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Dementia Gift Guide

This really is a fantastic tool to use with your loved one together as a family. Please follow the link below to be taken to their website where you can find out more information or sign up and create a family profile completely free of charge!

Our first gift idea that we'd love to introduce you to is RemindMeCare or ReMe for short.

Family members or carers can create a profile for the person living with dementia with information regarding their likes/dislikes, memories, family, favourite music and photos, wellbeing etc.

The person living with dementia and their family can take part in activities together through ReMe such as music, film, games, quizzes and physical activities e.g. seated exercises. ReMe comes with ready-made activities but the user also has the choice to create and upload their own activities to personalise the profile to the individual.

RemindMeCare

Next up on the gift guide are social stirrers.These simple but effective conversation starters are used as an ice breaker on our holidays between guests and staff.

 

They include a wide range of questions that are sure to get memories flowing as well as the conversation. Inclusive for all and great to be used around the Christmas Dinner Table, see what wonderful memories you can uncover.

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With an abundance of different gift ideas to hopefully aid your loved ones to live well with dementia. The gifts range in price, some of them being completely free! Keep an eye out for unique products, services and exciting events that MindforYou have hand-picked for your enjoyment.

 

Whether it's for Granny, Brother, Mum or Son, there's sure to be something to appeal to everyone.

RemindMeCare

Social Stirrers

Aquapaint Sets  

Aquapaint sets are next on our list. Perfect for creative minds, Aquapaint's simple designs allow for them to be enjoyed by people all along their journey with dementia.

This cleverly designed product allows for beautiful illustrations to come to life with just one ingredient, water! Time spent creating these wonderful pictures can help to relax, improve mental well being and also dexterity in people living with dementia.

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We shall be adding more to our Dementia Gift Guide throughout the year, HOWEVER if you want to be in the know first, follow us on Facebook and Twitter where we share first our gift ideas! Click the icons below:

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Indoor Snowballs

Next, we have Indoor Snowballs! These went down an absolute storm on Our Christmas Holidays both this year and last!

Have the best of both worlds with these indoor snowballs. No mess, no breaks and no need to brave the cold! Perfect for throwing and catching exercises, or for having a giggle between family on Christmas Day.

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Unforgettable Music Player & Radio

This has to be one of our favourties, the brilliant Unforgettable.org Music Player and Radio.

Without stimulation, boredom and becoming withdrawn can be one of the biggest problems for people living with dementia. With the power of music, we hope that this radio can help to allay some of those feelings.

With its large colourful buttons, and customisable control panel, it is perfect for your loved one living with dementia. Also with a USB port installed, personalise the stations to their music tastes using your phone/tablet or the USB stick that is included for free!

Unforgettable

Photobook

We have a simple but effective gift for your loved one living with dementia next- a photo book.

Fill your pages with photos of family, friends, past holidays, pets, the list is endless! Photobook's can be a really powerful reminiscence tool, and a great conversation starter if someone has carers or is in a care home.

Did you know that MindforYou can create photobook's for our guests? A fantastic way to relive your holiday with family and friends.

With the internet nowadays they are so easy and cheap to create! Click the link below to be taken to our preferred site: bonusprint.

Bonusprint

Dementia Friendly Patomines & Cinema Screenings

Dementia Friendly Pantomines are a great way for people living with dementia to join in the festivities! Trips to the theatre can be rewarding but quite daunting for a person living with dementia.

However, with a 'relaxed' performance, designed to create a more supportive and easy-going atmosphere, the aim is to reduce any potential anxiety for people with dementia and for others who may benefit.

Browse the internet to find your nearest showing and book tickets now, as they are sure to be sold out very quickly! Our local theatre Nottingham Playhouse have Aladdin, Cinderella and Robin Hood to choose from so go and explore!

Throw & Tell Conversation Ball

The throw and tell conversation ball makes initiating conversation with someone living with dementia easy and fun! Perfect for an ice breaker activity without people even realising.

We love using the Unforgettable conversation ball with our guests on the first evening of our holidays. It’s great to begin getting to know each other.

Each panel on the ball features a different preference, experience or memory trigger that anyone can talk about. These could include a favourite toy they had as a child, a car they used to own or a food they enjoy cooking.

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Tantrix

Up next on our Dementia Gift Guide we have the game we all know and love … tantrix!

Brought along on our holidays and at first neglected at the bottom of the activity box, we found our guests living with dementia really enjoyed playing it.

Piecing together the hexagonal tiles to create the correct loops and lines was a great way for guests to relax, focus and provided a sense of achievement. With it's bright colours and adaptable difficulties, it’s perfect for all.

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Animals Bingos

Anyone who's been on a MindforYou Holiday will know that animal bingo is always a must, and usually provides enough silliness to make even the sternest of faces begin to smile.

Animal bingos are a real family game, and the oppurtunity for everyone to join in and have fun. Perhaps squeeze in a game after your Christmas Dinners! Helping to improve congnitive function, by using authentic animal sound and beautifully illustrated images instead of numbers, people in later stages of dementia are still able to take part in this popular game.

