Things For Dementia Patients To Do

December 31, 2022

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Watch Old Movies Or Tv They Used To Love

Caregiver Training: Refusal to Bathe | UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care

What was grandmas favorite movie? Chances are you can find it on Netflix or Amazon Prime and watch it together. Not only will they enjoy the movie, but they might also remember things about it that they forgot. The same goes for TV showswatch an episode or two of their favorite show from when they were younger.

Utilize Soft Textures In Their Room

Including soft textures in a dementia patients living space can help them feel calm and safe. Often they will become agitated when their environment is too loud, bright, or chaotic. Putting some soft items into their room- like a thick rug, cozy blanket, or even just some plants- can make all the difference.

More Ways To Stay Active And Involved At Home More Ways To Stay Active And Involved At Home

Keeping in touch with people using technology Keeping in touch with people using technology.

Coronavirus made it more difficult to visit friends and family in person. However, there are many ways to keep in touch with people virtually from your home.

Devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones offer many great ways to communicate with other people.

You can use them to:

send emails and different types of instant messages
make video calls, such as on Skype and Zoom
share and connect with people on social media, such as , and
join online communities, such as Talking Point
play online games with others.

Touchscreen technology such as tablets and smartphones can be easier to use than desktop computers. If youre not sure about how to use these devices, a friend or family member might be able to help you.

Attend A Religious Worship Place

Religion may be important to a person with dementia. Taking them to a place of worship, such as a church, mosque, or synagogue, may help them to connect with others in their community.

Going to a place of worship may also help the person with dementia feel a sense of belonging and spirituality, and may stimulate happy memories.

A person who has dementia may have difficulty planning their day by themselves.

The suggests the following tips for a person to help someone who has dementia plan their day:

try and do things at a similar time each day
match the activity to the persons ability
choose activities that are fun for everyone
help the person get started
watch to see if the person gets frustrated
ensure the person has fun and feels successful
let them watch the activity if they prefer

Allow An Emotional Outlet

For many people, music or contact with babies, children or animals provides positive feelings. Excellent memories of past events are often kept and looking through old photos, memorabilia and books enables the recall of earlier times. The opportunity to relive treasured moments can be deeply satisfying. If reading skills have deteriorated make individual audiotapes. Locate picture books and magazines in the persons areas of interest.

Recommended Reading: Alzheimer’s Association Longest Day

Tips For Home Safety For People With Dementia

As a caregiver or family member to a person with Alzheimers or related dementias, you can take steps to make the home a safer place. Removing hazards and adding safety features around the home can help give the person more freedom to move around independently and safely. Try these tips:

If you have stairs, make sure there is at least one handrail. Put carpet or safety grip strips on stairs, or mark the edges of steps with brightly colored tape so they are more visible.
Insert safety plugs into unused electrical outlets and consider safety latches on cabinet doors.
Clear away unused items and remove small rugs, electrical cords, and other items the person may trip over.
Make sure all rooms and outdoor areas the person visits have good lighting.
Remove curtains and rugs with busy patterns that may confuse the person.
Remove or lock up cleaning and household products, such as paint thinner and matches.

Repetitive Speech Or Actions

People with dementia will often repeat a word, statement, question, or activity over and over. While this type of behavior is usually harmless for the person with dementia, it can be annoying and stressful to caregivers. Sometimes the behavior is triggered by anxiety, boredom, fear, or environmental factors.

Provide plenty of reassurance and comfort, both in words and in touch.
Try distracting with a snack or activity.
Avoid reminding them that they just asked the same question. Try ignoring the behavior or question, and instead try refocusing the person into an activity such as singing or âhelpingâ you with a chore.
Donât discuss plans with a confused person until immediately prior to an event.
You may want to try placing a sign on the kitchen table, such as, âDinner is at 6:30â or âLois comes home at 5:00â to remove anxiety and uncertainty about anticipated events.
Learn to recognize certain behaviors. An agitated state or pulling at clothing, for example, could indicate a need to use the bathroom.

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.

Sensory Activities For Dementia Patients

How does a person with dementia see the world?

