Activity Vests For Dementia Patients

Visual Stimulation Activity Apron

Activity Aprons bright colors and different textures provide visual and tactile stimulation. Threading the shoe lace, buttoning the buttons or just stroking the soft, furry pocket offer calming and interesting entertainment, as well as improve fine motor skills. Use the plastic pocket to hold a tissue, hanky or a family picture.

• Colorful and very tactile
• Secures like an apron around the waist
• Machine washable, hang to dry

Middle

• Secures like an apron around the waist
• Machine washable, hang to dry

The Activity Apron is well designed, and useful as a diversion, activity, or means of calming someone with dementia who may be upset. It is not overwhelming, yet it provides a variety of tactile stations for ongoing pleasure and interest.

Sensory Needs Considerations For Levels 1 & : Infantile Stages And Gross Body Motors

• Olfactory stimulation
• Familiar scents to elicit responses
• Scents like lavender to decrease agitation

Risks Of Using Restraints

Restraints are used widely on people with dementia across care homes and hospitals, despite that there is no evidence that they prevent falls or secondary injuries. There is a list of physical injuries related to using restraints on elderly patients: from skin damage, bruising, ulcers to nerve injuries, asphyxiation, and sudden death, which occurs in patients with cardiac conditions.

Increased mortality, more extended hospital stays, tightening of tissues, incontinence, and infections are developed by overuse of vests and bed rails.

For people with dementia, restraints are associated with a traumatic experience, loss of dignity and self-respect. Their mental state is deteriorating with the expansion of anxiety, aggression, and depression .

The physical and psychological consequences of overusing a restraint on dementia patients are irreversible. Why do we still use it in the twenty-first century?

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Do Activity Boards Work For Dementia Patients

Some days, the dementia patient in your life might not have the desire to go out. Or maybe you had plans but the weather turned gloomy.

Rather than sit in silence, you should introduce an activity board to your loved one with dementia. It keeps their hands and minds busy, especially if you notice they are fidgeting or scratching their skin or just otherwise bored.

Activity boards are an excellent source of sensory stimulation. In addition, they provide tactile stimulation. They also help to slow memory loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.

While other meaningful activities, such as household chores, can give the person a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of control of their personal environment, the best busy boards give the added benefit of stimulating cognitive functioning.

Along the same lines, a memory box, fidget blankets, certain puzzles, or a therapy fidget board can be engaging activities for dementia or Alzheimers patients.

As we explained in the intro, activity boards are boards full of things the dementia patient can manipulate. The items on the board provide a variety of tactile sensations such as the inclusion of zippers or locks.

Although an activity board or similar might not look like much to you, dementia patients can find great value in them. Here are the benefits they can reap by using an activity board.

Get Toy Versions Of Their Old Pets

For those patients with Alzheimers who have lost their pets, getting a toy version of that pet can be very therapeutic. It allows them to still have that companionship they miss and brings back happy memories. Companies like Cuddle Clones can actually take a photo of a pet and turn it into an identical stuffed animal.

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Listening To Old Songs

This is an activity that everybody can get involved in. By playing music, you can have people singing together or dancing along, even if they donât know the words. If you want to take things one step further, you may even consider investing in a karaoke machine.

Itâs a great idea to play songs that your patients used to know, which can exercise certain memory pathways that can be very beneficial.

You can also try encouraging them to dance which in combination offers even more benefits.

Using Technology To Stay In Touch

Technology can be a great way for people with dementia to stay in touch with family and friends and socialize online. Some ideas include:

• video conferencing using apps such as Zoom and Skype
• playing interactive games or puzzles with others using dedicated dementia apps
• watching videos on YouTube

People with dementia and their family members will need more care as symptoms worsen over time and their health declines.

Many types of care are available, depending on the level of support a person needs:

• Adult day care centers and respite services: These can be ideal for short-term stays for people with dementia and can give caregivers a break also.
• Long-term care at home: This may range from general to professional care. Unpaid family members, licensed healthcare professionals, or live-in caregivers may provide care.
• Residential care: This includes assisted living facilities and nursing homes.
• Hospice services: Healthcare professionals can provide hospice services in the home, at a hospital, or at a hospice facility.