Car Cane

The next gift we find the car cane, a more practical gift, but certainly a good one. This fantastic device was designed to aid people with mobility issues or little spacial awareness get into and out of any car/vehicle.

The car cane slots into your door frame and can be used as an extra security to put your weight on whislt guiding the rest of your body into the car. Used on our holidays often, this is one of the most popular pieces of equipment requested from us.

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Carpet Bowles

Carpet Bowles are a great group activity that encourages some friendly competiton and improves hand eye co-ordination.

A traditional game that people living with dementia will recognise and can be played by the whole family. Perfect for the less than reliable British weather, this set of Indoor Bowls is a pared down version of the original game, specially designed for play on a carpet rather than a perfectly-mown lawn!

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Reiki

Reiki is something you may never have heard of, however it is a healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient's body and restore physical and emotional well-being.

Our wonderful Christine who works for MindforYou, and pictured, is a specialist in Reiki and provides sessions for carers on the holidays. Guests find the Reiki sessions incredibly relaxing and insightful. Take a look online for your nearest Reiki specialist to give it a go!

Adult Bibs -BibblePlus+

Next on our Dementia Gift Guide are the attractively designed Adult Bibs from Bibble Plus. An adult bib is the perfect solution for Parkinson’s sufferers with drooling and dribbling difficulties, or for people who have problems swallowing (dysphagia).

All their bibs are fully machine washable for ease of cleaning. The stylish bandana design and mixture of colours and designs allows the wear to wear of a Bibble Plus adult bib with any outfit, without embarrassment. With over 60 different styles, you're sure to find one to suit your loved one this Christmas.

Select your Bib Here

Manicure & Hand Massage

A manicure and hand massage is something so simple, however can provide such a boost of confidence, and can be a real treat for carers and people living with dementia. With portable nail technicians all over the country, and gel nail polish that dries instantly, it is now easier than ever to treat your loved one.

Organise for a nail technitian to come into their home and treat them to the pampering they deserve. On our holidays we tend to hire a mobile beauty technitian for the morning and it always goes down a storm. It provides a sense of luxury, and we want our guests to be truly spoilt.

YouTube Playlist

A YouTube Playlist can be an incredible tool for your loved one living with dementia. YouTube has millions of videos from famous comedy sketches, to musical performances, and old TV show clips.

Create a personalised playlist full of your loved ones favourite entiertainment moments. From the Two Ronnies to Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack's live perfomances, it is such an easy way of encouraging remeniscence and perfect for busy carers if they're rushing around getting odd jobs done!

Talking Sense by Agnes Houston MBE

A remarkable book, that was in fact gifted to us by Agnes herself is next up on our gift guide. 'Talking Sense' is a book written to guide people living with dementia and their carers through the sensory changes that they may experience as part of their diagnosis.

Agnes has been living with Alzheimer's since 2006, and when she noticed these sensory changes, she thought she can't be alone! So she 'chose to go on a quest for knowledge' to understand what was happening to her. Her book is insightful and so easy to understand, and as a bonus is COMPLETELY FREE.

Hit the button below to download your free copy and watch the video to hear more about Agnes' Story.

 

Twiddle Muffs

People living with dementia often have very restless hands and like to have something to keep their hands occupied. Usually equipped with different strands of textured ribbon, beads, zips, and various pieces of fabric attached inside and out.

The twiddle muff provides a wonderful source of visual, tactile and sensory stimulation whilst keeping hands snug at the same time. You can make your own twiddle muff, personalising the different materials used by following this guide here. Or they are available to purchase.  

Reminiscence Chests

Reminiscence Chests contain a collection of nostalgic visual, tactile and sensory items which invite the individual to touch, sort, explore, experience and reminisce; promoting precious memories, emotional feelings and life experiences.

With positive outcomes in self-esteem, happiness, well-being and quality of life. You can either purchase online, or you can have a go at creating your own. The chests are great for people living with dementia as they encourage the recall of experiences and memories.

Big Piece Jigsaws

Mainstream puzzles tend to be too complicated for people living with dementia with too many pieces and pictures. These puzzles are split into 24 large, unique pieces that can be mounted onto a backing board for ease of use.

There a wide variety of designs available online, or to add that extra personal touch, have a go at creating your own. Perhaps with a picture of your family, or something else that will bring a smile to their face once complete!

Free Book Buy Here

Scentscape Packs

Scentscape packs have been created to spark everyday memories through different sensory products. Unlock those hard to reach memories by transporting the person living with dementia to a time and place through sensory stimulation.

 

Each pack comes with 3 different smells and a 20 minute audio CD. With many different options from 'At Home', 'In the Garden' and even 'In the Tool Shed' there is sure to be one that sparks plenty of conversation between yourself and your loved one.

Fidget Spinners

This gift took the younger generation by storm last year, and proved to be a massive hit with our guests on holidays as well.

Fidget Spinners were created to help people with ADHD, however, they have been found to really benefit people living with dementia.

They help to calm the mind by focusing the individual on a simple task, help to keep fidgety hands busy and help to maintain dexterity and strength in the muscles in your hands and fingers. They're inexpensive to buy and addictively fun for all.

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