*This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase one of these products from Amazon I will earn a small commission. It will in no way affect your pricing, but allows me to pay the bills! This post was originally written in May of 2016, but has been updated with new products each year. 

Once again I would like to give a warm welcome to Erica Silva with one of her amazing guest posts. It’s Mother’s Day once again and if you haven’t bought a terrific gift for your mom yet try some of these fabulous ideas for our dementia loved ones.

Research and innovation have given us the opportunity to create special products for our elderly patients with respect to their medical or physical conditions. It is heartwarming to think that there are amazing gifts available in the market that can bring some sort of joy and happiness to our parents who are going through a rough time. There are numerous websites available on the internet through which you can purchase a range of products for your mother on this special day. Throw in a card or a flower maybe?

Don’t try to limit your choice by thinking that your mother won’t be able to use most of the things that you decide to get her. Luckily, the choices are pretty diverse. You can find anything from therapeutic materials to easily changeable fashion garments online. Make sure that anything you choose (even if it isn’t a special dementia patient product) something that is not complex and has an extremely simple functionality so that it is fully useful for the receiver. More information about caring for dementia patients available here.

Here is a list of gifts you can for upcoming Mother’s Day:

1. Voice Controlled Alarm Clocks with Reminders

Most of the gifts targeted for dementia patients revolve around the deadliest symptom – memory loss. The main idea behind a voice-controlled alarm clock is that it provides a nice recorded message every time your mother wakes up from a nap. You can set up the alarm clock traditionally according to her schedule and record in a message which reminds her exactly what to do at that time. This way she will be able to remember to complete her daily important tasks even if you are not around to remind her.

 

2. Therapeutic DVDs

Research highlights that idle brains can be a cause of dementia maybe even an early on-set one. Which is why brain simulation is necessary. Therapeutic DVDs allow the patients to stimulate their brain activity as well as feel relaxed. They are a way for our eyes to understand information and take it to our brain to process. This way the mind of the patient doesn’t remain idle, thus, it is called a therapeutic process. These DVDs always have very relaxing content such as kittens playing or cute fish in an aquarium. It really helps in memory formation as well as in reminiscing.

 

3. Activity books

Activity books play a huge part in seniors suffering through Dementia or Alzheimer’s. By doing the exercises in an activity book, their brain cells start to stimulates as they put some pressure on their memory in trying to remember it or to develop some interest in it. These activity books help them to gain back their confidence which is essential for them to live their life as normally as possible even with this incurable disease. In recent researches, behavior management is also suggested for dementia patients as a way of slowing their disease progression. There are a variety of activity books for the elders such as Keeping Busy, written by James Dowling. He describes several types of activities that are designed to bring meaning and enjoyment to a person life while suffering from dementia.

 

4. Digital Calendar Day Clock

Digital Calendar Day Clock has a unique ‘High Resolution’ digital system. It spells out the entire spelling of the day of the week, month and date in large, bold letters with no confusing abbreviations. Some of its vital features include accurate time and date in large letters and the fact that it comes in 8 different languages. This clock is specially made for seniors suffering from Dementia or Alzheimer’s as it is ideal for them considering their age, they can’t see properly nor can they remember. This is where the clock comes in handy, it’s large, bold and its non-glare display is invaluable for the visually impaired and the elderly as they can see the clock from across the room.

5. Picturephone

Picture phones are designed for those people who are in the early stages of Dementia or Alzheimer’s. At this stage, they have just begun to forget the numbers and need some assistance in remembering who they are calling. Picture phones are a great help as they have pictures of their loved ones along with actual digits. You can cut out pictures of their contacts and insert them in the given slots for your patient. Whenever your patient wants to contact someone, all they have to do is pick up the receiver and press the button of the desired person. Brilliant!

6.Stimulating Activities Can Help People with Dementia:

• Spark memories
• Feel more engaged
• Lessen anxiety
• Encourage self-expression
• Connect to a Loved One
• Set a positive mood for interaction with fun and relaxing puzzles
• Quiet and calm activity, especially for afternoon and evening hours
• Reassuring, calming activities reduce anxiety and offer stress relief
• No mention of dementia, memory loss, or anything that could cause stress or embarrassment
• Easy to Read
• Large print text
• Simple instructions
• Easy to read solutions
• Includes 60 Stimulating Puzzles

Helpful Tips for Caregivers:
Concentrate on the process of the activity, not the results. What matters is that your loved one enjoyed the time spent on it.
Sit beside your loved-one in a quiet area with no distractions
Avoid shadows or reflections on the pages
It may be easier for some to cut out the pages and work on the hard, flat surface of the table
Use activities for elderly people with dementia in a group or care setting to bring individuals together and as an entertaining activity that helps combat boredom or depression.
If your parent or senior loved one resists an activity, take a break and try again later.
More Products, Activities, and Gifts for People with Alzheimer’s or Dementia