Provide sensory bean bags with different textures. Provide small bean bags made of different fabric textures: cotton, velvet and silk, and filled with different grains. – 15 Activities For Late-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease, Golden Carers Twitter: @GoldenCarers

Incorporate art and music in the daily routine whenever possible. Music and art therapy involve a creative process. Creativity resides in a part of the brain that is affected late in the progression of Alzheimers disease. Communication and learning are two functions that are usually lost early to Alzheimers. Art Therapyand Music Therapyallow those critical functions to be regained to a degree. Because the creative center of the brain works after others have been lost to the disease art including music can provide an alternative mode of communication, and even a new way to learn. Perhaps more important, music is fun! Art is fun! Include opportunities for creating art and music in the daily routine whenever you can. Susan Neville, Choosing Gifts for Alzheimers and Dementia, Silver Lexington Twitter: @SilverLexSenior

Try simple crafts. Try making bead necklaces or decorating a bird feeder producing items that give the person with dementia a sense of satisfaction and the chance to see it in use, gives the activity purpose. Kate Corr, Things to do: Activities for someone with dementia, Unforgettable Twitter: @Unforget_org

Consider:

Also Check: How Many Years Did Glen Campbell Have Alzheimer’s

Adapting Activities For People With Alzheimer’s Disease

Doing things we enjoy gives us pleasure and adds meaning to our lives. People with Alzheimer’s disease need to be active and do things they enjoy. However, its not easy for them to plan their days and do different tasks.

People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble deciding what to do each day, which could make them fearful and worried or quiet and withdrawn, or they may have trouble starting tasks. Remember, the person is not being lazy. He or she might need help organizing the day or doing an activity.

Crochet Knitting Or Other Crafts

Did your loved ones once love to crochet or knit before the onset of dementia or Alzheimers? Try placing their knitting needles and ball of yarn in their handsit might just trigger a memory or even muscle memory. Yes, muscle memory is a real thing, and we have marveled at its effectiveness in memory patients.

Also Check: How To Make A Dementia Patient Eat

Perseverance And Flexibility Is Key

If your loved one isnt interested in the activity or seems resistant, just take a break and try again later. You could also try a different activity or ask your loved one how you could make this one more enjoyable for them. You should also focus on the process of the activity, not the results what matters most is that your loved one enjoys the time and feels useful.

At SuperCarers, we connect families with compassionate carers in their local area, and help them manage their home care themselves. Feel free to give us a call on 020 8629 1030 for more information.

You may also like our article about brain games for the elderly.

If youd like to find out more about dementia, its symptoms and private care solutions available, download our guide to living with dementia for free.

Music And Art Activities

101 Things to do with a Senior Dealing with Alzheimers and Dementia ...

Keep a journal. Not only can journaling ease the stress of a person with dementia, its an excellent mental exercise to keep the mind active. — Laura Bowley, The Benefits of Journaling for Caregivers and People with Dementia, Mindset Centre for Living with Dementia

Take note of the power of music. Studies have shown music may reduce agitation and improve behavioral issues that are common in the middle-stages of the disease. Even in the late-stages of Alzheimer’s, a person may be able to tap a beat or sing lyrics to a song from childhood. Music provides a way to connect, even after verbal communication has become difficult. — Art and Music, Alzheimers Association Twitter: @alzassociation

Play their favorite song. Use music to soothe your loved one, or to connect to and communicate with them. Play their favorite tune when youre spending time together, or put on a quiet, calming song when theyre upset. — The Music Connection and Dementia, Homewatch CareGivers Twitter: @hwcaregivers

Get crafty. These might include simple craft activities, such as creating collages from magazines, or knitting. Someone who has been a skillful knitter may still be able to knit squares for a blanket. — Finding suitable activities, Alzheimers Society of Canada Twitter: @AlzCanada

Recommended Reading: Can You Drive If You Have Dementia

Include Enjoyable Sensory Experiences

Some sensory experiences that the person with dementia might like include:

enjoying a hand, neck or foot massage
brushing their hair
smelling fresh flowers or pot pourri
using essential oils and fragrances
stroking an animal or differently textured materials
visiting a herb farm or a flower show
rummaging in a box containing things that the person has been interested in.

Let Our Care Assessment Guide You

Our free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation.

Think back or ask relatives and friends about your loved ones passions and strengths. Then, encourage them to do similar things.

Try knitting or crochetPut a homemade quilt or skein of yarn in your aging relatives hands. Let them feel the weight of the quilt and the scratchiness of the yarn. They may still be able to crochet or knit a little bit, even if they have serious memory or cognitive deficits.

Experiment with soundsIf your relative with dementia was a musician or loved music, introduce simple instruments or sing-alongs. For seniors with mild cognitive decline, musical ability might outlast other memory functions. For those with more advanced impairment, nursery rhymes, maracas, and tambourines can still encourage creative expression.

Encourage visual expressionPainting and drawing are ways to express feelings safely and with creativity. Encourage using bold, bright colors on big surfaces. Rolls of butcher paper enable seniors with dementia to create without encountering the stress of defined spaces.

Create sensory experiences with tactile craftsWorking with slippery clay or malleable play-dough is a way for seniors with cognitive decline to benefit from tactile stimulation and creativity. Gewirtz suggests feeling a variety of objects with different shapes, sizes, and textures, as well as rubbing hands in lotion.

