During the holidays, many shoppers wonder what to give their loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. Too many gifts might be overwhelming or make the person feel bad if they don’t reciprocate. When you’re shopping, remember where the person is now, rather than buying something they would have liked before they suffered from memory loss.

Here are some gift ideas many people would enjoy or find useful.

Joy for All is the company that created and sells some of the best robotic cats and dogs. Now, they are offering super-cute birds called Walker Squawkers. The device is a battery-operated bird that can perch on a walker or wheelchair. It has motion sensors and chirps different tunes when the person is moving. After a period of stillness, the bird sings a playful “don’t forget about me” tune.
Use an online service like Artifact to create a photo book. Put plenty of pictures of people, but also consider photos of animals, favorite locations, and gardens.
Create a playlist of music the person loves using Spotify or another app. You could also program music into a phone or iPad.
Record a simple video for a tablet or phone that the person could watch. You could sing a holiday song or simply say “Hi.”
Beach balls are simple and inexpensive, and almost everyone loves them. This Intex beach ball is sturdy and a good size for chair “volleyball.” You’ll likely need something to inflate the ball, too.
Ravensburger makes sturdy, good-looking puzzles by hand. The pieces fit perfectly and don’t easily peel or get soggy. Look for a puzzle with 24 to 60 pieces with a photo that isn’t too childish.
MagicStix markers come in vibrant colors, are easy to hold, and are washable from most surfaces and fabrics. The handiest thing about them is they last a full week without their cap on. So, if someone forgets to put the lid on the marker right away, it won’t dry out.

Short stories for people with memory loss aren’t easy to find. This collection is a digital download with 10 large-print short stories. Each story has a slideshow with photos that accompany it. And, yes, this is written and produced by Activity Connection