Morning Power Up At Storypoint
At StoryPoint we know how important routine and exercise is for those with memory impairments, and our Power Up program is one part of our communitys routine.
This 30-minute, daily exercise program encourages residents to start their day in a positive, energized way. It features engaging music based on residents preferences and mirrored workouts where residents can follow along with our team through a series of exercises.
Its a great way to begin our day the right way getting active and spending time together.
Creating A Memory Box
One of the games for dementia patients could be to create a memory box. They can put anything, from photos to newspaper cutting and anything absurd that may hold some significant value for them.
Memory boxes can help the patients feel connected to their past. Every person has a different story to tell and these memory boxes can be the start of some great storytelling, talking and celebrating the past and the old memories that they love.
Easy Crafts For Seniors With Dementia
Does your elderly parent or older adult have dementia? If so, the time you spend together may be getting more difficult to bear as their memory lapses. The next time you are with them, why not try some arts and crafts? They can be highly beneficial for dementia patients, as well as a fun way to stay connected with your loved one.
Try the following easy crafts for seniors with dementia:
- Creating a pine cone bird feeder
In this guide, were presenting our easiest craft ideas and recommendations, plus detailed step-by-step instructions and video tutorials for these dementia-safe creative activities.
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What Are The Things To Remember When Recommending Crafts To Seniors With Dementia
The most important thing to remember when recommending an activity to seniors with dementia is safety. Seniors from this condition, especially at late stages of dementia, start to show cognitive decline. Sharp objects, such as sharp scissors, should be avoided. Materials that may be hazardous to the individual should also not be used.
Growing old doesnt mean that you have to sacrifice the quality of life.
For seniors with dementia, cognitive decline may prevent them from leading comfortable lives as they continue to age.
Introducing a fun activity, such as making craft projects, slows down cognitive decline so that cognitive functioning continues for as long as possible.
Creative projects also help in maintaining their self-esteem and self-worth.
Crafts for dementia patients, however, do not target just the cognitive ability of people with dementia. It is meant to improve even their physical health.
It also is a means for them to continue having a social connection so that they continue living happy lives. After all, age is just a number and it should always remain as that a number.
References
What are some of your favorite crafts for seniors with dementia? Share below!
About Haley Burress
Best Arts And Crafts Activities For Alzheimers
There are many types of art and craft activities for Alzheimer patients to engage in. In this section, weâll highlight some things to do with dementia patients that can inspire their creativity, and help them enjoy the benefits we mentioned previously.
Putting Together Collages: You can decide on a theme for collages, and let the patients put them together from photographs, magazine cutouts, and various embellishments. One thing to consider is that you could even perhaps trigger memories by using older newspaper and magazines, where the patient might recognize the photographs or events in the newspaper clippings.
Handmade Greeting Cards: This activity can help lessen anxiety in the dementia patient, as crafting greeting cards may give a sense of purpose. If the patient is unable to design their own, you can give them templates to work from and provide them with cut-out designs and shapes to adorn the cards.
Picture Puzzles: One resource suggests enlarging photos of one of the patientâs close relatives, and cutting it into square pieces. Then have the patient assemble the square pieces like a puzzle. Assembling puzzles can inspire focus and concentration on the task at hand, while the final photograph may trigger recognition or memories of the photo subject.
Recommended Reading: Is Dementia The Same As Alzheimer’s
Benefits Art Therapy Can Have For Carers
Art therapy not only benefits those living with dementia, but it can be beneficial for the carer as well. Recognising the subtle changes and progression of dementia in an individual can be very difficult. Additionally, as the person with dementia progresses communication challenges will arise. Art can be helpful in both these instances. The carer can use art to identify when someone’s dementia might be progressing. Changes in style, colour, symmetry, and accuracy can elude changes in dementia and its effect on the individual. With art, the individual is given a new channel of better understand the caregiver can use this new nonverbal form of communication to understand the individuals emotions and behaviours better.
Art may feel challenges if the individual has never done art before, but they can start at any age! Art can be a great way to communicate, release anxieties and stress, express one’s emotions and maintain hand-eye coordination. It only takes a few supplies to get started let us know what you create and leave a comment below!
Activities For Dementia Patients
This article has been medically reviewed by Dr. Martin Duggan in 2021
This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Sometimes, it feels impossible to engage with someone who suffers from dementia. However, promoting healthy activities allows caregivers to help seniors with dementia live a more connected and meaningful life.
Maybe you are caring for a loved one, or you work in assisted living or home care. Regardless of the setting, you may sometimes worry about running out of things to do to keep your loved one engaged. Each individual is unique in their interests and strengths or weaknesses. Our loved ones individuality does not disappear as they age. Because people are so unique, when dementia causes someone to lose the ability to communicate their interests, it can be challenging for caregivers to find ways to keep them engaged. Many caregivers feel overwhelmed when trying to think of activities for dementia patients that help them stay active, peaceful, and happy.
Luckily, there are meaningful activities of all sorts that have shown to promote social connection, personal growth, and overall mental health in people suffering from dementia. Together we will review the obstacles and explore some activities for dementia patients and how to enact them.
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Activities For Dementia Patients: 50 Tips And Ideas To Keep Patients With Dementia Engaged
The prevalence of Alzheimers disease and other types of dementia is on the rise, yet the cost of dementia care options continues to grow. For many, family caregiving becomes the most practical and cost-effective solution, at least for a time. Keeping dementia patients actively engaged in everyday activities and cognitively challenging tasks is beneficial for both body and mind and, in some cases, it can even slow the progression of the disease. Staying active and engaged can help to reduce dementia sleep problems, as well.
