Yes, another gift question. Sorry.

December 11, 2009 11:31 AM

What would be a good TV show to give to a person with Alzheimer's?

A family member has Alzheimer's. I've always given him books for gifts, but he can't really follow them anymore. (He's a history buff, especially WWII and military history.) His wife says he likes NCIS and the CSI's. She also says she doesn't think he could follow a show with complex, season-long plots, like Lost or the Wire.

I would kind of like to avoid getting him DVD's of a show that's on TV all the damn time, like NCIS and the CSI's. Any suggestions for hour-long dramas that are both engrossing and stand-alone? It doesn't necessarily have to be an American show, but something with thick accents might be hard to follow for him.

Any other suggestions related to the military history and WWII aspects are welcome too--good documentaries, for example.

posted by Mavri to Media & Arts (21 answers total)

History Channel documentary series could be good. What about this one?
posted by oinopaponton at 11:35 AM on December 11, 2009

Best answer: How about the Amazing Race? It is an award winning show, and I would say the discs are pretty standalone and the episodes are pretty entertaining with a mixture of history, trivia and physical challenges. The travel aspect takes you to far reaches of the globe, since it sounds like your relative is not able to travel often.
posted by timpanogos at 11:38 AM on December 11, 2009

I work at a library and many older people like Monk and Murder She Wrote.

Maybe he would like Top Gear?
posted by morganannie at 11:46 AM on December 11, 2009

Best answer: How about Band of Brothers? There is an ongoing plotline, but it's a miniseries (10 episodes, I think) and, as I recall, most of the episodes serve well as standalones. He may have already seen it if he's a WWII buff, though.

My parents, who love the CSIs and NCIS, also like Bones, Without a Trace, The Closer and Saving Grace. I believe all of these have some ongoing plotlines but each episode seems to have one or two plotlines that stand alone.
posted by lunasol at 12:02 PM on December 11, 2009

Oh, they like In Plain Sight and Numb3rs too.
posted by lunasol at 12:04 PM on December 11, 2009

The Prisoner (original)
posted by mr. remy at 12:07 PM on December 11, 2009

Maybe try the First 48, don't know if the reality angle would be too much of a bummer, though.
posted by The Straightener at 12:13 PM on December 11, 2009

I'm curious as to how someone with the kind of impairment you describe would be able to keep up with a CSI. My experience of that show, and a lot of others, is that the plotlines deliberately go fishtailing all over the place with every scene as our heroes prove suspect A isn't the killer, move on to suspect B, find out he's lying, but not about the murder because he didn't do it, and suddenly the whole thing turns on some small piece of evidence and the killer is actually a lesser witness we saw for thirty seconds two commercial breaks ago. It seems that would quickly overwhelm a viewer with Alzheimers.

But if he does indeed like fast paced crime investigation shows, you might consider Castle. It has that format, but less gritty and dramatic than the CSIs or Law and Orders, more lighthearted fun.
posted by Naberius at 12:18 PM on December 11, 2009 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Columbo
Matlock
The New Detectives

The New Detectives currently has reruns on the Investigative Discovery channel - but very infrequently. Each episode has a different theme, and the narrator has a very deep, clear voice that I can still hear with the volume turned down (I watch it alot late at night when I'm staying at my parents' house).
posted by invisible ink at 12:24 PM on December 11, 2009

Best answer: Might he enjoy DVDs of some of the older police dramas? --Ironsides, Colombo, Rockford Files--that sort of thing. The further my dad slipped down the slope of Alzheimer's, the more he appreciated shows that featured iconic central characters and that resonated with the years when he was in the prime of his life.
posted by drlith at 12:32 PM on December 11, 2009

Best answer: Seconding Castle and Bones. (Bones has a lot of overarching plots, but it's really okay if you don't know what they are-- the episodes stand alone.)
posted by NoraReed at 12:32 PM on December 11, 2009

Response by poster: I'm curious as to how someone with the kind of impairment you describe would be able to keep up with a CSI.

He may not be completely able to follow it. I think he can retain a certain amount of detail long enough to follow an hour of TV, but not much more. His wife might also have to explain stuff to him a lot . . "You remember, he was the guy in the car with the suspicious alibi."
posted by Mavri at 12:33 PM on December 11, 2009

I had a relative who slipped into senility and she loved The Sound of Music. She'd watch it again and again, entranced and happy. She sang in choirs and in amateur productions in younger years, so the music tapped into something very deep. Maybe your gift recipient had a similar passion which would resonate equally well.
posted by mono blanco at 12:57 PM on December 11, 2009

Best answer: The World at War was a great documentary series about WWII.
posted by rmd1023 at 1:07 PM on December 11, 2009 [1 favorite]

Maybe he would like a series from his 'era'? Andy Griffith, Hogan's Heroes, or Perry Mason? I'm assuming his age so those might not work, but maybe shows from his childhood or young adulthood would be easier for him to follow. (I know nothing about Alzheimer's so disregard if these would just make him more confused.)
posted by TooFewShoes at 1:33 PM on December 11, 2009

Monk or early seasons of House, although both of those are on TV a lot.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 1:52 PM on December 11, 2009

Any of the Law and Order spinoffs work well for this, since they contain very little backstory and you can watch any episode from any season and be able to follow it beginning to end. However, they're on tv allllll the time.
posted by scarykarrey at 2:00 PM on December 11, 2009

See if you can find Winds of War and War and Remembrance, the miniseries' based on the Herman Wouk books. Also, ask him what movies and stars he liked as a young person. Many old people enjoy that familiar territory, and a lot of old movies are on DVD. People with Alzheimers may retain older memories longer, so older films may be more evocative. My Mom didn't have Alzheimers, but loved it when she was given a cd of music from the 40s.
posted by theora55 at 2:14 PM on December 11, 2009

Best answer: Find out if he liked Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Hawaii 5-0, Magnum PI, or Rockford Files when they were first on.
posted by cda at 3:01 PM on December 11, 2009

Best answer: The War: A Film by Ken Burns
posted by bonobothegreat at 3:06 PM on December 11, 2009

Response by poster: I got him the first season of Columbo and my brother (on his own, without knowing about this question) got him the Ken Burns doc. He seemed pleased.

Thanks, everybody.
posted by Mavri at 1:03 PM on January 5, 2010