Looking for dementia friendly gifts? Why not try a thoughtful themed gift basket that can bring comfort and joy for your loved one? You can curate the perfect gift for a loved one with dementia. Create your own or buy them ready made, these gift basket ideas for loved one with dementia are great gifts for birthdays, christmas or just to show you care.
Why Gift Baskets are Beneficial for Those with Dementia
Gift baskets offer a unique way to bring together items that bring comfort, evoke memories, and provide a sensory experience. You can choose gift baskets that suit the dementia stage that your loved one is at – would they enjoy things that help with organisation and memory or would they prefer something comforting like a comfort gift basket or something more meaningful like a gift basket of keepsakes & mementos. By thoughtfully curating items, you can create a basket suited to your loved one’s preferences and needs. So here are 8 themed gift basket ideas for dementia.
8 Themed Gift Basket Ideas for Dementia
Choosing gifts for a loved one with dementia requires thought. What do they love, what makes them smile, what are their interests and will your gift be suitable for their abilities and dementia stage. Tailoring the gift basket to their needs and wants will make it more relevant, enjoyable and hopefully bring smiles as they go about unwrapping it.
Touch and Feel Sensory Basket
A “Touch and Feel” basket filled with soft and textured items can be a lovely gift. I know that a sense of touch is a powerful thing for anyone, but especially so for someone living with dementia, particularly in the middle and later stages of dementia. You, as dementia caregivers, have probably experienced how comforted your loved ones can feel from just a stroke from your hands, or maybe like my mum does collects & tears tissues and stuffs them in her purse because she likes the feel of them. Think about what could be in a touch and feel gift basket that would suit your loved one, consider including items like:
- Fuzzy socks, luxurious blanket or gloves for warmth and cosiness
- A soft plush toy or cushion to hold onto during moments of anxiety.
- Small fabric swatches with varying textures like velvet, corduroy, or fleece to run their fingers over.
- Beautiful scarfs over various colours & textures
- A textured stress ball of different textures that can be soothing to squeeze.
- Fidget blanket or fidget toys designed for older adults
- Various hand creams & lotions for body and hand massage
Scented Gift Baskets
Who doesn’t like getting beautiful smelling gifts. Think about how a scent can evoke long forgotten memories. What does your loved one love, is there a scent from their childhood that you know they love or something they always wore or something they did, like home baking. My memory of my mum is her wafting by us followed by the smell of oud on her clothes, a traditional method of scenting clothing. What about for your loved one, think about these as possible gift basket ideas
- Scent Sachets filled with lavender, rose, sandalwood etc
- Homely scented Reed diffusers
- Battery operated essential oil diffuser with gentle scents
- Fragrant soaps shaped like familiar objects
- Essential oil rollers that can be applied to pulse points for a calming effect
- Scented lotions or hand creams with familiar fragrances like vanilla or chamomile
- Favourite perfumes and bathroom toiletry set
Memory, Keepsake & Music Baskets
Taking items that hold such important memories for our loved ones and transforming them into a gift basket of keepsakes or using music with its power to uplift us or calm us into a gift basket that our loved ones would enjoy. Think about including
- a memory book with voice recordings for each page
- a family tree with photographs, maybe investing using sites like Ancestry
- A small, personalised frame with a picture from a special moment in their life.
- A journal where family members have written down fond memories or stories.
- Keepsake trinkets like a locket with a photo of someone precious to them
- Reminiscence Cue Cards 40s, 50s and 60s
- Preload an mp3 player with their favourite tunes and headphones
- Vintage-style radio that’s easy to operate
- Book of lyrics of favourite songs
Cozy Comfort Basket
Comfort and warmth can be incredibly soothing, especially during colder months or in the evenings. Having something that can bring comfort and reduce anxiety would be a welcome gift. A comfort-focused basket could include:
- A soft, plush, cosy blanket to wrap themselves in for warmth.
- A set of warm, non-slip socks for comfort and safety.
- A soft neck pillow or heatable wheat bag for added relaxation.
- A calming eye mask to promote restful sleep.
- Cosy wrap around cardigan
- A plush bathrobe to wrap around themselves to stay warm after bathing
Tea and Comforting Snacks Basket
If I had to choose a basket for my mum, it would be something that involves a warm cup of tea paired with a favourite treat. A basket focused on taste and comfort could provide a delightful sensory experience through the tastes and smells of familiar treats.
- A selection of herbal teas like chamomile, peppermint, or rooibos.
- Easy-to-eat snacks such as shortbread, soft biscuits, or fruit preserves.
- A mug with an easy-to-hold handles, perhaps personalised with their name or a sweet message.
- Soft cookies or crackers
- Sugar-free sweets or a box of chocolates
Puzzles Gift Basket
Does your loved one love puzzles? Get an assortment of puzzle books with crosswords, word searches etc or do they enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles, choose puzzles with big pieces and simpler designs to suit their abilities. We want the satisfaction of solving these puzzles but also ones that challenge. Add a personalised mug and box of their favourite tea or coffee, and that would be a lovely gift to enjoy.
Nature & Gardening Kit
Being close to nature can make us feel grounded and connected, but what if you can’t get out and experience it as before. Here a few things that you could include in a beautiful gift basket!
- A simple indoor gardening kit with a potting station, seeds & soil
- Easy to take care of plants like succulents & herbs
- Wind chimes and a sun catcher to hang from a window
- Books on birds or butterflies or identification cards of butterflies and birds
- A beautiful nature journal
- Artificial flower arranging kit
- Nature sounds machine with simple controls
Daily Support Basket
It’s nice to get something useful that can help with the daily issues that your loved one may face with dementia that could help support them, here are a few ideas for gift baskets.
- Sunrise Alarm clock for gentle transitions in the morning
- Dawn-to-dusk lights to help with illuminating rooms and hallways
- Dementia Clock to orient to time of day
- Time-of-day activity cards with visual cues
- Voice-activated smart speaker with access to their favourite audiobooks
- Motion sensor audio reminder e.g to collect keys before leaving house
- Hydration reminder cup
Final Thoughts on Gift Basket Selection for Dementia Care
As a caregiver, creating a themed basket can be a rewarding experience, allowing you to connect with your loved one in a thoughtful way. You could create a giggle basket full of fun things, a spa day basket, a chocolate lovers basket, there are so many options. Just keep it simple, focus on good quality items that are easy to use, fun or practical and will be hopefully loved by your loved one with dementia. Enjoy and let me know in the comments if you have any other gift basket ideas for loved ones with dementia!
