Activities To Do With Dementia

Activity #: Bring Back Forgotten Skills

Dementia can be a hard syndrome to understand because of the way that it picks and chooses what memories to take away and which to leave. Mary, who volunteered in an elderly home as a child, was surprised to see that although her favorite senior, Ruthie, couldnt remember her name at times, she could play songs of the past on the piano by ear.

You too might be surprised to learn that your mother who used to knit thirty years ago or your father who once enjoyed painting might enjoy doing these activities still. This isnt to say they will be able to function at the same skill level as they once did, but still, its worth a shot when looking for activities to entertain seniors with dementia while they are receiving in-home care.

Doing Their Old Occupation

I went to a symposium on Dementia and one of the speakers told us how they had set up an office at the adult memory care center so the patient could go to work. What a great idea!

Come tax time, I have my Mom check over my tax documents before I take them into the accountant .

Being able to do something well is fun for anyone and since they live in the past sometimes their work is easier to do than all the fun activities we can come up with! Their long term memories kick in and they feel confident again.

Getting Started On An Exercise Program

Suggestions to start an exercise program for a person with dementia include:

• Talk with the persons doctor and organise a full medical check-up. Other health conditions, such as arthritis or high blood pressure, may limit the types of exercises the person with dementia can safely perform.
• A physiotherapist can design an exercise program that takes the persons current health and abilities into account.
• Start slowly. For example, perhaps five minutes of continuous exercise is all the person can manage at first. Over a period of months, add one extra minute at a time until the person can comfortably exercise for 30 minutes.
• Demonstrate the activity yourself and ask the person to follow your lead.
• Boredom kills off motivation, so mix up the activities to keep it interesting.

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Special Days And Events

Your dilemmaBeing stuck indoors has given you and the person youre caring for a bad case of cabin fever. You want to get them out of the house, but dont know where to start.What can you do? Pick an activity that gets you out and about but can also work to trigger memories. A classic car show or traditional village fete may remind them of times in their past and stimulate conversation. Heading out into the countryside to a nearby country home, arboretum or even just a garden centre can be a great way to get outside and provide a change of scenery. Find out whats going on in your area in terms of social activities for older people. There may be a dementia or memory café nearby, where you can meet other people or carers affected by dementia, take part in group activities and get information or support. If the person youre caring for has mobility problems, the idea of getting outside may seem difficult. The trick is to pick venues that will be easily accessible and engage the person with dementia without it being too taxing, such as an art gallery. Remember that seasonal days such as Christmas and Easter can be useful times to create interesting activities.Good forUsing up excess energy . It also boosts social circles and can provide a useful support network for you as a carer.

What Activities Work For People With Advanced Dementia Some Practical Suggestions

Sarah Zoutwelle-Morris is a visual artist living in Holland. She describes a range of different practical activities which might hold the interest or attention of a person in the later stages of dementia:

• Tapping, patting: make a rhythmic noise together on the table using a stick or spoon, following each others rhythms
• Stroking: massage someones hands with scented cream or oil, giving them a chance to do the same to you if they want pet a live or stuffed animal, or smooth a cloth on a flat surface or the persons lap
• Pressing: press glued paper down so it stays in place stamp with block print or a rubber stamp press the flat of your hand to theirs, gently giving and resisting in turn, taking your clues from them
• Pulling: pull the wrapping paper off a package, pull clothes off a doll, or pull on a thick cord with knots
• Folding: fold dish towels, clothes, bed linens, paper, newspaper, clay or dough.
• Pick at: peeling paper, a torn out hem, little threads make a yarn card with easy knots to untie or things to pull through loops, or unravel a ball of wool
• Wrapping, concealing: dress a doll or stuffed animal wrap an object in cloth or string, or wrap a present.

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Activities Must Be Stimulating

It’s important that dementia patients stay active physically and mentally as much as they are able. This is why youll want to choose activities that stimulate your loved one’s mind and senses.

A great way to do this is to keep an eye out for things that your loved one loves to do or things that they enjoyed in the past. For example, if they had always owned a dog, they may find pleasure in having a stuffed dog to pet and care for.

