Gift Ideas For People With Dementia
With Christmas on the way, what better time is there to start considering gifts for your loved ones? It can be difficult to find the right gift sometimes, particularly for the older generation, let alone those living with dementia. Hence, we hope that this article will help with some gift ideas for those who may be stuck in the lead-up to Christmas. These potential gifts we have found for your loved ones are universal for birthdays too, but Christmas is about spending time with family and friends, where some of these gifts are designed to be enjoyed as a group too. Helping your loved one get started with some of these gifts will help them be stimulated and feel comfortable with approaching a new activity that they can begin to enjoy on their own and retain some independence throughout their dementia journey.
Large piece puzzles
Puzzles are a great way for anyone to engage their brain by needing to notice colours, patterns and shapes. Many people enjoy puzzles for their relaxing benefits, with the elderly seeming to enjoy them more due to being able to sit down and focus with little to no other stressors. However, when those elderly people start to experience symptoms of dementia, it sometimes makes completing puzzles very challenging. Most puzzles nowadays come with thousands of tiny pieces and very intricate designs – that even some of the youngest brains cannot compute for hours on end – which would frustrate someone with dementia even more, thus requiring larger puzzle pieces. They give those with dementia the scope for enjoying the beautiful designs with less confusion and stronger control of the pieces – where the smaller pieces in huge puzzles are very complex to handle and separate or differentiate. Buying a large piece puzzle for your loved one with dementia helps them with some independence with something they may have really loved previously but has missed thus far into their dementia journey.
Here are some links we found to Amazon for large piece puzzles your loved one may enjoy:
Adult activity books
If your loved one enjoys a mixture of crosswords, picture puzzles, word searches and colouring pages, a modified and accessible activity book would be perfect for them. A particularly easily accessible one we have found (link will follow) has various activities for your loved one to complete. This is the kind of gift they’ll enjoy with an afternoon cup of tea or an evening activity before they head to bed. An example of when it would be perfect is if they are a resident in one of our homes when some residents opt for staying in our cafés or bistros rather than taking part in day trips out. Some people with dementia, or the elderly in general, are easily overwhelmed by socialising with others so this would mean they are still stimulated but can enjoy their own company and independence.
Links we found on Amazon are here:
Relish – Large Print Word Search
Digital calendar clock
Telling the time from a regular clock can become complex when someone is living with dementia due to the way the brain processes the hands of the clock and the numbers around the edge. To avoid confusion, a digital clock with a clear state of the date, time and day can help them wake up feeling more confident and comfortable. The clock has a bigger screen than usual, but it can still sit comfortably on a bedside table for when your loved one wakes up. When they may be living alone, it gives them more control in starting their day well. If they are in a care home, it will give you more confidence in them not struggling with a clock that may be hung up on the opposite wall and hard to read. This gift is small and may feel unnecessary, but it may make the difference for them every morning.
The link we found as an example for the size you’d be looking at is here:
Relish Dementia Clock – HD Large Screen Day, Date and Time
Fidget toy
When someone is living with dementia, when they become more anxious and stressed, they benefit from something to fidget with in their hands. It can be seen as a grounding technique where their brain is distracted from the current stressor. We found a fidget toy your loved one will hopefully enjoy where it can be flipped around to show different colours, that are easily identifiable and differentiable even with dementia, and possess different textures with each layer that is flipped around. Explore the link below of the toy from Relish through Amazon again, where they perfectly created a fidget toy that can be used while watching TV where your loved one needs something to calm their busy hands, or even while socialising with friends and family members to subtly keep their hands occupied. The toy is completely harmless which is great for keeping your loved one safe.
The link is here:
Relish – Tactile Turn Sensory Fidget Toy
Large print single-sided colouring book
For those with dementia with a keen interest in art, they may have become despondent with the fact that their physical hand strength has been reduced since their diagnosis. When they could once colour in intricate drawings and create vibrant masterpieces, they cannot process the smaller lines and complex patterns. For this reason, a ‘large print’ colouring book like the one we found would be great for them to retain that hobby they love, or once loved and now miss, so much. Unfortunately, the book does not come with its own colouring pencils but many can be found online where they are bigger and clearly labelled by colour – some pencils come with only the tip visible identifying the colour which might make it harder for your loved one to differentiate as dementia takes away their ability to process the colours. The extra benefit of this particular colouring book is that it has single-sided pages to make flicking through and focusing on each illustration easier – there will be nothing behind each image, creating a bold outline for your loved one to enjoy colouring in.
The link for the book is here:
Colouring Book for Adults with Dementia
Double-handed mug
If your loved one enjoys a coffee first thing in the morning, or even a cup of tea last thing in the evening, a double-handed mug may be the gift for them. While the designs are limited with this link we found, it is still a great gift for your loved one with dementia. They can enjoy their favourite hot beverage with control and dignity, rather than having to resort to a ‘sippy’ cup. The double-handed mug is perfect for dementia, arthritis and Parkinson’s, making it an aid with potentially shaky hands that just need a little bit of help. This mug also reduces any spills while handling, thus reducing any potential burns for your loved one. They are microwave and dishwasher safe, making it very easy to use.
Boscul Two Handled Mug 300ml 2 Pack 3D Reactive Glazed
Two Handle Dignity Mug (Pink) 2 Handle Mugs
Aquapaints
Relish have provided Amazon with a fun idea for your loved ones that you could also get involved with. Their aquapaints are very innovative for those creative individuals who are looking for something to enjoy. All you need to do is apply water and see how the colours form on the paper, fading after a short time, ready to reuse at a later time. While this activity seems too straightforward, your loved one may really enjoy seeing the image begin to show and form the colours and patterns. This gift could be used intergenerationally where the older and younger generations can enjoy a shared experience that stimulates their brain. It also gives your loved one some independence if they want a quiet but creative afternoon.
The links are here:
Relish Dementia Aquapaints – Magnificent Birds
Relish Dementia Aquapaints – Garden Wonders
Relish Dementia Aquapaints – Farm Memories
Relish Dementia Aquapaints – Ocean Life
Relish Dementia Aquapaints – Wonderful Animals
Dementia-friendly board games
Who doesn’t love some light-hearted board game competition? This gift would be great as time goes for your loved one, and the rest of the family or their friends, to enjoy. It is self-explanatory in that the item contains classic games like Snakes & Ladders and Ludo but has bigger pieces used on the board, larger stickers or signs and many more adaptations for your loved one to feel included and not left behind. Adding these accessible board games makes way for more connection from your loved one as they can fully engage without confusion or upset.
The link to one we found is here:
Relish Dementia Activity Board Games – Snakes & Ladders and Ludo