7. Flipper Big Button TV Remote for Elderly – Universal Simple to Read, Proprietary Favorite Channels, Supports IR TVs, Cable, Satellite & Soundbars

• ✅ TAKE CONTROL – THREE key functions: On/Off, CHANNEL, VOLUME, Mute. It’s perfect for a gift for caregivers, elderly loved ones with Dementia or Alzheimer’s or someone with low and impaired vision;
• ✅ work MULTIPLE DEVICES with ONE REMOTE – The only remote you’ll need – works with all IR (infrared) TVs and Cable / Satellite boxes, and Soundbars, like Xfinity, Comcast, Dish, Direct TV, Spectrum, Bose, and More. Two remotes combined into one to make your viewing experience simple and easy! (Be sure to Activate IR in Dish, Xfinity and DirecTV);
• ✅ UNIQUE FUNCTIONALITY – Customize your content with our proprietary “FAVORITES” feature – program up to 25 of your favorite channels then easily “FLIP” through your channels – eliminate hundreds channels with nothing on!
• ✅ PREVENT MISTAKES and LATE NIGHT CALLS – Flipper’s Simple programming knows where to send the signals – Our special LOCK feature prevents accidental reprogramming. No more calls to fix the TV!
• ✅ PLEASEread directions for TV Only (no cable box) and understand Flipper does not have navigation buttons for streaming devices. We work Direct TV

8. Metal Wire Puzzles Activity for Dementia Alzheimer’s Seniors Elderly Memory Loss Product Keep Hands Busy Game Toys Gifts
Therapy Aid – Calmed and focused Sensory Therapy Relax the Dementia patients, ease their agitation is to find something to occupy your hands.
Release Mind Activity – A anxiety relief toy to soothe the fidgeting finger, also stimulate the senses to help those with rehabilitation hand muscles.
Meaningful Gift – Appropriate for Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, memory care, arthritic hands, autistic patient, tactile and visual aids, neurological stimulation, etc.
Creatively- Elderly with fun while keeping their minds sharp and creative. Includes 15 different style metal wire puzzles and guiding methods on the package.
Durable – High-quality stainless material.

9. GeriGuard Solutions Memory Loss Fidget & Therapy Pillow
GREAT FOR SENIORS with ALZHEIMER’S OR DEMENTIA that need extra stimulation.
KEEPING BUSY HELPS REDUCE LONELINESS. Helps Caregivers through the difficult times of the day. ENABLES BUSY HANDS TO STAY BUSY!
Lacing, buckling and zipping activities. Grabs their attention & keeps hands busy!
Buttoned pocket, rings to clip favorite items and more!
Has an assortment of fabrics for tactile stimulation. Perfect gift for Grandma or Grandpa!

10. Conversation Cards for Adults, Nostalgic Items: Dementia Activities for Seniors with Memory Loss | Alzheimer’s Products | Reminiscing, Storytelling, Interactive
Shadowbox Press Conversion Cards are an engaging, interactive activity designed to improve the quality of communication for people living with dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke, brain injury, or other memory loss condition.

▪ Nostalgic Items includes 52 two-sided 6” x 9” cards with a non-reflective finish

▪ Front of each card features full-color, large scale photograph and corresponding name of the item in large print, easy to read text

▪ Back of each card features nine opinion-based questions designed to have no right or wrong answer; The questions include open and closed-ended either/or, and “Did you know” trivia questions

▪ Over 450 questions designed to encourage reminiscing and storytelling

The Conversation Cards offer a simple and engaging activity or game for dementia patients and their caregivers, activity professionals or speech therapists designed to provide sensory and cognitive stimulation while reminiscing, recalling memories, and sharing stories. They can be enjoyed at home, in long-term care, or in an assisted living facility.

Conversation Card for Adults – Nostalgic Items flashcard deck includes: :

apple pie ▪ baby carriage ▪ balloons ▪ bicycle ▪ books ▪ camera ▪ camper ▪ cap gun ▪ carnival ▪ cast iron skillet ▪ cookie jar ▪ doll ▪ dominoes ▪ drive-in theater ▪ egg beater ▪ fondue ▪ fountain pen ▪ garden gnome ▪ gumdrops ▪ hair curlers ▪ hat ▪ home canning ▪ ice cream truck ▪ jack-in-the-box-jacks ▪ jukebox ▪ lava lamp ▪ Manhattan ▪ milk bottle ▪ milkshake ▪ motor scooter ▪ movie projector ▪ muscle car ▪ paper doll ▪ patio furniture ▪ picnic basket ▪ postcard ▪ recorder-road map ▪ rocking horse ▪ roller skates ▪ Rosie the Riveter ▪ saddle shoes ▪ school desk ▪ silver dollar ▪ silver flatware ▪ sled ▪ swing ▪ tin toy ▪ trophy ▪ wagon ▪ yarn: