28 Presents for Dementia Sufferers
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When buying a gift for someone with dementia it can be very difficult to know what to buy them. It is important to get them something which you have thought hard about that will help them to feel special without causing them any undue stress. Therefore, we have decided to help with this and put together a selection of things that we feel will be right for them. Hopefully you will be able to find something that will suit the person that you are buying for that they will also really appreciate.
27 Gift Ideas for People With Dementia
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This is a book called ‘Dementia : the One Stop Guide’. It is a book by June Andrews and is aimed at families of people who have dementia to help them. The book includes things like how to recognise symptoms, get help, manage financially, treatment, being a carer, staying positive etc to help those with it and those affected by it to not feel alone and get the help they need.
This is a large print book called ‘1950’s Memory lane’. It is designed especially for people with dementia who like to still read books but find it hard to follow a story. It has lots of short easy paragraphs and photographs and illustrations. It looks at life in 1950’s USA and UK and should help to stimulate memories of those that lived in that time. It has sections on music, film, fashion, sport, holidays and more and does not mention dementia or memory loss but has themes that should stimulate conversation.
This is an electronic clock which displays useful information such as the day, morning, afternoon or evening, the time and date. It is bold and easy to read and has a wide viewing angle so is easy to see from different parts of the room. It has five custom alarms that can be set to help put in reminders for things that they might be prone to forgetting. There are even different language options.
This is a special 13 piece jigsaw puzzle. It is a picture of a cat with lathe pieces designed especially for those with dementia. It is 18 x 360 x 250mm and has plastic pieces which are tough and durable and easy to handle and clean. There is a box frame to build the puzzle in and the picture is designed to be something which might stir up memories and be a conversation starter.
This is a book called ‘Singing Groups for People with Dementia’ and is a guide to running a group like this by Diana Kerr. It has been found that music can be really important for people with dementia and singing in group can help improve mood, self-esteem, memory recall and quality of life and therefore it can be extremely helpful. This book covers everything from choosing songs, structuring sessions, finding funding and volunteers and keeping everyone safe.
This is a book of easy, fun puzzles in large print. Inside there are three types of puzzle, odd done out, word search and spot the difference. They are designed to be easy to do as well as enjoyable. The puzzles are very simple so the person doing them should be able to do them and get a sense of achievement when they complete them. They will also not take long so their mind is less likely to wander as they do the puzzle.
This is a mini tracking device which can be useful to track other people. If you have a relative that you worry may get lost when they go out then this can be a really useful device to give them. It can go on a belt, in a bag or whatever and has five days of battery life. It will send an alarm if the person goes more than a certain distance away and links to an app so they can be more easily traced and found.
This is a reusable water painting set. The set comes with a selection on canvases and you just paint water over it for the coloured picture to appear. Once the water dries out it will fade back to black and white ready to be done again. The pictures have been chosen to be bold and bright so even those who cannot see well will benefit and they will stimulate memories and conversation.
This is a book all about the best diet to help the brain. It is aimed at people who want to improve their cognitive function or stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia. It has information on how the typical American diet impacts mental health, how the brain works, cognitive decline and nutrition for brain health, exercises, recipes, meal plans and supplements. All the recipes take 30 minutes or less to prepare so they are easy as well.
This is a book with 60 fun and relaxing activities for adults. It is in large print and specifically designed for those with dementia. There are different difficulty levels and various activities such as crosswords, colouring pages, puzzles, drawing, matching images and how many. The book is lightweight, 8.5 x 11 inches and 104 pages in size. The puzzles and other activities are designed to do with others or alone.
This is a marble maze game. It is made of wood and easy to hold. The idea is that the person turns the maze around to guide the marble from one end to the other. It helps to engage the mind and improve dexterity. It has bright colours to make it easier to see. The person can time how long they take and see whether they can get quicker and quicker with time.
This is a game board which has snakes and ladders and ludo. The boards are bright, simple and strong and are designed for those with dementia and memory loss. The counters are large and easy to use and see and each can be played in groups of up to eight people. Instead of a dice, which can be hard to read and handle there are six cards with numbers on to choose from.
This is a sticker to put on the door of a room. It says ‘bedroom’ in bold black writing on a yellow background with a picture of a bed on a pink background. It is designed to help those who are partially sighted or have dementia to more easily find their way around a house. There is a choice of sizes and they are self adhesive and reduce stress for those who are prone to not knowing their way around.