Engage your loved one in conversation. If they’re unable to respond, you can give them a play-by-play account of what you are doing. For example, talk with them about the steps you’re taking to prepare the meal or describe the dish you are drying. Even if the person is unable to respond, they will benefit from hearing your voice.

Encourage your loved one to be involved in daily life, with activities such as setting the table or folding laundry. This will help them feel a sense of accomplishment and success.

Are you considering memory care for your loved one who is suffering from dementia? Senior Services of America can help. Our years of experience and extensive knowledge direct you to the senior community that will best meet the unique needs of your loved one.

Folding Laundry And Socks

Another activity that can help with dexterity is folding laundry or socks. This task requires fine motor skills, which are often severely impaired in dementia patients, but it also helps boost their mood and gives them a sense of purpose while allowing them to clean their own space and feel accomplished.

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Outdoor Activities For Dementia Patients

Top Activities For People With Dementia

Dementia is a complex disease that affects the mind and body. It robs people of their memories, sense of self, and eventually life. However, there is still hope for those with dementia through various therapies.

Many activities can help improve the quality of life for those with dementia: from cognitive exercises like reading or puzzles to sensory exercises like knitting or crafts. People with dementia need as much stimulation as anyone else for both therapeutic purposes and improving their quality of life.

Weve put together a great list of activities you can perform with people who have Alzheimers or other forms of dementia that can be as fun as they are beneficial.

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Play Old Videos Of Themselves

If youre lucky enough to have wedding videos or other videos of your loved ones before dementia, watching those together can be an enjoyable way to bond and help them remember things about their lives that they have trouble with. Sometimes people with dementia will even just awe at a wedding video and say how beautiful the people in the video are, despite not knowing its themselves. Either way, it sparks joy in them.

Creative Activities For Dementia Patients

#1: Paint

Creating art provides the opportunity for individual expression and may improve memory.

If you’re worried that allowing a dementia patient to paint may be messy, you may be right. Try using butcher paper, so your loved one doesn’t have to worry about making a mess and you dont have to worry about clean-up.

#2: Make a Memory Box

Assemble a box of items that are special to your loved one.

You can include things like:

• Special mementos

• Items that remind the patient of past professions, such as:

• Paperclips, a calculator, and a notepad for a secretary or

• Bolts, sandpaper, and a piece of PVC pipe for a handyman and

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Prepare A Safe Working Area

People with dementia often have difficulty with visual perception and coordination. Ensure that surfaces are uncluttered with few distractions and noise. Good lighting, without glare, individual seat preferences and correct work heights are all important. If necessary, using plastic containers might help to avoid breakages.

Cooking Household Tasks And Gardening

You can keep or start cooking, as long as it is safe for you. If it becomes difficult, there are some small changes that can make things easier.

For example, you can:

• ask someone to help you in the kitchen
• try recipes that have fewer steps or ingredients
• use pre-prepared ingredients such as ready-made
• sauces or chopped vegetables.

Many jobs around the home also provide a good form of gentle exercise and can help you to keep physically active. These include:

• doing housework for example, washing up, folding clothes or dusting
• gardening for example, gently weeding the garden, maintaining houseplants, or growing herbs or flowers in window boxes.

You can ask someone to do these tasks with you if this makes them more enjoyable or easier.

Tip: It can be helpful to put out the things you need before starting a task so that you have a visual prompt for example, tools for gardening or ingredients for cooking.

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Fun Activities For Elderly Dementia Patients

If you’re looking for activities for dementia patients, we have you covered!

Weve assembled a wide range of activities, including:

• Sensory activities for dementia patients

• Creative activities for dementia patients

• Group activities for dementia patients and

• Cognitive activities for dementia patients

Social And Emotional Activities For Dementia Patients

What you need for this activity:

• 10 pairs of wooden shapes such as cubes, rectangular cubes, prisms, spheres, and eggs

Start by spending a few moments having the person look and feel each shape.

