Holiday gift ideas

Selecting holiday gifts for individuals with dementia can be challenging, because there are many things to consider. Be mindful of where the individual is living, as this will influence the kind of gifts that will be appropriate.

If the person is in a facility, make sure to ask the staff what is best. Finding useful and appropriate gifts for people with dementia can seem difficult. Yet, there are a number of excellent gift options to meet an individual’s needs at every stage of the disease.

• Look for items the can mitigate the problems caused by short-term memory loss. For instance, electric coffee makers and teapots with automatic shut-off, day planners to keep track of appointments and special occasions, medication holders with timers that can be set to signal when doses need to be taken, and ID bracelets purchased through the Alzheimer’s Association’s Medic Alert ® Program. Contact the Hudson Valley Chapter to learn about financial assistance opportunities for this program.

• Moderately impaired individuals usually have some difficulty communicating and need help with daily activities. Appropriate gifts include easy-to-manage clothing, such as tube socks that can’t be put on the wrong way, slippers with Velcro closings or gift certificates for hair salons or manicures. Other ideas include warm slacks, sweaters, leg warmers and comfortable jogging suits/sweat pants that are easy to get on and off.

• Peaceful posters can brighten up walls and ceilings.

• Pictures of family members can provide a meaningful focus of conversation with staff and others. It is helpful to label photographs with the names and relationships of those pictured. Family photo albums also should be labeled with names and dates next to each photo, although it’s important to remember not to give anything irreplaceable if someone is living in a facility.

• Materials to sort through with varied sizes, textures and colors can provide mental stimulation.

• Exercise videos designed for the chair-bound can encourage activity.

• Although it’s important to remember that someone with Alzheimer’s disease is not a child and should not be treated as such, the degree to which the person has regressed should be considered. Cuddly stuffed animals are often a comfort to people with late-stage dementia and many women enjoy having a baby doll to hold. Soft pillows and afghans are also a welcome gift.

• Another popular gift idea is a bird feeder with recordings of bird songs. Feeders come in a variety of styles, from small ones that can stick on windows to freestanding feeders for yards or gardens. The person with Alzheimer’s will enjoy watching the birds at the feeder and can often be prompted to fill it with seeds when needed — an activity the individual and the caregiver can enjoy together.

These are only a few of many gifts people with dementia could enjoy. People with Alzheimer’s disease may not recognize the event or holiday as it happens, but even the most impaired person will feel the love included in the gift you give.

Gift idea list

When others ask you what the person with dementia might enjoy for gifts, encourage them to think along practical lines.

Here is a quick list of gift suggestions for family members and friends who are looking for ideas:

1. Electric coffee makers or teapots with automatic shut-off

2. Large desk calendars to mount on the wall

3. Medication holders with timer to indicate when to take them.

4. Photos or videos of family members and photo albums with names and dates next to each picture

5. ID bracelets or registration in the Alzheimer’s Association’s Medic Alert® Program

6. Simple-to-manage clothing such as tube socks, easy-on sweatshirts or tennis shoes with Velcro closings

7. Gift certificates for haircuts and manicures

8. IPods with recordings of the person’s favorite music, including from the era when they were young

9. Recordings of sermons or church services

10. Cuddly stuffed animals or baby dolls for people in the later stages.

11. Tickets for musical events

12. Trips to a shopping mall and lunch.

13. Visits to a local senior center to participate in activities.

14. Bird feeders and recordings of bird songs

15. Gift certificate to adult day care services

16. Subscriptions to magazines or cable television