What to give the Alzheimer’s caregiver in your family… the person who is spending the most time, taking the most responsibility, experiencing more sleepless nights, and doing most of the other tasks involved with caring for the person with memory loss?
Here are ten ideas to make that person feel special:
1. DVD of a special movie
2. Set of CDs of favorite music
3. Tea set with specialty teas
4. Pretty sweater
5. Bath salts, bubble bath, body wash gift set
6. Lunch out
7. Two hours a week care to give her free time
8. Wash and set, perhaps a perm, at a beauty shoppe
9.  Gift basket of …read more

These are great for people who are no longer able to follow radio or television programs. Relaxation videos/DVD’s have no narrative and simply provide a soothing visual and musical experience. They can provide an avenue for reminiscing about the past and are also very helpful in reducing agitation and sundowning.
Resource:
Relaxationvideos.com

SeniorStore.com sells three great activity books that offer the opportunity to remember and reminisce about earlier decades.
1920s

1930s

1940s

Exercise is another important component of staying healthy and depending on what stage of Alzheimer’s Disease the person is at, an exercise or fitness video might be an appropriate gift, especially if they aren’t able to get out and about due to weather…
Of course, it would be important to discuss this with the person’s doctor first to ensure that it would help and not impair the person’s health. Various other medical conditions could be contra indictive to exercive videos.
Resources:
Active Videos
Senior Store

How about a classic board game for the person with Alzheimer’s Disease?
It’s a known fact that engaging in mentally stimulating activities on a regular basis helps to maintain brain function. Board games can provide that stimulation.
And not only do the games provide mental stimulation, they also provide a bonding activity for the whole family. Buy a game and then plan on regular game days or evenings for the family.

A personalized wooden jigsaw puzzle is a great idea for a gift. It would provide not only a familiar memory for the person with Alzheimer’s Disease but would also provide an cognitive skills actiivity.
This video shows how it is made…

With the Christmas season quickly arriving, it’s time to start hunting for gifts for family and friends. It’s a task that is often fraught with stress, especially when you are trying to buy for someone with Alzheimer’s Disease. It’s difficult to think of what to buy them. You spend your time asking yourself “Is this what they would like?”, “Is this something they would need?”, and “Will they recognize and use this gift?”
I recently across this great article ‘Enhancing Life for the Older Adult with Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias: Some Gift Ideas’ by Stephanie Zeman Rn MSN that …read more