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14 Engaging Activities For People With Dementia at Home

activities for seniors with dementia

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Dementia patients should be able to enjoy various activities that allow them to experience a sense of purpose & fulfillment. It’s important that the activity they are participating in is an activity that is something they enjoy and something they are still cognitively able to participate in. When an activity is introduced that is too difficult for the person living with dementia, this can cause them to stop participating all together. A live-in caregiver or a family member can aid by using several strategies proven to help increase quality of life for the individual living with dementia.

Patients might gain confidence and experience a sense of fulfillment and joy with the help of simple household tasks they are assigned. For example, participating in error free art activities and/or listening to music can help increase patients’ confidence and ability to express themselves creatively.

Patients with Dementia can engage in meaningful conversation with a caretaker or family member throughout any activity, from playing a game to completing a physical therapy routine.

A dementia patient’s daily routine should consist of simple, enjoyable, and risk-free tasks. Playing games that require cognitive skills they no longer have can cause irritation and mood swings. Instead, it would help if you planned entertaining activities for the two of you and things those seniors with Dementia can attempt to complete on their own.

One way to help a person with Dementia is to learn about their life and history. This is essential for planning intriguing and engaging activities.

The most important consideration when assigning chores to people with Dementia is to constantly provide help, encouragement, and reminders of the next step. In addition, make sure to think of various fun games or activities that can help retrain some of the once-known skills while also providing a source of enjoyment.

This article delves into a long list of engaging activities to do with your loved ones with Dementia and some tips to find activities for them.

14 Engaging Activities For People With Dementia at Home

14 Engaging Activities For People With Dementia at Home

People with Dementia can participate in group or solo outings, indoors or out, with or without other patients. You can keep up the same schedule, but try to give your loved one as much independence as possible by handling some of the tasks on their own.

To avoid any accidents, you should check that everyone is in a secure area and that all of the materials being distributed are risk-free before giving tasks. Going outside is fine, but you shouldn’t go anywhere too crowded or noisy; otherwise, it could be a stressful and anxious experience instead.

Taking things slowly and planning ahead can help you avoid unneeded stress.

Instead of just handing over chores, it’s best to ask the person with dementia to help you out with some chores around the house. This is a fantastic way to do it if you want to make a loved one feel important and appreciated.

There shouldn’t be a problem as long as the activity isn’t harmful and the dementia patient isn’t becoming overly obsessed with it.

1. Household Chores

You could ask the patient to help with some light chores if they aren’t opposed to the idea. This can include light cleaning with a feather duster or helping to make the bed. It’s more important to have them experience joy and purpose in the moment rather than to worry about them performing the tasks perfectly.

For instance, you may give the patient some hand towels to fold, as these towels are both small and manageable. Remember even if the folding is slopping and not exactly like you intended, that is okay. What matters is that they are given purpose and experiencing joy and a sense of accomplishment in that moment.

2. Music

You can do a fun activity together by listening to or singing songs. People living with Dementia, depending on their level of impairment, may retain some ability to perform musical instruments.

People with Dementia can benefit from music since it can help them better communicate their sentiments when words fail them. In addition, they may find comfort in listening to their favorite music, even when performing tasks they’d rather avoid. Here is a link to a great, simple, one touch music player for those living with dementia.

3. Dancing

Fun and joyful, dancing is the ideal kind of physical activity. Instead of getting up and dancing, your loved one can just sit in the chair and sway to the beat.

4. Reading

Focusing on one thing for an extended period can be difficult, so a live-in caregiver can read about a fascinating topic and discuss it with the patient. For example, a loved one might be assisted in reading a magazine or book by simply pointing to the line and reading aloud together.

Audiobooks are another excellent option; you can find plenty of them at bookstores and libraries.

Personally, I love these big picture books. I have found these bring so much joy to the person living with dementia. I have also found that those who enjoy these books are able to attend to this task of flipping through these picture books longer than other activities. Here are a few examples:

Baby Picture Book

Baby Picture Book
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Poetry Book 

Poetry book
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Flower Picture Book

Flower picture book
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Dog Picture Book

Dog picture book
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5. Watching Educational TV or Documentaries

A person with Dementia may have seen certain shows or documentaries in the past or may be interested in learning about specific topics they’ve seen on TV. Discussing the material before and after viewing can be as beneficial as it is while reading.

6. Games

Bingo, puzzles, dominoes, and card games are all great options for people with Dementia since they are both simple and pleasant to play. However, if you know an older person who has trouble seeing the small pieces, consider purchasing one of the larger ones.

You can make a picture puzzle out of whatever image you like, such as a photograph of your family or even just some random pictures like a house, food, or animals.

7. Memory Jar

Making a memory box is a beautiful way to help stimulate a person with Dementia’s memory and remind them of their loved ones and prior experiences. In this box, you can store photos, old toys, family pictures, and other mementos. Memories recalled with a memory box can have a remarkably soothing effect.

You can use a book in the same way you would a box to store photographs of loved ones, mementos from trips, paint chips, movie posters, pressed flowers, or even bits of clothing.

8. Engaging in Physical Activity

An outing, even a brief one, can be a great way to help a loved one with Dementia feel more active and engaged.

A museum or art gallery is another option for a person with Dementia.

9. Going Out to Eat

Find a peaceful spot and treat your loved one to a meal or coffee there if they enjoy eating or drinking in the great outdoors.

