Busy at home: Activity products being tested by people affected by dementia

We preview fun and engaging products from our online shop that people affected by dementia are feeding back about in our next magazine.

A group of people with dementia and carers are trying out a range of games and activities from Active Minds at home, and we will feature what they think of them in our next magazine. 

This issue, we’re looking at these products. They are all available from our online shop, and they include activities that people can enjoy on their own as well as those for people to do together. 

Aquapaints

Aquapaint sets.

Aquapaint sets 

Aquapaints allow you to reveal a colourful picture by using a brush dipped in water to fill in spaces around a black outline. Each set comes with five images, and the colours fade as the water dries so that you can ‘paint’ them again. 

The Natural world set includes pictures of a butterfly, goldfish, cat, peacock and horse. Eight other sets can also be ordered from our online shop – Days out, At home, Everyday, Loves, Transport, Tool shed, In the garden and At the seaside.

Each is £14.58, or you can buy a bundle of five for £57.91 (all excluding VAT, which you don’t have to pay if it’s to be used by a person with dementia). 

Jigsaw

35-piece Cat’s whiskers jigsaw puzzle.

Jigsaw puzzles 

Active Minds jigsaw puzzles are plastic, with durable and easy to clean pieces. The enchanting pictures have been selected to inspire conversation and reminiscence, and to be clear enough for people with some visual impairment. 

The 35-piece Cat’s whiskers puzzle depicts a cat and other animals lapping at milk spilt on a doorstep, while the 63-piece City dusk shows Tower Bridge in the snow against a glorious sunset.

Our online shop offers a further 14 Active Minds jigsaw puzzles of 13, 24, 35 or 63 pieces, all costing £12.49 each (excluding VAT). 

Link and think games

Link and think games.

Link and think 

Link and think games each include 24 word tiles and one special dice. With the tiles spread out, you throw the dice and follow its instructions. Along the lines of ‘Pick three tiles – which is your favourite?’ or ‘Pick two tiles – how are they different?’, these prompt opinions, memories and discussion. 

The Transport themed game includes word tiles like ‘motorbike’, ‘bus’ and ‘hot air balloon’, while Careers has everything from ‘baker’ and ‘judge’ to ‘journalist’ and ‘electrician’.

These and two other themed Link and think games, Hobbies and Celebrity, are available from our online shop at £9.99 each (excluding VAT). 

Snakes and ladders and Ludo

Snakes and ladders and Ludo.

Snakes and ladders and Ludo 

Snakes and ladders and Ludo are popular games that will be familiar to many. You can play both using this Active Minds set, which has a reversible board and large counters that are designed to be easy to pick up and handle. 

Since some people can find ordinary dice fiddly to use and hard to read, this set uses numbered ‘dice cards’ that you draw from an envelope to see how many spaces to move. The board designs have been simplified, with clear illustrations and high contrast colours.

The Snakes and ladders and Ludo set is £17.36 (excluding VAT) from our online shop. 

Animal audio bingo

Animal audio bingo.

Animal audio bingo 

In Animal audio bingo, one bingo caller plays animal noises on a CD while up to eight players place counters on images of matching animals on their bingo card. If extra help is needed, the caller also has a flip book with a picture of each animal that they can hold up along with each sound. 

The pictures are bold and colourful, and the animal sounds add a fun dimension to the traditional game – though you still get to shout ‘bingo!’ when you’ve matched all nine animals on your card.

Animal audio bingo costs £20.83 (excluding VAT) in our online shop. 

Category snap game

Category snap.

Snap games 

Animal snap and Category snap are two sets of cards from Active Minds that can each be used to play three different stimulating games. Each game – snap, pairs and full house – has a different level of difficulty, but all involve matching identical or related picture cards.  

Animal snap has 48 cards with animal pictures on them, while Category snap comprises 36 cards in four categories – food, tools, transport and animals. The picture cards are clearly illustrated and laminated to last. 

Animal snap and Category snap are available from our online shop for £7.49 each (excluding VAT). 

10% discount on first orders

We’re offering 10% off your first order of games and activities and all the helpful products for people living with dementia in our online shop until the end of July 2020 – enter the code DLA10 at checkout. 

Use your discount

Our online shop features games and activities that support enjoyment, communication and quality of life. You’ll also find a wide range of products designed to help people affected by dementia to be more comfortable in their homes, supporting independence and safety. 

For many daily living aids products in our online shop, you don’t have to pay VAT as long as they’re bought to be used by a person with dementia or other condition. Tick the box stating that you’re eligible for VAT relief at checkout. To check your eligibility, call the HM Revenue & Customs advice line on 0300 200 3700 or refer to its VAT Notice 701/7

Dementia together magazine: June/July 20

Dementia together magazine is for everyone in the dementia movement and anyone affected by the condition.
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Dementia together magazine is for everyone in the dementia movement and anyone affected by the condition.
Subscribe now

5 comments

Great activity ideas. We Suggest a music quiz like guess the tune or the artist. Keeps the mind active.

If it helps, send it

Can I suggest developing a range of eating and drinking related resources too.

Hi Rachel,

Thanks very much for your comment. Was there something in particular you had in mind?

We have some eating and drinking advice on our website here, which may be helpful: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/eating-drinking

There's also a range of products for sale in our shop to support people with dementia with eating and drinking: https://shop.alzheimers.org.uk/daily-living-aids/eating-and-drinking

Hope this helps,

Alzheimer's Society blog team

Great to find different ways to engage one to one or small group. One game I have found useful for conversation and the thought process, is the feely bag. I have made 20 opaque bags with a number on each and an every day object inside, the bags are sealed. You have to feel the shape and guess what the object is. The number corresponds to the answer sheet. Works well with a lot of discussion.