Top Appropriate Holiday Gifts For Those With Dementia

Dec. 13, 2008 - PRLog -- Over 5.2 million Americans are living with dementia. Is one of them someone you know or work with? Get him/her or anyone with Alzheimer's disease a gift that will keep on giving long after the holiday is gone.

First on the list of gifts is a book by Susan Berg called Adorable Photographs of Our Baby -- Meaningful, Mind-Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals, This book features baby photographs that seniors with dementia love. This book shares a plethora of ideas and resources for you.

Another gift dementia persons will fancy is a holiday classic musical such as: “White Christmas” or “Holiday Inn”,

For those who are Jewish, we have, Debbie Friedman's "Miracles and Wonders: A Hanukkah Musical" and “A Taste of Chanukah”

Next is a sing a long CD or audio cassette of their favorite love songs. There is a series of these called, Old Time Favorites by Nancy Pitkin. Especially for Christmas, Mitch Miller’s sing a long gang has a CD and video for a dementia person’s holiday pleasure.

“Chanukah Favorites”, by award-winning Jewish performer, Judy Caplan Ginsburgh, is a great CD for Jewish people with dementia

You may want to get a sing a long video where your loved one can see and hear performers singing songs they love and are about love. A good one is, Sing-Along with Phil Bernardi: Songs We Know and Love

Here is another idea. Give a friend with dementia some hand lotion. Any kind will do. Just be aware of any allergies or pain issues he/she might have. If he/she can tolerate it, those with a pleasant scent work well. Give him/her a relaxing hand massage talking about how good the hand massage feels, how much you love this person, and a holiday experience you both share from the past.

If you cannot afford or do not have time to get these gifts, give the gift of yourself. No matter how hard it is for you to visit a dementia person, he/she will appreciate your company even though he/she may not be able to express it. Take him/her for a walk, sing some of your favorite songs together, or share some messages of love. Just spend some quality time with a dementia person. Both of you will feel better. Do remember to be upbeat animated and excited about visiting.

A phone call on or near Christmas will do if there is no way you can visit in person. At least they will know you are thinking of them. Then visit on another day.

So no matter what you do, do not forget the person with dementia this holiday season because it will make you and him/her feel good. What could be better than that!

These gifts are simple, inexpensive or free, and can be enjoyed by everyone with dementia

Formore information go to http://dementia.today.com
and http://alzact.today.com

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Alzheimer's ideas,features Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More,a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals. Free information given