Personalized Gifts for a Loved One with Dementia

While the holidays are still a couple of months away, it isn’t too early to start thinking about how to get a loved one with dementia, especially if you want to personalize it. A Place for Mom, one of the largest senior living referral services, explains, finding the best gift for dementia patients may seem challenging as it is difficult to know what they’re experiencing, picking a gift can actually be extremely fun and rewarding — especially if you know what to look for.

They suggest taking a few minutes to think about the things the person used to enjoy, keeping in mind their past career, hobbies and stage of dementia. It is best to keep gifts simple, useful, and tailored to their personal likes and capabilities.

Ideas include a single gift or a yearly subscription for care packages filled with things your loved one would enjoy. This could include natural care products like scented soaps, shampoos, body lotions and scrubs. If a parent is in a memory care facility, a large basket of specialty foods, fruits or sweets to share with their caregivers is sure to be a hit. Monthly baskets from a local bakery or flower shop can spread the joy over time and remind the person you are thinking of them.  

Smartly-designed dementia board games are not only a fun way to spend time together but can help improve your loved one’s dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and mental strength. Personalized puzzles or memory card games using pictures of the grandkids can be fun for the whole family. PicLink is another game for those with cognitive and memory impairment and is based upon exercises shown to assist with memory.  

If a loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, we invite you to take a look at West San Jose’s newest memory care facility, MorningStar at West Valley. Opening to residents this winter, we encourage you to reserve a select suite for your loved one and ask about savings for early depositors.