Best Gift Ideas that Alzheimer’s and Dementia Patients Will Love

One of the best things about gifting an elderly person is feeling good about doing it. As caregivers, it’s easy to feel stressed out and tired at certain points during the year. Giving your loved ones a special holiday gift will allow them to feel special while also helping you get through the holidays without too much stress.

However, if you’re still struggling with what to buy for an elderly loved one, you’ve come to the right place. Choosing the gifts for dementia patients is not that hard with assistance from these unique gift ideas.

But before you choose a gift you want to buy for your loved ones, you may need to consider what stage of the disease your elderly loved one is in so that you can get them a gift that will be useful to them.

Best Gift Ideas by Stage of Dementia and Alzheimer’s

The gift you need to buy for your loved one will vary by the stage of their disease. Here is a list of the gift ideas for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients according to their stage.

Early Stage of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

As your parent shows signs of dementia such as memory loss, it may sound alarming and scary at first. However, it’s important to know that this stage of the disease is the most treatable. During this time, you can still do something with your parents and help them get used to the idea that they have a certain disease.

At this stage, your loved ones are still able to do chores around the house and can even complete simple tasks that were previously done independently. Therefore, it’s better to focus on gift ideas that will allow them to stay independent in their own home and enable them to savor the little things in life. And most importantly, it can help manage their disease or help slow the progression.

Gift Ideas for the Early Stage of Alzheimer’s Disease

1. Calendars

Calendars are useful tools you can consider as gifts for dementia patients. As caregivers, we must help our loved ones stay organized, and knowing what day of the week it is is an important part of that organization. With a calendar included in the gift, you can help them track the days of the week, and in turn, help prevent them from getting lost. And that means fewer headaches for everyone involved.

2. Exercise Equipment

When we think about exercise, we usually imagine running or weightlifting equipment. However, those are not the only ways you can stay active with your elder family members with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. One great gift for your loved ones at this stage is exercise equipment. Not only does it allow them to keep their mind active and improve their overall health, but it also gives them a focus and increases their confidence.

3. Crossword Puzzle Books

One fun way to challenge your loved one’s mind at this stage is to give them crossword books. These books require your loved ones to use their memory and problem-solving skills in order to find answers to the crossword puzzles. It can also be a great form of entertainment and a great way for you both to spend quality time together.

4. Photo Frame

Whether it’s a photo of you two enjoying your time together or one of those fun memories they can look at, having a photo frame with pictures of the two of you is an awesome gift idea for the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease.

Middle Stage of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

The middle stage of dementia is often referred to as the pre-cognitive stage because people at this point in their life can still perform simple tasks independently but still have trouble with memory. During this stage, the biggest challenge for caregivers is that your loved ones are more on edge than normal and often become more agitated when approached by strangers.

It’s important to help them cope with stress from all these changes, and that requires a little more care and support from you. But there are still several things we can do for our loved ones during this stage so that they can live a fulfilling and happy life. A good way to do that is to get a gift for dementia patients to make their lives easier and give them a new way to communicate with you.

Gift Ideas for the Middle Stage of Alzheimer’s Disease

1. Large Photo Picture Board or Writing Slate Board

This is particularly great for caregivers taking care of an older adult with Alzheimer’s disease in the middle stage who may otherwise have serious issues communicating with them. With a writing board, you can write out all the answers to questions your loved one may want to ask. It will help them communicate better, and it’s also an excellent way for you to encourage interaction and communication in those who are usually unable to do so.

2. Automatic Medication Dispenser

As we know, one of the biggest challenges caregivers face when giving meds to their loved ones is that it can be difficult to get them to take medications. Therefore, consider getting an automatic medication dispenser if you want to give a useful and helpful gift. It will allow your loved one more time to focus on other important things in life instead of trying to remember if they took their medication or not.

3. Large Digital Clock

We’ve all seen a huge digital clock in the supermarket, but you can also get one for your loved one to use in the middle stage of dementia to help them keep track of time and keep their mind active.

4. Adult Coloring Books or Painting Books

Many caregivers often recommend this as a gift because it’s a gentle, simple way to give someone with dementia something to do. The great thing about Coloring Books is that it’s fun to do with the whole group and can help with mood, stress, and boredom.

Middle Stage of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

The late stage of Alzheimer’s disease is when the person with the disease begins to lose their ability to speak or understand but still have some mental capabilities. While this stage is much more painful for those caring for them who now have to make all their decisions on their behalf, it can still be done, and there are a few ways they can be kept happy and comfortable wherever they may be. You can provide sensory stimulating gifts for dementia patients that include:

Gift Ideas for the Late Stage of Alzheimer’s Disease

1. Portable TV or DVD Player

If you’re taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s disease who is in the late stage, then you can still make things easier for both of you by getting them a portable TV or DVD player at home or somewhere else they can watch movies on when you aren’t there. It also gives older adults something to look forward to if they are bored and don’t have anything else planned for the day.

2. MP3 Player

One of the best gifts for dementia patients is an MP3 player for seniors that helps stimulate their senses with music. You can provide them with music from years ago that will help them remember the past or put some new music on there for them to enjoy now.

3. Stuffed Animal

One of the best gifts for dementia patients to make the person with Alzheimer’s disease feel loved and cared for is to get them a stuffed animal. It is a nice way for them to have something to hug and cuddle with, which can help provide comfort and help them relax.

4. Comfortable Clothes

If your loved one is in the late stage, their physical appearance will likely deteriorate, so it’s important to do what you can to make them look more presentable and comfortable. You can get them some nice, clean clothes that they can wear that will make them feel more confident. And instead of purchasing a lot of new things, you can simply replace all their old ones with something new.

Final Thoughts

Giving your loved one a gift of some kind, especially on special holidays, will help them continue to live a happy and healthy life, even as the disease progresses. With these gift ideas we provide, we hope you will find the ideal one for your loved one. Remember to keep their preferences and way of life to help make the gift you choose extra special. With the right gift, you’ll know that not only will your loved one appreciate it and enjoy it but also that you helped them keep a smile on their face during a difficult time.

At Serenity Senior Care, we understand that caring for elderly loved ones with dementia and Alzheimer’s can be extremely challenging, no matter what stage of the disease they’re in. It can take an amount of time and effort on your part and can leave you feeling like you’ve been through a war zone. But with proper planning, care, and love on your part, it should be doable if you put your mind to it ahead of time. 

However, there will be a time where you also need to work to support your loved ones and have less time to take care of them; hiring a reliable home care aide is ideal for securing your loved one’s safety at home. Serenity Senior Care provides home care aides to help your loved ones with basic activities of daily living like; bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, preparing meals and medications, light house cleaning, and transportation. Contact us today for more information on our services available in your area.