Unforgettable Gift Guide
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Great ideas for gifts for someone with dementia
Transcript of Unforgettable Gift Guide
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Gift Guide
Everything you need to know about buying a gift for a loved one with dementia
The Unforgettable Gift Guide
Over 130 gifts for people with dementia
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Gift Guide
Introduction
The Unforgettable™ top 10 gifts
Picking a gift – what do you need to consider?
Gift ideas – by category Activities Assistive technology Bathing & grooming Books & DVDs Clothing Eat & drink Health & wellbeing Mobility Safety Sleep
Gift ideas – by journey Early stage Mid stage Late stage
Contents
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Gift ideas – by challenge Aggression Boredom Eating well Forgetfulness & confusion Getting outside Helplessness Hygiene Restlessness Sadness Self-identity Sleep Falls Communication Wandering
Gift ideas – by room Living room Bathroom Bedroom Garden Kitchen
What NOT to buy
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Gift Guide
Choosing gifts for family and friends is tough at the best of times. Does Auntie Susan really want those scented bath products? Will Uncle Jim be offended if he gets another pair of ear clippers for Christmas?
So it’s not surprising that people can be left even more unsure at the prospect of buying a gift for someone who has dementia. Now they may struggle to enjoy or take part in their usual interests in the same way that they used to, which can make it trickier to know what to buy them.
But the fact is, people with dementia still have birthdays. They still want to feel included at Christmas, Mother’s or Father’s Day or Easter.
Luckily, there are still plenty of options of gifts for people with dementia, and Unforgettable is here to help you pick something out – as well as provide tips on what not to give.
Read on to find out.
Introduction
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Gift Guide
The Unforgettable Top 10 Christmas gifts
Reminiscent Scent Cards – Original 6 Collection £24.99
Agitation can be a real problem for someone with dementia, but calming activities – such as smelling and chatting about these scent cards – can help. They feature distinct scents to prompt conversation including Fresh Cut Grass, Baby Powder, Chocolate Orange, Tomato Plants, Victoria Sponge and Fresh Laundry.
Shining Star Cube with Soothing Sounds £19.99
If the person with dementia has a hard time relaxing or is bedbound this shining star cube may help soothe restlessness and insomnia by turning the ceiling into a night sky scene. It’s filled with a mixture of lullaby and nature sounds and is ideal for someone with dementia.
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Active Minds 13 Piece Jigsaw – Lady in Red £12.49
Jigsaw puzzles are a fantastic activity for people with dementia but many mainstream puzzles have complicated pictures and too many pieces. This puzzle is made up of just 13 pieces, and features a classic image that will stimulate conversation and encourage reminiscence.
Simple Music Player - Green £91.67
This makes a great gift for music lovers with dementia as they can operate it themselves and listen to their favourite tunes when they choose to, increasing feelings of independence and control. Music is loaded up via a USB connection, but there is just one button to reduce confusion.
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Inessential Things: Poems and Pictures £20.00
Products that help encourage reminiscence are great for people with dementia as they stimulate conversation and boost mood. This book of beautiful photos and poems will prompt conversation and restore personal identity.
Activity Muff with Multi-Sensory Attachments £42.95
Restlessness and boredom can be common challenges in people with dementia, and this activity muff will keep fidgety fingers busy with its range of sensory attachments.
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The Day Clock £66.66
The Day Clock has been designed to help someone with dementia by simply and clearly displaying the time of day as morning, afternoon, evening or night, reducing confusion caused by a regular clock face.
Talking Atomic Watch with Expanding Bracelet £46.66
Dementia can sometimes mean you struggle to tell the time, and it can also affect your visual ability. A watch that speaks the time at the touch of a button is a useful, stylish and enjoyable gift.
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Blys-Nightlight £111.60
Making sure that the person with dementia feels safe, secure and comfortable in their own room at night is very important to decrease feelings of anxiety and helplessness. This table-top nightlight helps you locate essential items or provides a place of focus if they wake during the night.
Stylish Leather Velcro Belt £39.99
Being able to dress yourself can help someone with dementia to feel dignified and independent. This smart belt bypasses fiddly buckles through the use of Velcro.
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If you’re buying a present for someone with dementia, it’s worth thinking about the following factors before you pick something.