Various organizations offer further support for people with dementia and their family members. These include:

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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.

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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Gather Dementia Activity Board Items And Plan The Layout Of The Board

Just like a childrens fidget toy has various gadgets, your DIY activity board should contain familiar hardware.

Well go more in depth about what to include further down in this article. Meanwhile, considers such things as a light switch, a barrel bolt, a bike chain lock with a key, a sash lock or similar items.

Once youre sure what you want to add to the busy board, place the items on cardboard or even a large piece of newspaper. Arrange the layout how you want it for the finished product.

Jot down measurements and maybe take a photo on your smartphone that you can use for reference later.

The Opportunity To Reflect On Good Times

Dementia sensory activities give people the chance to think about happy memories. Sensory stimulation might involve looking at photos, listening to music, eating favourite foods, or reading someone’s favourite book out loud. Even certain smells can help to bring up fond memories – in fact, the sense of smell is strongly connected to memory.

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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.

Be Calm Collected And Understanding

When youâre trying something new with a dementia patient, it can be scary and stressful for everybody involved. The main thing you want to focus on is the comfort and happiness of the patient themselves.

Note:

You need to make sure youâre calm and slow when introducing new activities. If it doesnât work out, thereâs no reason you canât give it another try at a later date.

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Best Activities For Dementia Patients According To Experts

What activities do you like to do? Why do you like to do them? Just like everyone else, there are some activities that a patient with dementia may enjoy more than others.

Finding activities that tailor to your loved ones interests and talents whether theyve changed with their diagnosis or not is a great way to enrich their lives and can help combat their symptoms, too.

Weve compiled a list of the best activities for dementia patients according to experts. These interactive activities to do with dementia patients are beneficial to them and a great way to spend time together, too.

Join A Book Club Together

Attending a book club for people with dementia may provide a person with certain benefits, such as social interaction.

Research from 2018 looked into the benefits of being part of a dementia-friendly book club. Researchers found that reading classic fiction, such as A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, was a comforting and familiar activity for people with dementia.

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Use A Weighted Blanket Day Or Night

A weighted blanket for deep pressure therapy can be used anytime day or night.

If your older adult wakes frequently during the night, consider a weighted blanket that covers their body. The blanket will help them relax and improve sleep quality.

If your older adult is anxious or agitated during the day, use a weighted lap pad for the same calming and soothing effect in a more convenient, compact size.

The Timing Must Be Right

In order to ensure success in activities for dementia patients, the timing has to be just right.

People suffering from dementia can be unpredictable, so be prepared to be flexible and patient.

Pay attention to times when the person seems:

Make sure that your loved one isnt preoccupied, so they can fully focus on the activity. If the time is not right, switch gears and try a less-stressful activity.

When the timing is right, pick a clutter-free area away from noise and distractions.

As you are planning activities for dementia patients, it can also help to consider the time of day. For instance, choose calm and relaxing activities, like listening to music, around bedtime.

And remember, an activity that was a great success one day may not receive the same welcome the next.

The key is to focus on the needs of your loved one and be ready to move on to a new activity, if necessary.

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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

Activity Boards For Dementia Patients

Robin Schiltz Dementia Info

A busy board or activity board is a therapy component used for patients with dementia or Alzheimers disease. Items are grouped so the user can easily access and manipulate them. If youre going to put together an activity board for a senior parent or loved one with dementia, how do you do it?

Heres how to make activity boards for dementia patients:

• Determine which items will go on the board
• Use medium-density fiberboard for the board itself
• Secure items with a screwdriver, drill, or glue

If you want to learn more about busy boards, this is the article for you. Ahead, well talk about why these boards are a good option for dementia patients. Well also go over the above steps for making a busy board, including the all-important decision of which items to add.

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Dealing With The Challenges Of Dementia The Wrong Way

restraints

15th-century machines used for punishment and torture, maybe vests and belts used in mental health facilities?

