Doctor Recommended

For Caregivers

Books for Caregivers

The 36 hour day
by Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins

The best selling dementia care guide book provides practical information to empower families to improve the day to day life of themselves and their loved ones

Creating Moments of Joy for the Person with Alzheimer’s Dementia
by Jolene Brackey

Jolene Brackey brings a change of perspective – an opportunity to focus on living in the moment and find simple joys in each moment. 

The Caregiver’s Guide to Dementia: Practical Advice for Caring for Yourself and Your Loved One
by Gail Weatherill

When caring for someone with dementia, your own mental stability can be the single most critical factor in your loved one’s quality of life. The Caregiver’s Guide to Dementia brings practical and comprehensive guidance to understanding the illness, caring for someone, and caring for yourself.

Multisensory Rooms and Environments
by Susan Fowler

This unique, fully photocopiable resource offers guidance and materials to aid those developing multisensory environments – artificially engineered spaces that encourage relaxation, social skills and learning by stimulating the five senses.

Activities to do with your parent who has Alzheimer’s Dementia 1st Edition
by Judith A. Levy. EdM. OTR

This book provides a selection of user-friendly activities that will help maintain your parent’s self-care skills, mobility, and socialization. These tasks encourage success and feelings of self worth, and offer imaginative ways to interact with your parent.

Caregiving Websites

Graying with Grace
Comprehensive guide to assistive devices of all types, from shower footwear, to dementia friendly kitchen appliances, to gifts – this website has it all! 
Alzheimer’s Association
Easy to understand guide to understanding dementia, different types, symptoms, stages and treatments.
National Institute of Aging
Dementia education articles and videos. Many articles spanning many topics from what causes dementia to everyday care to legal and financial issues. This unique website also has information about the latest dementia research and clinical trials.
Dementia Care Central
National Institute of Aging Funded Dementia care website with comprehensive information for caregivers as well as a collection of videos on how to best approach behavioral issues that you are facing with your loved one.
Young Dementia UK
Tips, and resources to help you explain dementia to children and teenagers.
Alzheimer’s Research UK – Activities For Kids
Resources and activities to support children and young people as they explore the brain, learning about this amazing organ and how it works.
Alzheimer’s Research UK – Dementia Explained
Helps children and teenagers understand dementia, how it affects someone, and how this could impact their lives.

Caregiver Videos

UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program
Expansive video and webinar series focused on best approach to manage behavioral and medical issues

Caregiver Forums

ALZ Connected 
Online forum for dementia

Activity Resources

Pedal Exerciser
by Trademark Global

This device is great for those that enjoy being active or to continue with range of motion and activity when previous activities they may have enjoyed are no longer ideal or safe. It can keep you busy and preoccupied. Set a goal and keep your legs moving!

SAD Light
by JolyWell

Sometimes we don’t get enough natural day light. This may be something you might want to consider if you find yourself depressed, and tired or the opposite where you have had too little sunlight or stimulation in your day so you find yourself or your loved one up late hours at night or early hours in the morning. Working this light into your daily routine may help with sundowning and help with setting that day/night internal clock.

Liquid Motion Bubbler
by Super Z Outlet

These liquid motion bubblers are great to distract or stop ruminating thoughts. The descending bubbles have a soothing and mesmerizing effect that will keep you entertained for hours. These sensory bubblers can help improve visual tracking skills. Its slow and rhythmic drops have a very appeasing effect and may actually help with sensory or hyperactivity issues.

Sensory Tubes
by Hand 2 Mind

Each of the sensory tubes offers a unique experience because each person reacts differently to a stressful situation. With these fidget tubes you can enjoy independently and practice quiet focus.They are easy to enjoy, can offer relief from anxiety, soothe with hands on resources, and are perfect for occupational therapy.

Teachable Touchables Textured Beanbags Squares
by Educational Insights Store

Build tactile awareness, fine motor skills, and vocabulary skills as you interact with these 20 texture squares (10 different pairs) in a variety of “hands-on” activities.

Sensory Bean Bags with water beads
by OleOletOy

These are great for stress and anxiety relief, and develop tactile and fine motor skills.

Massage Sensory Mat Module Game Mat for Kids and Adult Orthopedic Massage Puzzle Floor Mats
by OrthoDon

These are great for concentration by stimulating your senses. These sensory tiles are an effective tool to add to any multi-sensory environment. Feel all the different textures.

Sensory Board
by Esjay

This sensory board is in an ideal bag to improve fine motor skills, enhance hand-eye coordination and develop creative and critical thinking.

Liquid Colorful Home Decor Tile
by LONGKING

This Liquid Colorful Home Decor Tile has a bright cosmic liquid color that moves with applied pressure. Place this on a countertop and manipulate the liquid color. This soothes and mesmerizes and will keep you entertained for hours. Helps improve visual tracking skills. It has a very appealing effect and may help with sensory or hyperactivity issues.