Practical vs pleasurable?
When buying items that are suitable for dementia, you’ll discover there are gifts that can be lots of fun and others that are more practical, but equally well received as a gift.
So it’s a good idea to think about what kind of gifts they liked receiving before their diagnosis. If your wife got offended when you bought her a kettle for Christmas, giving her a kettle tipper (useful if the person with dementia struggles with co-ordination) is probably not the best choice. However, if she always enjoyed getting a basket of soaps and bubble baths, she will probably enjoy receiving gifts that have a sensory slant – think aromadough, a colouring book or scented reminiscence cards.
Picking a gift — what do you need to consider?
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Gift Guide
Handy Kettle Tipper £35.95
Aroma Dough £27.59
Colour Yourself Calm £9.99
Reminiscent Scent Cards – Original 6 Collection £24.99
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What stage are they at?
Dementia is a progressive illness, which varies from person to person, and it’s important to bear this in mind. Often the dementia journey is split into three stages – early, mid and late stage dementia.
1. Early – when symptoms are mild and, despite being quite forgetful, most people are still living relatively independently. They might also still be driving or working.
2. Middle – this is the longest stage and can last many years. Forgetfulness and confusion gradually becomes more pronounced, your loved one might also become withdrawn, depressed or moody, and need an increasing amount of help with daily life.
3. Late – most people at this point become increasingly frail, they may not talk or communicate very much and can appear to be in ‘a world of their own.’ They often need round-the-clock care.
Therefore, it’s important to think about what stage they’re at and how that might impact their ability to use or appreciate the gift you give them. For example, someone in the early stages of dementia may enjoy games or puzzle books as they’re still able to complete them relatively easily, but someone in the mid or later stages of the disease may struggle with them. Instead, they may respond better to dementia-friendly jigsaws that contain 12 pieces, simple paint projects or sensory bags.
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French Boules £6.95
The Everything Large-Print Word Search Book, Volume VII £10.99
UNO £8.39
Call to Mind Conversation Game £37.99
Active Minds 13 Piece Jigsaw – Sheep Dog £12.49
Dementia Puzzle 12 Piece – Relaxing with Friends £12.49
Aquapaint Painting Sheets – Natural World £9.99
Big Ben 3D Puzzle £9.99
Hidden Treasures Sensory Bags £43.19
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Are they male or female?
Just as you would consider this when buying presents for anyone without dementia, it’s equally important to think about it when buying gifts for someone with dementia. This is because it helps to maintain dignity and shows an understanding of the person.
What are their interests?
Think about what they enjoyed doing before the developed dementia? Were they a keen gardener? If that’s the case, they will undoubtedly still enjoy doing gardening and being outdoors, but may struggle to dig flowerbeds or shift compost. Instead, they may enjoy sitting at a table potting plants or watering using specially adapted gardening tools.
Perhaps the person with dementia enjoyed cooking and preparing food or collecting items such as postcards or trinkets? They can still do this. In fact, it’s a great reminiscence activity, and you could provide an attractive display box for them to put items in.
Memory Box - Beech £35.00
Garden Kneeler £29.99
Kitchen Workstation £69.95
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Gift ideas — by shop category
Unsure where to start when looking through Unforgettable.org for a gift? Start with the shop sections, as they cover all areas of someone’s life.
Try:
Reminiscence — products that help to encourage reminiscence are great for people with dementia as they stimulate conversation and boost mood. Gifts include packs of vintage prints and photographs, memory boxes and smell and connect cards.
Activities
This is often a great place to start when looking for gifts for someone with dementia because there is plenty of choice and a range of products depending on how far the dementia has progressed.
Reminiscent Scent Cards – Original 6 Collection £24.99
1960’s Childhood Memorabilia Pack £7.67
Reminiscence Picture - Birds £44.34
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Puzzles - These make a lovely gift for anyone, but a puzzle that’s suitable for someone for dementia can be difficult to find. However, there are puzzles – particularly jigsaw puzzles – that you can buy which have a smaller number of pieces and are good for someone in the mid to late stages of the disease.
Crafts - Dementia can sometimes cause people to become restless and fidgety and crafts can be a good way to keep them occupied and feeling calmer and happier. Craft kits can make ideal gifts. It could be anything from ‘Make your own masks or cards’ kits to sewing craft kits.
