If you’re looking for gift ideas for a family member with dementia this Christmas or Hanukkah, the Duke Dementia Family Support Program has compiled some thoughtful suggestions for you.

Relish

offers a variety of gift options, allowing you to search by stage, activity (like puzzles, art, games), and benefit (like find calm or stay active). The puzzles even include conversation prompts — a nice touch.

Time

This Day of the Week Clock is easy to read and clearly displays the current time, part of the day, day of the week, date, and month, without any confusing abbreviations.

The Skylight Calendar is a Wi-Fi-enabled digital display designed to keep the whole family organized and up to date. Just a heads up — it’s on the pricey side, but one of our support group members highly recommends it.

Window Bird Feeder

A Window Bird Feeder provides a calming and delightful way to connect with nature. It’s perfect for bird lovers for whom it isn’t easy or safe to venture outside.

Muff Cat & Blanket

This Fidget Muff Cat and Blanket for Elderly provides sensory stimulation and activities designed to relieve anxiety and keep hands engaged in a safe, calming way.

Games

Expressions Memory Games include fill-in-the-blank cards featuring well-known sayings with a missing word. These games are designed to encourage engagement and provide mental stimulation for individuals with dementia.

ThePhoto Gallery Memory Game allows you to customize a matching card game. This is a simple, yet engaging activity for someone with memory loss.

Devices

The Flipper Remote is a user-friendly universal remote with large buttons, designed to address the challenges of remote controls faced by individuals living with cognitive impairment.

Future Call FC-0613 Big Button Phone is a landline phone designed for seniors with dementia. Families can customize each button with personal photos, allowing loved ones to make calls with just a single press.

Memories

The Life Story Interview Kit is a card deck featuring 150 questions, an interviewing framework, and tips for recording, all designed to help capture and preserve your loved one’s stories and memories.

The Legacy Journal, filled with simple guided prompts,allows people with early-stage dementia to tell their story by answering one question at a time.

Digital Picture Frames make thoughtful gifts for a loved one at any stage of their dementia journey.

A personalized photo book with labeled photos of family and friends is a wonderful gift for those living with moderate to late-stage dementia.

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The DementiaWho blog recommends themed gift baskets that are not only rewarding for caregivers to create, but also bring comfort and joy to those who receive them. One lovely idea is a scented gift basket filled with sachets, a battery-operated essential oil diffuser, fragrant soaps, and soothing lotions and hand creams.

Janeli McNeal, a social worker on our team, shared, “I think the greatest gift is the gift of time.” Participants in her support groups for people with dementia expressed that they just want people to reach out, plan a visit, or go out for a meal together. They’re eager to be social, but often find it challenging to take the first step.