This is a special game designed for those with dementia. It is a bingo game but with animals. It is easier for those with dementia to match sounds and pictures rather than numbers so the idea with the game is for the CD to be put in a player on the shuffle function. A random animal sound will play and if players have that animal on their bingo card they cover it with a counter and keep playing until someone covers them all.
This is a large telephone which comes in white or black. It has loud and clear sound to make it easy to use. There are 3 one touch numbers that can be programmed in and you can put a photo of the person whose number it is so that can be pressed to dial them. It is hearing aid compliant and has a flashing light when it rings as well as a noise.
This is a medical awareness bracelet. It is a pair of wristbands which are white and say on them in bold blue lettering ‘Dementia Sufferer’. They alert people to the fact that the wearer may show symptoms of dementia and can be handy for anyone that may be unlikely to tell others they have it or perhaps do not realise that they have it. They measure 202mm in circumference so fit most wrists.
This is a remote control key finder. It is a little controller with two buttons and each has a receiver. You can attach them to keys, remote controls, glasses or other things, even dogs that are prone to getting lost. Then you just press the button and the locator will beep and flash so that you can quickly find the missing item. Great for anyone that is prone to losing things.
This is a large print fiction book called ‘A Summer Walk’ by Jamie Stonebridge. It is simple story with each chapter starting with a photograph. There are short paragraphs and the story involves a character who during the course of a day makes simple discoveries or observations which are fun and positive with a satisfying happy ending. The sentences are simple and short with no difficult words that could cause confusion. There is no mention of dementia on the book to avoid any embarrassment.
This book is called ‘Keeping Busy : A Handbook of Activities for Persons with Dementia’ by James R Dowling. It is full of things that can be done to maximise the quality of life for those with dementia. They are split into categories such as music, exercise, pets, humour, social events and horticulture and there is also a big section on communication with word games to strengthen verbal skills. Each has clear instructions and tips for adapting it to suit different needs.
This is a special door sticker. It is bright yellow so that it stands out and says shower on it in bold black writing and also has a picture of a shower on a pink background. It is purposely bright and high visibility so that it can easily be seen by those that are visually impaired but also for those with dementia that need a reminder of their surroundings. It is made from laminated vinyl so is waterproof and also is self adhesive so easy to apply. It comes in a choice of sizes.
These are special shoe laces which are elasticated and do not need to be tied up. They are great for anyone that has trouble tying or untying laces and they are also really quick too. They just need to be pulled tight and fastened and are ready to go. They are available in lots of different colours so there will be some to match any shoes or boots and they are 100cm long.
This book is called ‘Sharing Sensory Stories and Conversation with people with Dementia’ and is by Joanna Grace. Sensory stories are a few lines of text which have been shown to be really effective in helping to care for people with dementia to help them to engage with their memories and life history. It explains how this can help someone with dementia feel safe and secure, minimise their anxiety and support their cognitive abilities.
This is a special attachment to put on a plate to prevent food being spilled. It curves around the food to hold it on the plate with a gap for eating from. Not only does it prevent the food from slipping off the plate but it provides an edge to scoop food against. It can also go in the microwave and dishwasher so very convenient to use for anyone that has trouble with eating from a plate.
This is a set of neon coloured post-it notes. The notes are really handy for writing reminders on and sticking in various places. They are 76mm x 76mm and come in neon yellow, pink, orange, red and green colours. There are other colour options available as well but the neon ones would stand out the most. You can also choose from 325 or 450 sheets in a pack. Great for someone who has an unreliable memory to leaves notes for themselves.
This is a Dementia Colouring book. It has no complex activities and just circular shapes to stimulate and calm. The pages are repeated through the book so the colourist and their carers and family can see their progression. There are 90 pages to colour all with stress reducing designs to stimulate and calm the brain. Each is a simple pattern of circles to colour in using any colour or method they wish to.
This is a pencil case which says ‘adventure before dementia’ on the outside of it. It is made of synthetic leather so it is strong and has a double zip fastening around the middle. There is a mesh pocket on the inside of the lid and elastic to hold pens or pencils in place. There is also lots of space for loose items as well. It is 4cm x 9cm x 20cm so will hold a lot of items.
This watch has a clear face and is easy to use. It has a black strap and silver coloured fittings with a white face and black numbers. It clearly speaks the time, day and date at the touch of a button for anyone that struggles to see a watch or to tell the time. It is really accurate too so appointments will never be missed. The hands are luminous so can be seen in the dark. There is also a chime every hour so it is easy to keep track of the time.