Count and Stitch £22.43
Dementia Puzzle 12 Piece - Roses for You £12.49
Active Minds 24 Piece Jigsaw – At The Beach £12.49
Active Minds 13 Piece Jigsaw – Lady in Red £12.49
Glitter Mask Activity Pack £25.19
Make Your Own Christmas Cards £14.39
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Assistive Technology
This is any item that helps you get along in day-to-day life and for a person with dementia the need for assistive technology will increase due to lapses in memory, decreasing mobility and a lack of dexterity. While this may take a slightly more practical slant than other gifts, they can still be a great item to give to someone with dementia.
Try:
Entertainment - A simple music player, or one-button radio, makes a great gift for someone with dementia as they can operate it themselves and listen to their favourite music when they choose to, increasing feelings of independence and control. You could also give some reminiscence DVDs to keep them stimulated or a simple remote control as a handy gadget.
Simple Music Player - Walnut £118.33
One Button Radio £41.66
Simple Music Player - Green £91.67
Large 8 Button TV Remote £15.99
Simple Music Player - Red £91.67
Memory Bank Bundle Pack £160.00
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Gardening equipment - If the person you care for always loved gardening, but struggles to use garden tools now because of reduced co-ordination, they will probably appreciate some specially adapted equipment that lets them carry on with their hobby. From long-handled trowels to special seats that let you garden while seated, they’ll make a great gift for anyone who likes spending time in their garden.
Sure Grip Garden Trowel - Long Handled £42.49
Garden Stool On Wheels £35.99
Natural Grip Garden Trowel £13.19
Object Locator Key Finder £29.16
Locators - It can be frustrating if memory problems cause your loved one to keep mislaying items. A useful bit of assistive technology and fun gadget could be a locator. This is a device that helps you find mislaid items by attaching a special tracking device that will beep when a button on a lead handset is pressed.
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Bathing & Grooming
Items that can be used for bathing and grooming are popular gifts, but it’s worth thinking about what exactly is suitable for the person with dementia that you care for. Consider what items can help to make the process more relaxing and calming, particularly if the person with dementia gets nervous about bathing.
Try:
Scented bath and shower products - Sensory products are ideal for people with dementia because the senses provide a very strong link to memory, and can help to trigger reminiscence as well as help someone feel rested and relaxed if they’re struggling with agitation and restlessness.
Bath pillow - You can create a comforting environment for someone with dementia while they bathe with an inflatable cushion, and they are a practical present for anyone who enjoys the process.
Soft Bath Pillow £9.30
Inflatable Bath Pillow £8.03
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Gift Guide
Books & DVDs
When picking books and DVDs as gifts for someone with dementia, it’s worth thinking about how far along the dementia journey they are (and therefore how much use they might get from a particular book or DVD) as well as what their general interests are.
Try:
Hobby books - Think recipe books, colouring books (there are some adult versions available) and gardening books.
Colour Yourself Calm £9.99
Recipes for Reminiscence £30.99
Teeny Tiny Gardening £14.99
Reminiscence DVDs - These are useful for encouraging reminiscence and helping to boost mood. Depending on the stage of dementia they’re at, they might enjoy a classic film that they haven’t seen for a while, a documentary DVD about events from their youth or a wildlife programme.
Holidays DVD Collection £29.99
Sporting Fun DVD Collection £29.99
Fairs & Fireworks DVD Collection £29.99
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Grace and Mary £7.99
The Night Guest £8.99
One Small Act of Kindness £7.99
Fiction books - If the person you care for struggles to read themselves, that doesn’t mean you have to rule out fiction books completely. They may enjoy having a story read to them.
Clothing
Picking out clothes for someone with dementia can be tricky, especially if they now struggle to do up fiddly buttons, put their arms into sleeves or put trousers on. However, there are specially adapted clothes that can also make a good, practical gift.
Try:
Adaptive clothing - Clothes can make a great gift and ones that have been designed to help someone dress more easily will also be easier for them to use and help maintain dignity.
Men’s Magnetic Shirt £34.99
Slippers Patterned Ladies - Wine £22.25
Stylish Leather Velcro Belt £39.99
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Rain poncho - If the person you care for needs to get around in a wheelchair, a poncho could be a useful gift to keep them dry while out and about.
