Gift ideas for people with dementia
A gift of time is the best present
Here are some alternative gifts you can buy and wrap for a person with dementia
Some people at this time of year have already done their Christmas gift shopping, but some of us are still scratching our heads.
The gift of time
For a person with dementia, a great Christmas gift is if you have some time to give. Walking, talking, doing things together. These mean a lot for people who might be finding opportunities are not coming as much as they used to. Understanding a bit about what might be happening to them is a gift. So read as much as you can about the condition so that you have some strategies to help people to cope with change.
Something to wrap for Christmas
However, if what you are really looking for is something to wrap and put under the tree, here are three good ideas!
A personal voice assistant with a video screen. What is that? It is hard to describe without using a trade name, so here are some trade names you might not have heard – Sonos, Alexa, Bose Home Speaker, Apple Home Pod, Google Nest Mini – the options are endless. This little machine stands in the corner and will answer when you ask questions and can be used for phone calls. In fact, it does so much that there would have to be a whole blog about it alone. Some people who are not used to it find it disconcerting, so the time to get one is as soon as possible, to get used to it in advance of really needing it. It can be linked to a smart camera, thermostat and other useful things around the home. You can read more about this sort of kit here.
With Christmas approaching, a photobook makes a great gift for a person with dementia. It also helps friends, family and care staff who might be visiting or caring for them. Turning the pages of the book and discussing the images within, which encourages reminiscence and storytelling, is a lovely present that will continue to be used throughout the year. It takes some time to assemble, but the effort taken will be so well rewarded. Putting in love and effort at this time is something that families and friends can do together, while assembling the material for the book. There are photobooks at a wide range of price points. The best ones are those with simple software, so that you can scan old pictures onto your smartphone and construct the book from there. You need to check out the shipping information and deadlines to be sure that you have started in time. If you miss the Christmas deadline, do it anyway, because this is something that will never go out of date. You will find reviews to help you choose here.
A digital clock that also tells you the day and date is a great idea for anyone who loses track of the passing of time and days of the week. Any of us might find that problem, but for a person living with dementia it can start to be annoying. You will find reviews that might be interesting here.
If you would like more information, you can buy my book Dementia, the One Stop Guide or Care Homes: When, Why and How to Choose a Care Home. I am available for consultancy for families or organisations. And if you have any further queries or questions, or suggestions for something you’d like to see me write on, please contact me via the Contact Page
See my new course on Dementia the One Stop Guide on Policy Hub here