Ten Tips For Communicating With A Person With Dementia

We arenât born knowing how to communicate with a person with dementiaâbut we can learn. Improving your communication skills will help make caregiving less stressful and will likely improve the quality of your relationship with your loved one. Good communication skills will also enhance your ability to handle the difficult behavior you may encounter as you care for a person with a dementing illness.

Set a positive mood for interaction. Your attitude and body language communicate your feelings and thoughts more strongly than your words do. Set a positive mood by speaking to your loved one in a pleasant and respectful manner. Use facial expressions, tone of voice, and physical touch to help convey your message and show your feelings of affection.

Get the personâs attention. Limit distractions and noiseâturn off the radio or TV, close the curtains or shut the door, or move to quieter surroundings. Before speaking, make sure you have her attention address her by name, identify yourself by name and relation, and use nonverbal cues and touch to help keep her focused. If she is seated, get down to her level and maintain eye contact.

Listen with your ears, eyes, and heart. Be patient in waiting for your loved oneâs reply. If she is struggling for an answer, itâs okay to suggest words. Watch for nonverbal cues and body language, and respond appropriately. Always strive to listen for the meaning and feelings that underlie the words.

Keep Your Mind And Body Healthy

How to Talk to Someone With Dementia

Being physically active, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and spending time with family and friends offer proven benefits. They may also help slow the symptoms of Alzheimers disease and related dementias.

Exercise. You dont have to join a gym or spend a lot of money. Even light housework, gardening, and walking around the neighborhood can have benefits. Experts recommend both aerobic exercise and strength training . Learn more about exercise and physical activity.
Eat right. A healthy diet is proven to influence heart health, which relates to brain health. Learn more about healthy eating.
Sleep well. Lack of sleep and poor-quality sleep are linked to memory problems. Try to get 7 to 8 hours per night.
Be mindful. One way to help manage stress and reduce anxiety and depression is a technique called mindfulness. Mindfulness is being aware of whats happening in the present, both inside and outside of your body. This web page and handout offer overviews of mindfulness in daily living.
Stay social. People with dementia who live alone dont manage daily activities as well when they feel lonely. Join a support group, chat with someone regularly, or volunteer at a local school or community organization. For example, you could read to children at the library. For more ideas, visit Participating in Activities You Enjoy.

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Creative Activities For Seniors With Dementia

Tailoring activities based on a seniors talents and interests is helpful, says Niki Gewirtz, a Senior Living Advisor at A Place for Mom and former executive director of a memory care community. She enjoyed getting to know residents hobbies before they came to memory care and using that information to personalize activities.

How To Bring A Memory Caregiver Into The Home

Whether you have a daily role in your loved ones care or not, introducing a professional memory caregiver is a great way to ensure they are always receiving the best care and attention. Effective memory care is crucial to keeping your loved ones safe and comfortable.

Introducing the caregiver to an Alzheimers or dementia patient can require some delicacy. Because of this, it is best to work with a caregiver that has years of experience in these circumstances.

Since sudden exposure to this new person can be frightening or off-putting for the individual, many families choose to introduce the caregiver as a friend. In order to minimize stress, it is best to maintain a consistent schedule with the same caregiver. Limiting caregivers is crucial to avoid confusion, stress, and frustration. Thats another reason that partnering with By Your Side Home Care makes sense you can count on having guaranteed reliable service with the same trusted caregiver for years.

In some situations, live-in care is the best option thats another service that we offer at a reasonable price.

Also Check: Why Is There No Cure For Alzheimer’s Disease

Exercise And Activities To Promote An Active Lifestyle

For dementia patients with limited mobility, try chair exercises. Chair exercisesare great for seniors whose mobility is limited. Find ways to encourage the person to move while sitting down. Seat your loved one in a comfortable chair and sit down facing the person. Play some stimulating music and start moving your arms, head, shoulders, legs, and feet. You might try tossing some propspom-poms, scarves, or small ballsback and forth with your loved one. Be inventive! Itll add to the fun. – Activities for Seniors with Dementia: How to Create Quality Time, The Bristal Twitter: @thebristal

Dance to music from their generation. Find a CD of music from your loved one’s time. If they are able, encourage them to dance and shuffle around a bit with you. They will not only benefit from the activity, but from the music of their generation, too. – Activities to Do With a Loved One Living With Dementia, Fall River Jewish Home Twitter: @FallRiverJH

Take a walk. Go on a walk with your loved one through the park or courtyard. Take in the scenery and focus on how the sun or breeze feels. Try doing activities such as tai chi or yoga outdoors, as these activities calm the mind and allow for better sleep at night. – The Health Benefits of Time Outdoors, The Jewish Association on Aging Twitter: @AHAVAMemoryCare

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