Fleecy jacket or cape - Staying warm and comfortable is a priority for someone with dementia, especially if they’re not very mobile. A fleecy jacket makes a great gift to wear around the house or in bed.
Rain Poncho for Wheelchair User £18.29
Scooter Cape £47.40
Super-Soft Fleecy Cape – Turquoise £25.00
Fleecy Bed Jacket – Pink £20.00
Men’s Fleecy Bed Jacket £30.00
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Eat & Drink
You may think a nice hamper of posh chocolates and nibbles will make a great present for a loved one, but this isn’t necessarily the case for someone with dementia. They may have reached a stage on the journey where they struggle to swallow or chew food, and giving them food could actually cause more harm than good. However, there are still food and drink-related items that can make a good present.
Try:
Drinks - A useful or attractive mug or cup could make for a lovely small gift or present and has the added bonus of helping to encourage someone to drink regularly, and so reduce the risk of dehydration and the associated health problems that brings.
Two-Handled Mug - Green £14.26
Duo Cup & Mug Handle £9.99
Plastic Wine Glass £3.54
Smart solutions - Taking a more practical approach to gift giving can often be welcomed and these eating and drinking products will help your loved one with dementia stay independent.
Non-Slip Wood Effect Trays £15.49
Pashmina Clothes Protector- Navy £26.75
Wooden Bed Tray £27.95
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Health & Wellbeing
Products to help maintain health and wellbeing in someone with dementia can be a good option for gifts, particularly if they veer more towards the pampering and relaxation side.
Try:
Pampering - Anything that will make the bathing and grooming process more relaxing and enjoyable for someone with dementia will also help the carer.
Pamper Spa Set £14.49
Foot Scrubbing Mat £23.95
Back Washer £34.96
Feel good therapy - It’s common to feel low or depressed after a dementia diagnosis, so to help boost mood and wellbeing, products such as a Seasonal Affective Disorder light, yoga mat or massager could help.
SAD Therapy Light £83.32
Yoga Mat £28.36
Handheld Massager £17.90
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Tactile Sensations Bag £131.99
Textured Sensory Light Balls £15.59
Multi-Sensory Activity Tray Cloth £55.99
Shining Star Cube with Soothing Sounds £19.99
Hidden Treasures Sensory Bags £43.19
Activity Muff with Multi-Sensory Attachments £42.95
Sensory experience - Buying gifts that help to stimulate the senses – especially smell, touch and sight – can be useful for someone in the later stages of dementia, as it will be calming, enjoyable and relaxing.
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Mobility
Staying mobile when you have dementia is important because mobility makes it easier to be connected. Whether it’s making your way to the shops, getting to your local dementia café or simply moving easily between rooms, ease of mobility can be a gift for someone with dementia who struggles to walk or isn’t confident doing so, and products can help with this.
Try:
Rollator - This is a walking frame with attached wheels to help someone with limited mobility and can be a useful support to help them get around.
Light Rollator – Silver Grey £99.00
Lightweight Outdoor Rollator £229.99
Lightweight 3 Wheeled Walker - Purple £105.00
Walking stick - You can get brightly patterned sticks and ones that can be folded down so they fit into a bag, making them useful presents for someone who needs just a bit of extra support to get around.
Adjustable Foldable Walking Stick - Wild Rose £19.96
Quick Adjust Walking Stick £29.16
Adjustable Folding Walking Stick - Walnut £19.96
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Safety
While products that help to boost safety for someone with dementia may not seem the obvious choice for gifts, there are options that will make useful presents.
Try:
Simple mobile phone - So it’s not the latest whizzy smartphone, but then someone with dementia is unlikely to appreciate a phone that is too complicated. A simple mobile phone that has large buttons assigned to only a few numbers and which won’t crack or shatter when dropped will be a useful and very welcome gift. What’s more, having it with them will mean they can stay safe by being able to contact you.
DORO Liberto Mini in Steel/Black £141.67
DORO PhoneEasy 612 £75.00
DORO Secure 580 - Simple Mobile £108.33
Easy-use remote control - In a similar way, many of today’s remote controls are extremely complicated, as they operate not just television sets, but also DVD players and digital boxes and recorders. In reality, someone with dementia will want a straight forward remote control that lets them turn the TV on, change the channel and change the volume, so a simple version of one will make a useful gift.
DORO Easy Remote Control £20.00
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Sleep
It’s a vital part of someone’s day – finding the time to rest, relax and sleep is extremely important. However, people with dementia may struggle to sleep as the condition can affect your natural sleeping pattern. That’s why it’s so important that if they are waking regularly in the night, they feel comforted and comfortable.
Try:
Nightwear - Restrictive nightwear can be uncomfortable for someone with dementia, and difficult for the carer to put on if there are no fastenings. Front or back button nightwear can make a good gift for those with limited mobility, while bed socks make a cosy addition to the gift.
Rosebud Front Button Nightie – Pink £20.00
Men’s Long Sleeve Nightshirt £10.00
Ladies Bed Socks – Pink £5.50
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Reading lights - Many people enjoy reading a book or looking through a magazine in bed. However, this can be difficult for the person with dementia due to possible visual problems or a lack of dexterity. Providing a book rest or a reading light as a gift can help ensure it remains an enjoyable experience, promoting feelings of calm and contentment.
Blys-Nightlight £111.60
Plug-Through Night Light £12.99
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Gift ideas – by journey
Early stage dementia
At this point, people with dementia will probably be able to carry on with their life as normal, but be prone to lapses in memory. They may still enjoy carrying on with regular activities, but get particular enjoyment from reminiscence activities such as quizzes, looking at old photos or watching films or TV shows that trigger memories from their past.
Try:
Large Print Word Search Puzzles: 3 £9.99
Simple Music Player - Red £91.67
The Pilates Bible £18.99
Holidays DVD Collection £29.99
DORO Secure 580 - Simple Mobile £108.33
Talking Atomic Watch with Expanding Bracelet £46.66
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Mid stage dementia
During this stage, forgetfulness and confusion gradually becomes more pronounced, and your loved one may also become withdrawn, depressed or moody, and in need of an increasing amount of help with daily life. Products that encourage conversation and boost mood are a good idea.
Try:
Throw and Tell Conversation Ball £14.34
Big Digit Talking Alarm Clock £22.49
Stair Climbing Trolley with Seat £46.99
Call to Mind Conversation Game £37.99
Reminiscence Cue Cards 50s & 60s £48.00
Faux Candle Lanterns £18.95
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Late stage dementia
Most people at this point will have become frail, uncommunicative and withdrawn. They often need round-the-clock care. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy and benefit from appropriate gifts.
Try:
Reminiscent Scent Cards – Original 6 Collection £24.99
Feeder Mug with Two Handles - Yellow £13.85
Aquapaint Painting Sheets – Everyday £12.49
Activity Muff with Multi-Sensory Attachments £42.95
Shining Star Cube with Soothing Sounds £19.99
Boy and Girl Dolls £21.59
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Gift ideas – by challenges
If you’re caring for someone with dementia, you’re likely to face a variety of challenges. However, there are products that can help, which can also make lovely gifts.
Aggression
Calming products are best if the person with dementia is prone to angry outbursts. Try relaxing bath products if they’re open to baths, or a handcream or oil containing lavender, which you can use to massage them with. Lavender items are useful in dementia care as a 2005 study showed that lavender helped reduce agitation.
Deluxe Pedal Exerciser £30.59
Lavender Scented Wheat Bag £24.50
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Boredom
If you’re finding that the person you care for is getting easily bored, an ideal gift would be some kind of game, puzzle or craft activity. However, make sure that the gift is also suitable for their stage of dementia. A fiddly craft activity may not be the right gift if they’re in the later stages of dementia.
Active Minds 24 Piece Jigsaw – Lilypond £12.49
Dementia Puzzle 12 Piece - Roses for You £12.49
Paper and Felt Flowers £17.99
The Reminiscence Quiz Book: 1930’s - 1960’s £33.99
Deck of Cards with Large Graphics £3.23
Large Print Word Search Puzzles: 3 £9.99
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Eating well
Keeping your loved one with dementia cooking and eating well is a great gift, and there are items that can help with this. You could go for a placemat that helps someone with dementia to work out where dining items should be put (which can be harder as dementia develops) or even specialist dementia eatware.
