If you care for a family member with Alzheimer’s or dementia, you’re all too familiar with the challenges they face. When you’re trying to figure out the perfect gift for them, you might want to target some of those difficulties. At first, glance, finding appropriate, helpful gift ideas for your loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can seem to be a daunting task. However, with some thought and a bit of research, you can find the best gift possible for your beloved Alzheimer’s patient, and claim the unofficial title of Caregiver of the Year.
The Gift of Convenient Reminders
You can’t give your family member fewer memory issues, but you can offer them convenient reminders of important details like the date and time. Clocks with the time and date displayed can provide the reminders an Alzheimer’s patient needs to reorient themselves, helping them to keep to important schedules and trigger memories. With the right timepiece, they’ll be better able to remain independent through the early stages of the disease.
Pre-owned Grand Seiko Watches can be a great solution for doing just that, with the convenience of keeping this important data on your wrist. The clear clock face, available with Roman or Arabic numerals, dots, or precious stones to mark the hour, makes it easy to tell the time, and many Grand Seiko models also offer a date complication for added convenience. Because it’s such a classic, stylish brand, a Grand Seiko watch won’t make your loved one feel ashamed of needing extra reminders. And, because they’re available pre-owned, you can save yourself some worry about making such a large investment in the face of Alzheimer’s disease.
The Gift of Connection
A patient in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia might be able to live independently, but that doesn’t mean they won’t get lonely. Experts recommend staying mentally and socially active in the face of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Local community groups, nearby friends and family, and even volunteering can provide the social experience your loved one needs. But meeting up in-person isn’t the only way to engage.
Look into getting your family member an Android phone or tablet and the internet connection they need to use their new device at home without having to figure out a data plan. Walk them through the basics of answering your phone or video call and staying connected from afar. Running into lag or buffering issues? Look into how to speed up your internet, and apply the troubleshooting steps to your Wi-Fi and theirs.
The Gift of Fond Memories
Difficulty recalling enjoyable memories can be one of the most difficult Alzheimer’s or dementia symptoms your loved one will endure. Particularly in the early stages of the disease, though, you can trigger these memories with the help of visual aids. Perhaps the most impactful visual aid you can apply, photographs of family members, friends, and other loved ones, and special occasions throughout their past can help Alzheimer’s and dementia patients have some extra time with their most meaningful memories.
With that in mind, you can create plenty of great gifts with photos and the memories they hold in mind. Consider putting together a photo album or printed photo book of pictures that depict their favorite people and places. In some cases, this might be as simple as putting an SD card into your computer to import files and print out photos. More complicated projects might involve digitizing vintage prints to make copies or send out a digital order. Other photos may call for learning how to retrieve pictures from a broken phone to get copies of photos long since thought to be lost. In any case, you’ll know that the effort was worth it when you see the look on your loved one’s face as they page through photos of birthdays, holidays, and vacations past, sharing stories and reminisces with you along the way.
When you’re picking out the best gifts for Alzheimer’s patients, especially a family member, it’s not surprising that you’d want it to truly be the perfect gift. The good news is that this doesn’t have to be a difficult endeavor. By considering the unique complications that come with the early or later stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia, you can tailor your present to help improve their daily routine, bring a smile to their face, and even give yourself some additional peace of mind. Help your loved one stick to a schedule with time and date reminders on an elegant timepiece. Fix a slow connection, and surprise them with a new phone or other mobile devices, then be sure to give them a call, send them a text message, or set up a video chat to check in as often as possible. Or, compile some extra special photos from those boxes in the attic or an old phone to share precious memories in an album or photobook. Most importantly, be there for your family member through the stages of Alzheimer’s, helping them and loving them every step of the way.
