There is a special art to giving gifts, but what do you gift your loved ones who are in memory care? A good rule of thumb is to give practical and comfortable things – something that will serve a purpose and something that will be easy to use. For instance, an oversized organic cotton shirt is something that anyone can use, and the fact that it’s organic means there won’t be any irritants and it is still breathable – which is especially important for someone in memory care in Arizona.

Below are another four gift ideas for your loved one:

1. Scrapbook

This allows you to add photos of family, friends, and other places that the individual has visited or lived in. You can include a lot of personal touches, like photos of their favorite foods or sports teams or of things that have previously brought joy to them.

One of the best things you can do with all these images and photos is to make sure they are all labeled so they have some context and information about the pictures. A scrapbook can be a great conversation starter for your visits, and you can look through it together.

2. Book of Short Stories

While they may not remember as much anymore, they can still likely read. Find a book with short stories (and larger text) so they can have something to read and enjoy when they have time alone. If you’re able to locate stories that they have already read (and enjoyed), then the gift has some extra potency and can perhaps trigger positive memories.

3. Music

Find CDs and music from their early years and songs that are particular to them, their era, or their region. Playing songs that might have been of importance is especially nice, as music has been demonstrated to increase brain activity potentially both in memories and emotions. Music has a certain power that connects to our souls, and it can be a gift that keeps on giving when they’re able to listen to it again and again.

4. Puzzles

If you’re able to get puzzles with extra-large pieces, then all the better. The small, finicky pieces are far from ideal, but when it comes to bigger pieces, puzzling is a wonderful pastime for many. Much like music, spatial recognition can activate various parts of the brain, and when a loved one is in memory care, keeping the brain working can delay the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Finding a safe and secure community for memory care in Yuma Arizona doesn’t have to be hard. At Yuma Senior Living, our compassionate team is here for your loved one. Our trained and certified staff are here for both good days and bad and are happy to coordinate a tour of our community for and your loved one. Simply give us a call at (928) 388-6858, and our Community Ambassador will schedule an onsite tour at your convenience.