Weve put together a list of 50 tips and ideas for keeping dementia patients active and engaged through everyday activities, outings, cognitively challenging tasks, and social and emotional activities, many of which can be used throughout most of the stages of dementia. Youll also find a few helpful tips for selecting activities that are appropriate based on the patients interests, abilities, and other considerations.
Addressing Dementias Unique Challenges
An essential step of this process is to meet an individual where they are. This may involve some compromise and simplification of the activities you had planned. Some patients may struggle with hands-on, active participation, like art projects. Many of these same people would instead enjoy passive activities like listening to relaxing music. Its also possible that activities that were once fun may become less enjoyable for the dementia sufferer due to increased difficulty with the activity or due to changes in personality brought on by the disease.
Dementia is often hard on families and caregivers, especially when someone struggles to communicate or remember important details. Sometimes finding brand new activities to enjoy together can help address this challenge in a way that allows the caregiver and family to make new memories, rather than focus on what has been lost.
Its also important to note that valuable activities for those with dementia arent limited to hobbies or pastimes. Activities can include practicing and participating in crucial life skills, or perhaps parts of a daily routine. These tasks can be just as essential as more conventional forms of activity, like physical exercise or movement.
Also Check: What Causes Alzheimer’s Dementia
Step 1 Choose And Prepare The Decorative Paper
Choose the decorative paper youll be using. We used this pack of 4.5 x 6.5 scrapbooking paper. Mom loved the vintage look! Choosing a coordinating paper pack ensures your magnets will all look great together when youre done. You could use any paper for this. We are going to make another batch using a map of my moms hometown. I think it will be great for reminiscing.
Prepare the paper by cutting it into squares a little bigger than your glass gems. I did this for Mom before we got started, but depending on your seniors current cognitive level, they may be able to do this themselves.
What Are Meaningful Activities For Someone With Dementia
Meaningful activities are essentially those that give purpose to someones day. For people with dementia, this can be anything from spending time talking to friends or family, going for a walk, or even just looking at old photos together.
Some meaningful activities you can try are
- Wrapping holiday gifts.
- Cleaning silverware to prepare for the holiday meals.
- Dusting and cleaning.
Its important to tailor activities to the individuals interests and abilities, as this will make them more enjoyable and likely to be successful.
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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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Outdoor Activities For Dementia Patients
Art Therapy Activities For Dementia Patients
August 28, 2018 by guestpost
Art therapy activities that are created to enhance the quality of life in dementia patients, nurture dignity and validate them in their current state. Through artistic and creative activities, we can help them honor their unique life stories, as well as to restore and preserve their sense of self. Studies show that when done in combination with reminiscence activities, art therapy shows dementia patients that their story is of value and interest to others. Most importantly, it also demonstrates to them that they are capable of adding beauty to the world for others to enjoy. In this article, we will cover the benefits of art therapy for dementia patients and mention some artistic activities anyone can try at home with their older adult that has dementia or similar cognitive issues.
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What Are Good Activities For Dementia Patients
To answer this question, we should also ask, what are some activities that may help a person with dementia engage socially, physically, or mentally with others? Regardless of whether an activity is passive or active, it should include ways to participate and engage. In early dementia, activities that promote mental, social, and physical participation should be emphasized. In advanced dementia, participation and engagement can take the form of simple hand-holding and eye contact during a passive activity.
An important part of the engagement, regardless of the activity, is encouragement and positive reinforcement. Some of the plans you implement may be challenging or frustrating at times. But an increased activity level is almost always preferable to the status quo. Plus, if an activity goes well, it might even have the power to spark new memories and conversations.
Playing Or Listening To Music
Music is a great way to connect with someone who has dementia. It can evoke memories and feelings and provide a sense of comfort. Many studies support the use of music as therapy for those with dementia.
There are two main ways to use music in this situation: playing or listening. If youre playing music, try to find popular songs during your loved ones formative years. If theyre older, you can play music from their era or even current tunes that remind them of things like the first time they heard a favorite song on the radio. Try putting a small instrument in their hands, maybe one they have played.
You can also play music via the radio, a smartphone, or a CD player. Spotify and Youtube have endless amounts of music from all genres and time periods available for free. Music can be one of the most beneficial and effective forms of therapy for dementia patients, plus its just fun to enjoy something together.
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Craft Kits: Activities For Dementia Patients
When you are caring for a loved one with dementia, there can be a lot of challenges juggling their care with the rest of your life. Finding ways to engage with your loved one doesn’t need to be one of those challenges.
In fact, you can find simple crafting kits at any dollar store or craft supply store.
When selecting a craft kit for a loved one with dementia, it is important to keep a few things in mind.
First, select a craft that matches their abilities. As your loved one’s dementia progresses, it may be harder for them to use tools like scissors or anything requiring fine motor work.
Next, try to find a craft that reflects their interests and style. While your loved one may not be able to manage more intricate crafts, you should still respect what they can do. A craft provides an opportunity for creative expression.
Finally, pick out a matching craft for yourself. This activity is meant to provide a new way for you to engage with your loved one, so get to work alongside your loved one. Focus on your time together and not the finished product.
What Youll Need:
Cognitive Stimulation For Alzheimers Patients
The doctor my mom sees at the Alzheimers clinic says to include cognitive stimulation like word games and puzzles in her daily activities. He says it may slow her decline. Famous Duos definitely gets Mom engaged and thinking. And its one of her favorite activities. If you have a loved one with early to mid-stage Alzheimers or dementia I encourage you to give Famous Duos a try.
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