Two-Handled Mug - Yellow £14.26
Non-slip table setting place mat £16.99
Plate - Green £21.95
Forgetfulness and confusion
For someone who struggles with forgetfulness and perhaps regularly mislays items, and wants a practical gift, a locator device could be useful. It lets you attach keyrings to things (a walking stick, keys, a bag) which will make a sound when you activate the remote control.
Object Locator Key Finder £29.16
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Getting outside
Heading out with someone with dementia is a great way to boost mood. To help them with this, there are a range of gifts, including foldable walking sticks, adapted gardening tools and clothing to keep them warm outdoors.
Adjustable Foldable Walking Stick - Wild Rose £19.96
Sure Grip Garden Cultivator - Long Handled £42.49
Helplessness
Nobody likes to feel helpless or lonely, but it’s easily remedied for someone with dementia by giving them gifts that help to boost independence. This could be anything from a simple mobile phone to help them stay in contact with loved ones, to day clocks to aid time orientation.
DORO PhoneEasy 508 – White £40.00
DORO PhoneEasy Photo 331PH £24.00
The Day Clock £66.66
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Hygiene
You can help someone to maintain their personal hygiene by giving them gifts that encourage washing, such as pampering items. Items that aid washing, such as long-handled brushes or basins are also useful gifts.
Pamper Spa Set £14.49
Back Washer £34.96
Inflatable Shampoo Basin £18.35
Restlessness
People with dementia can often become restless and agitated, especially if their communication has declined and they struggle to explain what is wrong. Sometimes, they just need to keep their hands occupied. A great gift is an activity blanket, muff or toy. They have sensory items attached to them to provide something to fiddle with, and help to reduce restlessness.
Multi-Sensory Activity Tray Cloth £55.99
Activity Muff with Multi-Sensory Attachments £42.95
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Sadness
Unfortunately, dementia can leave people feeling very sad and depressed. Providing a gift may help to boost their mood, but you will of course need to think about their own personal interests, too. Something that provides a fun activity can make a great gift, such as reminiscence cards, dominoes or a painting kit.
Active Minds Painting Book £9.99
Giant Wooden Dominoes £12.95
Active Minds 1940s Reminiscence Cards £25.00
Self-identity
Maintaining self-identity is very important for someone with dementia, and there are gifts to help with this. Photo albums are great for pulling together a person’s life story, which will build and maintain their identity. You could put together a life story box and stick old photos, ticket stubs and any other memorabilia into it. Or opt for an attractive photography book full or reminiscence pictures to help them feel connected.
Memory Box - Beech £35.00
Travelling in Pictures £20.00
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Sleep
Disturbed sleep can be exhausting for both the person with dementia and their carer, so any gifts that can help to create a relaxing, comforting and hopefully sleep-inducing environment will be welcome. Think blackout blinds if they keep waking early during the summer, cosy bed jackets, an easy-to-use light so that the person you care for can get to the bathroom easily or a teddybear or doll if that’s what gives them comfort. Doll therapy – using dolls to reduce aggression and boost mood – was found to be beneficial for people with dementia in a study from Newcastle University.
Magic Blackout Blind £29.99
Luxury Waffle Fleece Bed Jacket – Blue £24.00
Blys-Nightlight £111.60
Boy and Girl Dolls £21.59
Shining Star Cube with Soothing Sounds £19.99
Lavender Scented Wheat Bag £24.50
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Falls
Worrying that your loved one will have a fall can be extremely stressful, and unfortunately, they can be common in people with dementia, who may find they struggle more with walking and co-ordination. However, it’s also been found that exercise and, in particular, strength training can help to prevent falls, so providing exercise balls, a static pedal exerciser or exercise DVD could be a great gift.
Active Minds Spa Ball Multi-Pack £19.99
Deluxe Pedal Exerciser £30.59
Active Minds Seated Physical Activity DVD £10.00
Communication
Help the person you care for to chat about their life with reminiscence prompt cards. These are cards that have interesting pictures, phrases or subject topics that encourage someone with dementia to talk, or even a board game that encourages conversation.
