activities. Sensory stimulation is important at this point in order to help lessen their discomfort as they experience symptoms more vividly than before.
Bubble Pop
These fun little bubble pop products can be addicting! It’s one of the sensory stimulating gifts that provides a simple way to spend some time and keep hands busy.
Bristle Building Blocks
A great gift for dementia patients are these bristle building blocks! Many elderly with dementia or Alzheimer’s enjoy using their hands and this is a perfect sensory and visual activity for those individuals. Since tactile stimulation has been shown to benefit people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, this gift could help them in more ways than one.
Aqua Painting
These easy to do paint kits require no paint. Just a brush with water to reveal the image on the pad.
Wooden Puzzles
Matching the puzzle pattern to the patterns in the book can be a stimulating activity for someone with dementia.
Gift Ideas For Someone With Late Stage Dementia
In this late stage of the disease, the best type of gifts for your loved one would be something that provides comfort and safety.
Blankets
A warm, comforting soft blanket can be a wonderful gift for someone in the later stages of dementia. An appropriate gift to give someone to use in everyday life.
Modeling Clay
Soft, non-toxic modeling clay for dementia patients who like to use their hands to create.
Robotic Pets
Many seniors with dementia love to hold on to and/or pet an animal so a stuffed animal or a robotic one like this one shown here can be a great source of comfort for them. (Here’s the cat version). These can make for perfect holiday gifts for someone in the late stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Lifelike Baby Dolls
Similar to robotic or stuffed animals, some elderly with dementia become enamored with a baby doll. These are very lifelike and can provide great comfort to some. Look through the many varieties to choose from here.
GPS Smart Sole
These smart shoe inserts come with a GPS tracker in them making it much easier for family members and caregivers to keep track of seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s. It is very common for seniors in the later stages of the disease that they would wander away so keeping a tracker on them could save their life.
What Is A Busy Box For Dementia Patients?
The idea of a busy box or fidget box is to provide some sensory stimulation activity for the person with dementia.
Multi-sensory stimulation is becoming increasingly popular in nursing homes based on the impressive results of numerous research studies into its effectiveness.
goldencarers.com
Busy Boxes and Fidget Blankets
A busy box like this can be a great gift for someone in the middle stages of dementia. For many, it’s a perfect way to keep busy which can be very difficult for someone with cognitive decline.
Latches Activity Board
Another activity board with multiple latches.
Fidget Blanket
Another type of activity board are fidget blankets that can help your senior loved one to be actives and de-stress.
There are many more activity boards and fidget blankets to choose from – click here to see them all.
Gifts For Dads With Dementia
Some wonderful Christmas gift ideas for the men on your list could include any of the following:
Infinity Maze Game
A fun game that can help to keep your father busy.
Marble Maze Game
Another activity that can provide sensory stimulation for your loving Dad.
Ring Toss Game
Activities that can keep seniors with dementia active while being safe can make for excellent gifts.
One Touch Music Player
This very simple to use music player can provide hours of entertainment for your Dad with dementia.
Comfort Items For Dementia Patients
Many persons with dementia suffer from anxiety as they slowly lose their memories and become uncomfortable with their situation.
It is common for people with dementia to have anxiety. It can make symptoms of dementia worse – particularly symptoms that affect a person’s attention, planning, organising and decision-making.
Alzheimer’s Association UK
So, it makes sense that gifts that can provide a sense of comfort and maybe safety can be wonderful gifts for seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Shiatsu Massage Chair
The ultimate in comfort is this Shiatsu massage chair with built in heat and air massage. For anyone with muscle aches and pains, this can be an extremely comforting gift.
Light Therapy
This beautiful light therapy product can help you to fall asleep faster and to wake up with a beautiful warm light.
Adult Bibs
Wearing something over your clothing to help protect you from getting food on them can make life just a little bit easier for both the senior and their caregiver.
Sensing Bed Pad
I admit, this gift is a bit more for caregivers than it is for seniors with dementia but knowing when your senior loved one may be getting out of bed can help to save them injury or pain.
Weighted Blankets
For some seniors with dementia (not all), a weighted blanket can provide a sense of comfort and security. If you’re concerned if a weighted blanket is safe for your senior loved one, read our article about the safety of weighted blankets for seniors.
It is not easy to find the perfect gift for seniors with dementia. However, with a bit of thought and ingenuity, you can come up with something meaningful and special that will show your love and care.
