The Holiday season is upon us – if you’ve got some Residents or Family Members on the Memory Unit that you’d love to shop for, I’ve got the guide for you!
Make a Room a Home
It’s just the nature of the game – if you want a room in a nursing facility to feel like home, you’ve got to do it yourself. These gifts are easy to give and can make an otherwise stark room feel welcoming and comforting.
- High-Quality Pillow (a personal favorite of mine and easy to wash)
- Mini Fridge (for those extra snacks and drinks)
- Dementia-Friendly Clock (made specific to empower orientation to time, this is an essential on The Memory Unit)
- Cozy Bedding and Extra Blankets (because medical-grade bedding just doesn’t feel like home)
Bonus! Framed photos and cards from family and friends make GREAT gifts anytime of the year, and always spruce up a room.
Self Care Kits
Bathing and Hygiene routines are often better when they’re personalized. While facilities are able to provide hygienic items, they can’t offer the variety that is found in traditional stores, which is why self-care items make a great gift!
- Electric Razor (something easy and basic that gets the job done and doesn’t have a lot of extra pieces to lose)
- Hair Accessories (you know those ladies who love their foam curlers!)
- Quick-Dry Nail Polish
- Their Favorite Soaps and Lotions
Fun & Family
We all love the fun gifts at Christmas!
Dementia-Friendly Radio (this is the one I’ve seen in practice, but there are so many great options)
Joy For All Pets (I’ve seen these pets work wonders for emotional regulation in my practice – if you know an animal lover, this is probably one of the best gifts you can give)
Games/Puzzles (there are so many to explore on this site, perfect for all stages and types of dementia)
Bonus! Creating a family photo album or scrapbook is a great gift for the mind and heart
Spruced Up Wardrobe
In my experience, fresh clothing for the New Year always makes for a great Christmas gift! Nothing fancy, just comfy and fresh.
Easy-to-Don Sneakers (I’m sure at this point you’ve seen Kizik’s hands-free shoes all over the internet – these are perfect for individuals on The Memory Unit)
Adaptive Clothing (forget the reachers and sock aides, when it comes to quality of life when living with dementia sometimes you just need your stuff to adapt with you – this site has tons of great options)
Comfy Clothes (we’re talking fluffy pajamas, cozy sweatshirts, light weight t-shirts – easy to wear items)
The Better Grippy Sock (this is my name for it – a slipper on the top and tons of grippys on the bottom, they’re just better)
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The Memory Unit OT 
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