Mum with dementia, ideas please.

I've seen a pinny with buttons zips and clasps which was really good.
Hand bag full of bits and bobs is also a good idea.

A lavender bag to sniff, or other sniffable item.

Old knitting or sewing patterns, copies of old adverts, old Avon books: every mum I knew had an Avon lady!. Spot the ball and football cards , old copies of Christmas TV and Radio Times, green shield stamps book and, if she is old enough to remember, copy of rationing book, bingo cards, your old school report!
During lockdowns I got these for a local care home I volunteered in and the residents really enjoyed them.
www.sweetandnostalgic.co.uk/memorabilia-packs-122-c.asp

Good shout with the animal figurines. My mum used to love Wade Whimsey animal figurines.

MIL used to love getting her kids & grandchildren small quality plastic figurines, not kinder egg toys but nicer iyswim. Disney characters or Christmas themed, and esp. those really lovely natural looking little animals, brand is Schleich and not cheap, but there are similar ones in Wilko toy isle I think.

She may also enjoy a 'taggy blanket' like they use for babies and children but a more adult version with ribbons etc, they can't harm her as it's securely sewn.

I wouldn't recommend the buttons op, I work with patients with dementia and we had a patient choke on one. Someone explained to me many years ago that people with advanced dementia see similarities in items where we see differences. This was as an explanation as to why patients sometimes drink from the wrong thing as one receptacle for liquid seems the same as another, ie vase, urine bottle, jug all are containers for liquid. It might be mistaken with the tin of sweets💐

@ClinkeyMonkey love that idea! x

I should say, though, she often surprises us by remembering someone she hasn't seen for a while.

This isn't a sorting one, as my mum, who has Alzheimer's, just sits glued to quiz shows all day! But we bought her a digital photo frame a few years ago and loaded hundreds of photos of us and all her grandchildren onto it. The photo changes every half an hour and she loves it so much. Sometimes she doesn't have a clue who is in the photo and she'll ask, but it doesn't distress her or anything.

Also.. an old jewellery musical box with the ballerina doll. Mum loved that

I know it's not a sorting idea but im pinching lots from this thread.
I'm making my mum a dressing up box of all her old memorable clothes like her wedding dress, 1950's hats and 1960's shoes we are going to take them to the dry cleaners together.

I also recently took her to the 'big' M and S, (this is not a shop dear this is a warehouse!) and was surprised how interested she was in the makeup counter. She always wore foundation and a lipstick yet she has none now in the excellent care home so that can change, I think she would love a booked makeup appointment and to choose some lovely things. She really enjoyed her bra fitting appointment.

I was thinking of this last night, and wondered about a paper doll and outfits in an envelope, or even a very small doll with outfits that might give a lot of dressing/undressing/ folding/ smoothing opportunities. If she liked that, then an addition to the handbag might be a laundry basket filled with hankies/ socks to pair/ baby clothes to fold

Also, does she have a knitted dementia muff? My mum had one that I bought on eBay. It kept her quite happy, fiddling with the buttons and ribbons.

There are some absolutely lovely ideas on this thread. I can remember my DM button tin when I was small. Do you think a small tin of buttons would keep her occupied for a little while?

Lovely ideas.

Brush, comb & hanky?

Do you have any support groups nearby? Pre Covid I volunteered as an art therapist for people with dementia and I was amazed by how much our clients were capable of. It's really important to keep conversation going - no matter how long it takes - and to encourage creativity. Creativity in many forms is key. Please see if there is an art group nearby. You don't need to be artistic at all. Art unlocks a lot of memories.

My DM had dementia and she loved things from when she was young. If you could find a book of old photos from your home town I think she'd enjoy that. I'm sorry you're both having to go through this.

If you can crochet / knit , how about doing square or circles but don't quite finish off , I know a few ladies that like unravelling them and putting back to a little ball of yarn for you to re do.

If you have a laminator you could laminate some pictures of things that mean something to her - places, gadgets, people.

I was googling to try and find a book that my daughter used to have - it was a DK book and it had a pocket on each page and you could lift the flaps and put the things into other pockets - really hard to explain! So there would be a fridge and you could put the milk and cheese in the fridge or an oven and you put the casserole inside and the saucepan on top. But while I was looking for that I came across sequencing cards - there are some you can buy and others you can print off. Would she like those?

If not sequencing cards what about playing cards? She can separate them by suites or by numbers or even Snap or Happy Families?

My Dad has Dementia. My son spent a lovely hour sorting through shells that he'd brought back from holiday. He sat and examined each one, over and over. It was enjoyable for him and I think will be a very special memory for him when my Dad is no longer with us.
I've also made him a photo book and he enjoys wax crayons for drawing.

My Mum loved wrapping paper and gift cards!
Pens, especially in little tins with paper clips, pencils and rubbers.
Purses with lots of loyalty cards in .
Lip balm. Hair bobbles and clips in a zip up bag.