Moving Sand Art
by ANBOER

Moving Sand Art is a continuous flow sand painting, it can alleviate pressure and relieve eye fatigue. The descending sand has a soothing and mesmerizing effect that will keep you entertained for hours. This may help improve visual tracking skills. Its slow and rhythmic flow has a very appeasing effect and may actually help with sensory or hyperactivity issues.

Bubble Floor Lamp
by Playlearn

Intended for sensory loving adults. Watch as colorful fish bob up and down the water tube, waving their mechanical tails and interacting with the streaming bubbles in an incredibly lifelike way – all on a soothing backdrop of color-changing LED ambiance. The constant but quiet bubbling noise and the whirring of motor provides an ideal white noise for a serene, restful, and relaxing environment.

Weighted Blanket
by YnM

Offers a natural way to help calm your body for a restful night of sleep; a great calming sensory blanket to help decompress and provide comfort.

Wellgler’s OT Sensory Brush
by YnM

Provides a calming & relaxing effect through sensory stimulation from the brush bristles. By applying the Wilbarger Protocol with these sensory brushes, it will help users focus their attention and minimizes susceptibility to distractions. Therapeutic brushing offers a deep pressure impact.

Sensory Bin Tools
by SimplytoPlay

Provides a calming & relaxing effect through sensory stimulation from the brush bristles. By applying the Wilbarger Protocol with these sensory brushes, it will help users focus their attention and minimizes susceptibility to distractions. Therapeutic brushing offers a deep pressure impact.

Glitter Wands
by Playlearn

A stimulating item. The slow-motion movement gives off a calming effect and is great for visual stimulation. The vibrant colored glitter, confetti, and sand spiraling down the wand creates mesmerizing designs that stimulate the imagination and encourages attentiveness and attention to detail.

Special Supplies Therapressure Therapy Brush
by Special Supplies

Helps calm those who struggle with touch or coordination challenges and provides them an outlet for sensory processing issues. Helps reduce fear or discomfort that comes with being touched directly.

Sensory Cushion
by Bouncy Bands

Helps with staying focused and on task while sitting. The seat gives them an outlet for excess energy and restlessness. And provides tactile stimulation.

Water Mat
by WSPER

For sensory and stimulation. Enhance your motor, sensory, and cognitive skills with this vibrant mat. It helps with hand-eye coordination.

Fiber Optic Curtain Light
by Shine Electronics

Most suitable for sensory lighting. Can be added to your bedroom or in a Sensory Room.

Memory Aid Fidget Sensory Pad
by Simple Prime

The perfect solution for seniors that suffer from Alzheimers, Dementia, Anxiety, and Nervousness. Promotes memory aid with perfectly placed pouches for family photos. Packed with activities to keep loved ones engaged for hours on end. Assorted fabrics with different textures to encourage exploring. Easy to use pouches for family photos to encourage finding.

Textured Sand Art
by Faber-Castell

Inspire creativity with this open ended art set. Create a textured work of art.

Gel Pad w/3 balls
by Skil-Care

This colorful and mesmerizing fidget pad helps improve focus, concentration, and fine motor skills.

Sensory Gel Maze
by Skil-Care

Contributes to brain stimulation, improves eye/hand coordination and increases finger strength. Reduces boredom and anxiety.

Foot Roller
by BouncyBand

For restless feet is a silent fidget and ADHD tool that provides an outlet for excess energy. It allows movement while both sitting and standing, which creates more blood flow to the brain, enabling greater concentration and productivity. It can help with stress relief. Remove shoes for a relaxing foot massage. Also offers muscle and deep tissue massage for arch pain, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs and tired feet.

Baby Dolls
by JC Toys Group Inc.

Can calm and soothe agitated seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia by giving them a soft, lifelike baby doll to cuddle. These therapy dolls can even be effective in calming someone with severe agitation or other significant behavioral challenges.

Stuffed Animals/Cats
by Douglas Co., Inc.

Positive results have been reported like increased happiness and calmness. Reduced agitation and anxiety. Increased engagement through playing and talking with the stuffed animal.

Safety Resources

Bath Ponchos
by Oksun

Can provide modesty, and comfort. They can provide warmth while receiving a bed bath or be put on after showering to keep warm. They can help with agitation with showering/bathing.

Scene Stickers
by ColorSpring

May be utilized if a loved one tends to wander. By placing a scene sticker on the back of the door it may remove an entry/exit point.

Door Knob Safety Covers
by GRENFU

May be appropriate if your loved one tends to wander. Simply purchasing and utilizing safety proofing materials such as these may help rather than pricey alternatives.