Useful Items to Have in the Home When Caring for a Loved One with Dementia

“Dementia products” are intended to make life easier for a person with dementia and their loved ones. Some of these products can indeed be helpful. However, often they go unused or hold interest only briefly.

Before you jump in and try or buy something, do a little advance thinking. Here are some suggestions to guide you:

1. Ask yourself: What does my loved one need right now? What problem am I trying to solve? Boredom, hunger, fatigue, frustration, fear, embarrassment, discomfort, a need for social connection, etc.? Even as memory and cognitive function decline, your loved one will continue to have needs and feelings you may need new solutions to address. 
2. Select items that align with what is important to your loved one (e.g., likes, dislikes, experiences, interests, etc.). As a person progresses into the later stages of dementia, you can still tap into who they are at their core as you try to engage or calm them.
3. Try for the right balance when it comes to challenging your loved one without frustrating them. For example, for a puzzle lover, avoid puzzles that are either too childish or too difficult.
4. Consider that some of the following items might be used “on-the-go,” such as when you take a bus trip or will be waiting in a doctor’s office.
5. Be aware of safety! An item that seems harmless can become dangerous to someone with dementia. For example, a person with dementia might lick strawberry scented lotion believing it is an actual strawberry. You might need to supervise or avoid certain items altogether.
6. Try to be flexible and give yourself grace. Finding useful items can be challenging and hit or miss. What proves helpful today might no longer engage your loved one tomorrow. 

Useful Items to Have in the Home 

Many care partners have found that the following items offer contentment, comfort and/or human connection – all critical needs for individuals living dementia! Many of these you can find in your home, or do not cost a lot to buy. 

Photo Albums/Loose photos 

If you have more than one photo album, place them in different rooms. A loved one might enjoy looking at or  “organizing” loose photos. Looking at photos is a wonderful way to connect with a loved one with dementia. However, try not to quiz your loved one as you look at photos, as that could cause frustration. Instead, simply point out what you see and reminisce.

Scrapbooks of memories or interests

Let’s say the person with dementia used to work in construction, they might enjoy a scrapbook with photos—cut out from magazines or catalogues or downloaded from the Internet—of heavy equipment.

Magazines with subject matter of interest 

For example, a car enthusiast might enjoy an auto magazine. See if your neighbors or friends can pass along their magazines when they are finished with them to keep a fresh assortment.

Pieces and parts of a hobby

A former quilter might really enjoy handling a variety of fabric scraps. Or, a loved one who loved to cook might enjoy looking at cookbooks or making a grocery list. The woodworker or tradesman might like to handle or “organize” nuts and bolts into a plastic bin.

Radio or other source of music/entertainment

Because long-term memory persists longer than short-term recall for those with dementia, experiment with music from their childhood, adolescence or young adulthood. If your loved one was a sports enthusiast, they might enjoy listening to a game. If they grew up in an era of radio shows, you can find many of those classics on YouTube.

“Laundry” for folding or housework

If a person is no longer able to fold actual laundry, use old towels or t-shirts. This can be especially useful for someone who kept house or was very organized.

Housework-type items 

Items like feather dusters; placemats/napkins on the dining room for setting the table; plastic (non-breakable) dishes in the sink for washing may engage someone with dementia and help them stay involved in day-to-day tasks.

Bird feeders

If you have a bit of yard and a window with a view, a bird feeder might provide entertainment and could be soothing (for you as well!).

Personal care items 

There are simple ways to have a positive, sensory and even loving connection with your loved one. Lotion for hand and arm massages; a brush for gently brushing hair; hair elastics/barrettes for hair styling; and nail polish and make-up for nails and face are all items to have on hand that could bring comfort and pleasure – to both of you.

Hopefully, you will find helpful items – from this list or that you have come up with on your own -- for comfort, contentment, and connection. Be sure to share your ideas with other care partners!
Please know that you do not have to navigate this dementia journey alone. WeCare…Because You Do is a family caregiver support program offered by the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging. A care consultant is ready to work with you to identify practical solutions to challenges and helpful resources and supports -- for both your loved one and you. WeCare is telephone-based, convenient, and empowering. Learn more here or call us at (216) 373-1797.

This article was written as a part of the Expansion of Dementia-Capable Communities within Urban and Rural Settings in Ohio using Evidence-Based and Informed Programming project, funded by the Administration for Community Living, Alzheimer’s Disease Program’s Initiative (#90ADPI0052-01-00). Learn more here.