Would you be surprised that restraining furniture, sedative medications, vests, beds with cuffs, bed rails, tables, beanbags, gloves, belts, and removal of mobility aids are used unnecessarily in healthcare facilities on people with dementia?

There are different restraints used on dementia patients in care homes and hospitals. Physical, mechanical, and technological restraintsare used to restrict movement, a chemical is to sedate patients when they are restless. Psychological control takes away patients choice and setting restrictive limits in day-to-day life.

Sensory Needs Considerations For Level : Manual Actions

• Replacing daily tasks with automation
• Age-appropriate care
• Example: individuals who are presently in the geriatric population and are a level 3 often have difficulty brushing their teeth. A seemingly obvious answer is that electric toothbrushes work well to get people to brush their teeth. Thats not such a good idea, because individuals who are in the geriatric population didnt grow up with that, so they wont know well how to use it. Try using a double-sided toothbrush instead.

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How Heavy Should The Blanket Be

The weight of the blanket depends on your older adults weight and physical condition.

The typical blanket weight for adults is about 15 to 30 pounds. The standard guideline is that a blanket should be about 10% of your older adults body weight, plus 1 or 2 pounds.

Youll probably need to lower that estimate if theyre frail.

Since lap pads cover a smaller area, the typical weight is about 2 to 5 pounds.

If youre interested in making your own custom-sized weighted lap pad or blanket, keep reading. Otherwise, to skip to the next section and find out where you can buy one.

Watching Old Tv Shows Or Movies

Although they may not recall specific details, your loved ones favorite movies or tv shows can stir up positive feelings and can be a great activity to do together.

Studies suggest that the best movie to watch for someone with dementia is something fun and upbeat, shorter in length , not violent, and straightforward in plot and number of characters.

Choose a movie that your loved one enjoys and fits those parameters. While you watch, describe the movie or comment on an actor and see if your loved one wants to discuss the film. Movies are more than just a way to fill the day. In fact, they can be a tool to connect with your loved one with dementia and a great activity to enjoy together.

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Buy The Particleboard And The Board Items

Now you can get shopping.

First, you need MDF. Its okay if the particleboard is bigger than the measurements you took, as you can always cut the board down to size. The MDF shouldnt be smaller though or youll have to omit some items on the board.

If you dont already own the items youll need, then youll have to buy those as well.

Gardening Or Being Outside

Does your loved one have a green thumb? They may not be able to mow the lawn or till a field like they used to, but there are still ways to bring the great outdoors to them.

Buy a small pot and seeds for your loved one to plant. Fill their space with plants and work together to water them every day. If youd rather, spend the day in a community garden or courtyard and enjoy the sunshine together. Being outside has numerous benefits for seniors and is a great activity for patients with dementia.

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Sensory Activities For Dementia Patients

#1: Get Cooking

There’s nothing quite like cooking to stimulate all five of your senses. Cooking is the perfect activity for dementia patients at home or in memory care.

Not only is cooking practical, but it also delivers a tasty treat as a reward.

Allow your loved one to do as much of the process as possible, always keeping safety at the forefront of your mind.

Depending on their abilities, your loved one may create the entire recipe from start to finish.

Or, they may only be able to help with a step or two. And if they are unable to perform any of the processes but are interested and engaged, they may benefit from simply watching you cook.

Keep it simple with recipes such as:

• Garlic bread or

#2: Look at Scrapbooks

Looking through photo albums is a wonderful way to bring back favorite memories and spark meaningful conversation.

Lend a listening ear as the senior reminisces over their photos.

Ask questions to help them remember, or encourage them to create simple stories about what they see.

#3: Do Pasta Threading

Threading pasta is not only a fun activity, but your loved one can wear the end product as evidence of their success.

Simply use colorful yarn and plenty of dry pasta with big holes, such as:

You can easily make a needle by wrapping masking tape around the end of the yarn .

Your patient can even create patterns by using different colors of pasta or varying the types of pasta.

#4: Work in the Garden

Fill the garden with edible plants such as: