The other day in the State Journal Register, I read an article about holiday shopping when someone on your list suffers from memory loss. The article was written by Renee Lepham Collins and I thought it might be very helpful to pass on some of the information.
Myndi Milliken, director of a long-term care facility made some of the following suggestions. My mother had memory loss and I know the following would have been very helpful to her. (and to my peace of mind)
- For those who still drive, program a GPS with destinations like home, grocery store, mall, and doctor’s offices.
- Cellphones that have pre-programmed and even voice command phone numbers.
- Give a new calendar with pertinent dates such as birthdays and appointments.
- Start a photo album or work on a scrapbook together. Label pictures with names, why and where they were taken, and most important the feeling of the event. (I especially like this one as it something you do together and continually add to the album. Thinking of this as a craft activity can make it a more joyful activity for everyone involved. I bet others would go through this kind of album if left out on a coffee table. (This just occurred to me; maybe family members could each make a scrapbook page of themselves that is labeled to contribute thus bringing in more attention and involvement of the family in a positive manner.)
If you have any other ideas that you think might be helpful please add them to the comments area.
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