Happy New Year! We are excited to support you in your caregiving journey and walk beside you throughout 2026. In this newsletter you'll learn about:

• Incorporating sorting/grouping into your caregiver toolbox
• A dementia-friendly cell phone option
• Our day program
• Free dementia education classes
• Connecting with caregivers and guest speakers

Enrichment at Home: Sorting/Grouping

Sorting or grouping is a meaningful activity a person with dementia can do to help around the house, pass time, and accomplish a task. Hailey offers these tips to successfully use sorting to engage and occupy your loved one while promoting confidence and purpose.

Activity Tips

• Use common household items for this activity. Look around the kitchen, office, and garage for ideas.
• Ideally, stick to 2 or 3 categories and no more than 5, depending on the person's abilities.
• Use a paper plate, bowl, placemat, small bucket, or other tool to create a visual "basket" for each category.
• Don't expect or require perfection - focus on the effort and value of the activity rather than the outcome.
• If you do point out errors, do so thoughtfully..."Hmm, this one looks like maybe it doesn't go with this group. What do you think?"...and respect their final decision.
• Don't rush - this activity is designed to pass time, encourage thinking, and build self-esteem. It can also be a great task while you attend to other things!
• Tell them the categories/groups rather than expecting them to come up with categories on their own. It can be helpful to assist in sorting the first few items to get them started.
• Mix up the categories so you can reuse items for different sorts.
• Compliment their work and thank them for helping.

Suggested Items to Sort

• Silverware (plastic or metal), cooking utensils, cloth napkins, placemats
• Buttons, coins, jewelry, craft supplies, or sewing notions
• Socks, washcloths, mittens
• Playing cards, game pieces, marbles, Matchbox cars, poker chips
• Pencils, markers, notepads, paperclips, rubber bands, crayons, erasers
• Nails, screws, nuts, washers, hand tools
• Cotton balls, Q-tips, toilet paper rolls, combs, hair brushes & combs, travel toiletries
• Combine items from different categories: Mix rubber bands, forks, and marbles into a "Junk drawer," for example

Sorting Categories

• Type (group items of the same type)
• Use (group kitchen items vs garage items)
• Color
• Shape or Size
• Hard - Soft
• Smells good - Doesn't smell good
• Belongs - Doesn't belong (in the kitchen, in the garage, in a purse)
• Food - Not food
• Throw in things that don't match the theme (a handful of small candies, pens, unused keys, cotton balls) and ask them to group those separately

Getting Started

• "I could use your help making sense of this. Would you mind grouping all the pens in one pile and paperclips in another?"
• "I dropped this bucket of hardware. It would be so helpful if you could help me sort it out."
• "I really need to organize this gift wrap stuff! I want to separate the bows, paper, and tags into piles. Can you pick out all the bows for me, please?"
• "Ugh, this junk drawer is too much! Can you pick out all the stuff that doesn't belong in here?"
• "The kids scrambled all the game pieces. Let's sort all the cards, poker chips, and marbles so we can make sense of this."

Showing Gratitude & Support

• "This is so helpful!"
• "I couldn't have done this without you."
• "I really appreciate you doing this for me."
• "This is going to make things so much easier."
• "You're really good at this!"
• "Now I know who to call when I have a mess on my hands."
• "Thank you."

A Smart Phone for People with Dementia

Wisephone II is a "healthy smartphone" that can be a great option for people with dementia. This device has the look and feel of a smartphone, but focuses on providing a simple experience that offers extra protections that can keep users safe. With the Wisephone II, users have access to useful tools and features, but won't get is ads, explicit content, an internet browser, and social media--avenues often used by scammers to collect identity and financial information and frequently the source of distressing news and information. Wisephone offers service with no contract and competitive monthly fees, or with a WiseOS Subscription of $15/month, the device can be added to a plan with any carrier. The Wisephone II is available for under $400.

WiseOS Features

Music, Calculator, Maps, Clock, Phone, Messages, Camera, Notes, Flashlight, Photos, Calendar
Optional: Vetted third-party apps

FREE Caregiver Education

Classes are presented by Jody Wills of the Alzheimer's Association at the Dementia Enrichment Center in Belton. Space is limited. Registration is required.

January 24 @ 10-11am

Understanding Alzheimer's & Dementia

Learn the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia, stages and risk factors, current research, available treatments, and ways the Alzheimer's Association can help.

February 21 @ 10-11am

10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's & Dementia

Alzheimer’s and other dementias cause changes in memory, thinking, and behavior that interfere with daily life. Join us to learn ten common warning signs and what to watch for in yourself and others.

March 14 @ 10-11am

Caring for Someone with Mid-Stage Alzheimer's/Dementia: Part 1

Communication & Personal Care in the Middle Stage

Learn about the symptoms associated with the middle-stage of Alzheimer’s disease, communication and relationship changes, effective ways to provide personal care, and preparing for hospitalizations.

April 18 @ 10-11am
Caring for Someone with Mid-Stage Alzheimer's/Dementia: Part 2

Safety in the Middle Stage

Learn about effective ways to manage challenging behaviors, how to maximize safety at home, signs of unsafe driving and tips to stop driving, and preparing for and preventing wandering.

May 16 @ 10-11am

Caring for Someone with Mid-Stage Alzheimer's/Dementia: Part 3

Understanding Care Options

Learn about respite care options including informal care, day services, in-home care services and senior living options, as well as managing and coping with difficult feelings.

Caregiver Support & Seminars

If you know, love, or care for a person with dementia, we welcome you to join Dementia Partners, our free caregiver support group. Drop by the Dementia Enrichment Center to connect and learn with others who understand dementia caregiving and hear from guest speakers sharing information relevant to your caregiving journey. Check out our 2026 line-up!

Meetings are the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 6-7pm at the Dementia Enrichment Center. Free!

January 7: Regular meeting

January 21: Pinnacle Clinical Research geriatrician psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Weiss and his team will speak about Understanding and Managing Agitation in Dementia, the importance of early support, and resources and care options. RSVP appreciated.

February 4: Regular meeting

February 18: Dr. Chitra Hamilton, board-certified geriatric and internal medicine physician practicing at Baylor Scott & White's 65+ Clinic, will share information about the 4Ms of Geriatrics, a framework for age-friendly healthcare that focuses on four core areas of What Matters, Medication, Mind, and Mobility for older adults. RSVP appreciated.

March 4: Susy Farris from Heart to Heart Hospice will share information about the scope and benefits of hospice services, including myths and facts, eligibility, and payment. RSVP appreciated.

March 18: Regular meeting

April 1: A Q&A with attorney Karen Villanueva from Harrell, Stoebner & Villanueva as she shares information about legal matters specific to people with dementia and their families. RSVP appreciated.

April 15: Regular meeting