Holiday Gift Ideas for Someone Living with Memory Loss

Vicky Pitner   -   November 28, 2023

Christmas is fast approaching, and shopping is in full force. Thinking of an excellent gift for a friend or family member can sometimes be a challenge, but when thinking of someone living with a cognitive impairment, we often go blank. Of course, gift-giving is always related to something the person enjoys, but often, we are still determining what gift might be overwhelming or useful.

Here are some gift ideas to consider:

  1. Create a playlist of music the person loves using Spotify or another app. A headset might be more comfortable than earphones. A playlist of hymns may help address a spiritual need during the season.
  2. Record a simple video on a tablet or phone that the person can watch. You can sing a holiday song or record a funny story from younger years so they can watch throughout the year (and remember not to ask, “Do you remember when we….”. Instead, start by saying, “I was thinking about (or I recall the time) the time we … and wanted to share it with you.”
  3. A large print Bible or Bible stories on audio. Other family members assume their loved ones may not be able to read, but that is far from the truth for many. Reading out loud and sharing Bible verses as a family may be comforting.
  4. Echo, with the Alexa voice assistant, so they can ask for a song to play.
  5. Make a family/friends photo album with the names of each person for them to look through.
  6. Fidget blanket with zippers, buttons, and ties.
  7. Weighted lap blanket. These are comforting and help the person stay seated to rest.
  8. Banana Grams is a game you can find in the game department. These are tiles similar to Scrabble, and you can place the lettered tiles on the table and let them spell words with you.
  9. Give a subscription to Reminisce Magazine, a monthly publication that can be fun and evoke great conversations and reminisce.
  10. Lotions to give a hand massage.
  11. For women, a purse (or one of the person’s purses) filled with costume jewelry, a wallet, tissues, and a nail file….. This is a great for her to sort through and help with boredom.
  12. For someone who has enjoyed fishing, buy a tackle box and fill it with floats, plastic worms, and pictures of fish or people fishing…another fun way to spend time sorting through the box.

Be creative, and you will discover many gifts your loved one will enjoy. Most importantly, giving your time to someone living with memory loss is the best gift ever. Call them on the phone, stop by for a visit (giving the family some time to Christmas shop), or give gifts the family can enjoy together, such as a delivered meal.

For information on our Memory Ministry or Memory Café, please contact Vicky at vpitner@firstumc.org.