Active Minds 1950s Reminiscence Cards £25.00
Home Front Memorabilia Pack £7.67
Call to Mind Conversation Game £37.99
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Wandering
If the person you care for often walks off, it can be very stressful for the carer. A good gift is an ID bracelet, which can include all the important information needed so that if they’re found and are unsure of their personal details, the bracelet will provide them.
Gift ideas – by room
A good way to pick gifts for someone with dementia is to think about which areas of their home they may need more support in, particularly if they spend a lot of time in one of these rooms.
Living room
You want a living room to feel comfortable and cosy, so picking gifts for your loved one that help with this is a good idea. However, furnishings are an area which can throw up a few issues for someone with dementia. For example, giving them a nice rug could prove a problem if it is a dark colour, and they mistake it for a hole in the floor (because dementia can cause sight problems and confusion). Instead, go for comfortable throws and blankets (without busy patterns) or cushions, a digital photo frame, which lets them see photos of their family, or a day clock to aid time orientation.
Infrared Lap Blanket £41.99
Busy Cushion £55.99
The Day Clock £66.66
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Bathroom
Good bathroom gifts for someone with dementia include relaxing bathing products – bath oils, cushions, body washing aids – that will make using the bathroom much more comfortable.
Body Washer £28.25
Inflatable Bath Pillow £8.03
Bedroom
Comfort and relaxation are the key factors to consider for bedroom-related gifts, so go for pyjamas or nightwear that are easy to put on, ensuring a certain degree of dignity if the person with dementia struggles to dress themselves now. They may also appreciate bedside lighting that helps them to read or do activities if they spend longer in bed now.
Hands Free Magnifier with Light £18.99
Blys-Nightlight £111.60
Rosebud Front Button Nightie – Pink £20.00
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Garden
The garden can be a lovely place for someone with dementia to relax and get some fresh air, which is vital for helping to boost mood and aid contentedness. Gifts to encourage someone to get out into the garden are a great idea, and can include specially adapted gardening tools, a birdhouse they can make or decorate or even a book on gardening.
Let’s Decorate a Birdhouse £11.51
Teeny Tiny Gardening £14.99
Natural Grip Garden Cultivator £13.19
Kitchen
Keen cooks will love to get useful tools that help to keep them in the kitchen, and this is no different for people with dementia. If they like to help out with the cooking, but struggle with co-ordination, products that help them such as a kitchen slicer, kettle tipper or non-slip tray could be useful. Even a pretty apron or pinny could make a nice gift.
Handy Kettle Tipper £35.95
Non-Slip Wood Effect Trays £15.49
Pashmina Clothes Protector- Navy £26.75
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What NOT to buy
Now you’ve got lots of good gift ideas for someone with dementia, it’s worth knowing which types of gifts are best avoided.
Children’s toys If the person with dementia enjoys doing jigsaws, but can only manage ones with 15 pieces or less, don’t be tempted to buy them a child’s jigsaw. Doing so reduces their dignity, so where possible try to ensure that the gift you give them is designed for an adult, or does not feature child-related packaging.
Sweets and chocolates Yes, these can be an easy choice of gift for someone with dementia, but the condition can sometimes cause chewing and swallowing issues, and a big box of chewy sweets or chocolates could pose a choking hazard.
Breakable glassware or crockery While that delicate bone china tea set would make a lovely present, the person you’re buying it for may be less co-ordinated than they were before diagnosis, and may struggle to keep their hands or feet steady (a common occurrence with dementia). So it might be best to choose crockery or glass wear that won’t shatter and which is made from hard-wearing plastic such as melamine.
Complicated technology Splashing out on the very latest MP3 player, mobile phone or TV might be your way of giving your loved one the best present possible, but if it’s complicated to operate it could cause too much confusion and stress, and become an expensive waste of money. Instead, opt for simple music players, phones and TV remote controls which are often ideal gifts for someone with dementia.
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Gift Guide
Everyone knows that picking out a gift for someone can be pretty tricky, so just imagine how tough it can be if the person you’re buying for also has dementia, and can no longer do quite the same things that they used to.
However, there ARE products out there that make excellent gifts, and we’ve pulled together ideas for people at all stages of dementia.
Many products in the gift guide are eligible for VAT relief because they’ve been designed for people with disabilities. Where that is the case, we’ve shown the price with VAT relief.
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Gift Guide
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