Gift Ideas for Alzheimer’s & Dementia Patients

Finding a gift for a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is not always easy. Fortunately, there are Alzheimer’s gift guides and products that can help make your search stress-free this holiday season.

Learn more from these gift ideas for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

Gift Ideas for Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Searching for the perfect gift for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia does not have to be difficult.

The Alzheimer’s Association recommends that you first consider what stage of the disease your loved one is in when shopping for a gift for them.

In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, for instance, a gift may not be very different from what you’d give your loved one before their diagnosis. In later stages of the disease, however, sensory stimulating gifts become more important, because the stimulus could bring back some of your loved one’s memories.

Here are some gift ideas for Alzheimer’s by stage that you can use when searching for a gift for a loved one this holiday season:

Early Stage Gifts

1. Activity books, like crossword puzzles or strategy games.
2. Classic movies and television shows than can stimulate your loved one.
3. CD’s and music that allow your loved one to reminisce.
4. A memorable photo album or calendar that features special family occasions and family photos.
5. A memory phone that can store photos with the contact information and names of your loved one’s family and friends.

Middle Stage Gifts

1. Erasable white boards that highlight key rooms or areas in your loved one’s home.
2. A large typed clock that highlights both the date and time.
3. Automatic nightlights that will light for your loved one as soon as it gets dark.
4. An automatic medication dispenser.
5. Simple craft activities that inspire reminiscing.

Late Stage Gifts

Sensory stimulating gifts can include:

1. A fluffy bathrobe or a soft blanket in a favorite color.
2. Comfortable clothes like sweat suits and shoes with Velcro ties that can make dressing and undressing easier on a loved one.
3. A doll or stuffed animal.
4. Music and CD’s that feature songs from your loved one’s childhood or teenage years.
5. A location device that can track your loved one, if they become disoriented and wander.

Do you have any other gift ideas for Alzheimer’s or dementia that we haven’t mentioned above? Share your ideas with us in the comments below.

Related Articles:

• How Sensory Stimulation Can Help Alzheimer’s Patients
• Reasons to Make a Memory Box for Alzheimer’s
• Stimulating Activities for Alzheimer’s