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Everyone loves getting gifts whether it be for a birthday or Christmas many special occasion. What do you get someone with dementia? You certainly can’t get any gift. There are numerous gifts for dementia patients out there. The most important and useful gauge you can use to determine what gift would be great for your elderly loved one is how severe their dementia is. There are great gifts for mild, moderate and severe dementia. While you may think all dementia is the same, it isn’t. Gifts for mild dementia will not be appropriate for someone with moderate or severe dementia. Gifts for patients with mild dementia can be similar to gifts you’d get someone without dementia, while gifts for patients with moderate and severe dementia should provide motor and sensory stimulation. Picking the appropriate gift for your loved one’s dementia severity can help preserve and better their fading memories.
To help you select a gift for your loved one with dementia, below is a guide sectioned by gifts appropriate for dementia patients on the whole dementia spectrum:
Early Stage Gifts:
- Music and CD’s that allows the patient to reminisce.
- A memorable photo calendar or album that features special family occasions and family photos.
- A memory phone that can store photos with the names and contact information of friends and family.
- Magnetic reminder refrigerator pads
- Post-It notes
- A small diary or notebook
- A memorable calendar featuring family photos. Write in important family occasions such as anniversaries and birthdays.
Middle and late stage dementia patients need gifts that promote sensory and mental stimulation.
Middle Stage Gifts:
- Sensory stimulation games
- Erasable white boards that highlight key rooms or areas in your loved one’s home.
- A large dementia clock that spells out the month, day of the week, and even time of day.
- Automatic nightlights that will light for your loved one as soon as it gets dark.
- An automatic medication dispenser.
- Simple craft activities that inspire reminiscing.
Late Stage Gifts:
- A fluffy bathrobe or a soft blanket in a favorite color.
- Comfortable clothes like sweat suits and shoes with Velcro ties that can make dressing and undressing easier on a loved one.
- A doll or stuffed animal.
- Music and CD’s that feature songs from your loved one’s childhood or teenage years.
- A location device
- Scented lotions
- A soft blanket
- Framed photographs or a photo collage.
- Enroll the patient in an emergency response service such as MedicAlert’s Safe Return
At the Senior Care Shop, we care about the quality of life for your loved ones. We have a variety of products from games to medication management aids to fire safety to help your loved ones be safe and maintain their health and well-being. If you’re wanting to give a great gift to your loved one with dementia you can browse our store or contact us with questions or additional recommendations. Just because your loved one may not be who she or he is anymore, doesn’t mean they won’t appreciate a gift.
I purchased the day cycle digital clock for my husband (who has Alzheimer’s) and he loves it because he cannot tell time on a standard watch/clock, but this clock he can read (and sometimes he compares it to his regular watch)..
He has asked if there is a similar one he could carry in his pocket. A digital watch seems too small for him to figure out easily. Do you have anything like this?