Have them observe the different forms each shape takes on when placed down on a different side. Once theyre familiar with the shapes, you can move on to activities that involve touch.

Place the cubes and rectangular cubes inside the bag, and ask the person to reach in and feel one shape. As they pull the shape out of the bag, they verbally say whether the shape is a cube or a rectangle.

You can also play a matching game with the person in your care by placing all of the wooden shapes in the bag, and have the person find matching pieces by feel. Repeat this process until all of the pieces have been paired.

Placing the objects in the bag eliminates distractions and stimulates the sense of touch, while the matching process helps to strengthen cognitive function. – Activities & Games for Dementia and Alzheimers Patients, Elizz Twitter: @ElizzTweets

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Activities To Entertain Seniors With Dementia

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Dementia can be an overwhelming syndrome for both the person suffering from it and those who love and care for them. Characterized by memory loss, changes in personality and confusion, the disorders that fall under the umbrella of dementia can impact almost every area of a persons life. Dementia can make it hard for one to communicate his or her needs and be independent, often leading to impaired judgment and the need for professional in-home care services. But this doesnt mean that all of lifes fun has to stop. Those who have dementia need enjoyable experiences to provide them with some sense of normalcy. The list below offers several activities to entertain seniors with dementia regardless of if they are receiving respite care, in an elderly home, or aging in place.

Meaningful Activities For Dementia Patients: 15 Ways To Keep Your Loved One Engaged

Are you searching for enjoyable, stimulating activities for your loved one who is suffering from dementia?

You want to do all you can to enhance their quality of life, bring them joy, and reduce harmful behaviors but where do you start?

If youre looking for ways to engage your loved one with dementia, youre in the right place.

Here, we will discuss a wide variety of therapeutic activities for dementia patients, so you can choose the activities that best meet your loved one’s needs.

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Support For Staff Doing This Difficult Work

Being with people in the advanced stages of dementia is personally challenging and you will need support. Managers need to give time to their teams to discuss these difficult encounters but most importantly still to praise the effort and encourage the member of staff to try again in a different moment, the person with dementia might respond very differently.

Activities For Dementia Patients: How To Do Them And How They Help

When you are a caregiver for someone with dementia, life can seem bleak at times, both for you and for them. Activities for dementia patients can relieve stress and make the days go a little easier. They can bring you closer together, but they can benefit the person with dementia in many other ways, too. All you need is a little free time, a few props, and the right attitude to plan and supervise helpful activities.

Benefits Of Dementia Activities

Dementia activities serve a variety of purposes. While you are supervising, it is important to keep in mind that these activities are more than just time-killers. They are a way to lighten up and relax, but they are so much more. As you engage the senior with dementia, focus on the benefit they may receive.

Help Them Sleep Better

Activities for people with dementia give them a time to move around, challenge their bodies and their minds, and maybe even get some fresh air. They are not so difficult that they aggravate medical conditions like arthritis which might lead to nighttime aches and pains. One result is that they may sleep better at night.

Improve Their Self Esteem

Stimulate Their Mind

Engage Them In Social Situations

Ease Their Depression

Activities For Seniors With Dementia

Physical Activities For People With Dementia

These physical activities are simple and require few props. Physical activities can work on strengthening major muscle groups, fine motor control, and cardiovascular health.

Remembering Activities

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Exercise And Physical Activity

Exercise and physical activity can have lots of benefits for people with dementia. It can help regulate their sleep and prevent restlessness and sleeplessness in the evening. It can also help maintain a positive mood and lower the risk of them developing depression.

Physical activities may include:

• Walking around their neighbourhood or a local park

• Depending on age and fitness, you could try tandem biking

• Water aerobics health and fitness centres often have workshops and classes specifically for elderly people or people with dementia

Attend A Dementia Support Group

Dementia support groups are gatherings that allow people with dementia, as well as their loved ones and caregivers, an opportunity to share advice and information.

suggests that dementia support groups may provide the following benefits for a person with dementia:

• social and emotional benefits
• providing understanding and support, which may allow a person to cope better with their condition

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