10. Gardening

Dementia patients can find great pleasure in gardening games and outdoor recreation. Help your loved one get some fresh air and exercise by planting colorful flowers and herbs, watering, weeding, or participating in other enjoyable outdoor activities. A growth light setup allows for indoor gardening.

11. Painting

People with Dementia can benefit from engaging their creative sides through painting, even if they have no prior experience with the medium. I love errorless reusable watercolor painting activities. These are so awesome! Since they are errorless, I find it’s not frustrating for the person living with dementia, and they experience a sense of joy and purpose after completing one of these. They dry back out after 10 minutes, so you can keep reusing them. Here are some examples:

20 Piece Waterpainting Set

20 Piece Waterpainting Set
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Bird Waterpainting Set

Bird Waterpainting Set
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Tool Waterpainting Set

Tool Waterpainting Set
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12. Writing

Depending on the severity of their Dementia, some people may find solace in writing about their past lives, whether it be their school days, families, or hobbies. The same goes for composing letters or postcards to loved ones.

13. Massage

Another simple yet enjoyable sensory activity that can be done at home is giving a hand massage. A massage is an excellent way to spend time with your loved one and get some pain relief for your wrists.

14. Smells

Because of the strong link between the sense of smell and memory, it can be helpful to concentrate on the aroma of roses, freshly baked bread, coffee, or any other pleasant scent. Lavender can be a great option to promote calming. While a whiff of something familiar can evoke pleasant or even pleasant-but-painful-recollections, it’s best to avoid any smells that may conjure unpleasant ones.

Tips For Finding Activities For People With Dementia

Tips For Finding Activities For People With Dementia

1. Think About Their Interests

The most excellent way to come up with ideas for things that a loved one would enjoy doing is to think about what they already like to do.

Gardening, doing arts and crafts, playing or watching sports, cooking, researching past events, catching and releasing fish, taking photographs, and playing or listening to specific music are all possible examples. After brainstorming a list of possibilities, it’s time to start thinking outside the box.

When those living with dementia have trouble with their physical and mental abilities, they often put their hobbies on the back burner. Make necessary modifications so that they can participate in these activities. Dementia patients frequently require more attention and supervision, but as their symptoms worsen, they also need modified activities.

Your mother may gradually lose her ability to tend her garden in the yard. With your guidance, she may be able to keep going for a while. Still, eventually, the challenges of the garden layout and soil manipulation will be too much for her.

Then you can bring a few planters filled with seeds and houseplants inside for her to care for daily. If she loses interest in taking care of her plants, she might appreciate visiting a public garden or park and seeing images of the gorgeous flowers and plantings she did years ago.

2. Bring Back Normal Routines

The habits that people establish daily provide them with meaning. However, age-related changes to one’s body and daily routines might leave individuals feeling lost. After devoting their lives to work and family for many years, people sometimes get confused.

A loved one can feel more comfortable and restored when order is restored by establishing a daily routine early on. Likewise, the confusion experienced by those living with Dementia might be reduced by providing them with a pattern to follow throughout the day. As they lose the ability to organize, initiate, and finish even simple tasks independently, you will likely need to provide more urging and assistance than before.

It’s also an excellent plan to incorporate long-standing rituals or interests, such as reading the paper after dinner each night or taking a nap in the middle of the day. Keep in mind that a senior’s happiness and engagement can be maintained with far simpler activities than those that require more planning or expense.

3. Give Them a Chance to Meet New People

Your care recipient still needs regular social interaction, despite their diminished cognitive and physical capacities. Everyone, regardless of their cognitive abilities or the severity of their Dementia, has an innate desire to maintain meaningful relationships with others.

Meeting new people, both in and out of the home, maybe a rewarding experience for seniors (as long as this doesn’t make them more anxious). Taking your loved one along on errands, inviting their grandchildren over for a visit, or even asking a familiar friend to take them out to lunch are all good ways to give them a change of scenery and companionship.

Ensure you avoid going to extremes. Although every person with Dementia is different, many of them share a heightened sensitivity to loud noises and large groups. Think of this when setting up a social visit or outing. If you take them on a noisy outing, you can always consider noise canceling headphones as an option.

For example, bring your father with you when the store is less crowded, or the restaurant is less crowded.

Try not to be concerned about how other people will respond if your loved one has an outburst; it’s hard, but it’s essential. Adult day care centers might be helpful for those living with Dementia who are disruptive in public.

Centers for adults offer supervised fun and interaction among peers. Your loved one will be able to socialize with people of similar abilities and participate in stimulating activities.

You also get a break, which is a nice bonus.

4. Try to Get Some Exercise

Seniors may find it challenging to maintain their previous levels of physical activity due to declining mobility and cognitive abilities. People with Dementia who aren’t getting enough physical activity tend to wander.

Taking a senior with Dementia out for a daily walk is a great approach to help them get some exercise, stay active, and enjoy the outdoors. Even if they aren’t able to walk and require the use of a wheelchair, getting some fresh air outside is so important. Playing some music and chair dancing to their favorite music can be an enjoyable activity that can also provide some mild exercise. Even mild exercise can help your loved one feel calmer and improve their nighttime sleep.

If you’d like to exercise, but the weather isn’t cooperating, go for a walk inside, at the mall, or check out some seated yoga or other low-impact workout videos online.

5. Learn to See Value in The Everyday

Encourage the person living with dementia your parents to continue engaging in activities that they appear to like in the present, even if they have trouble recalling having done so in the past.

Though you might not find much meaning in doing the laundry or shelling peas for dinner, many people with Dementia do. When people feel that their efforts are truly making a difference, it boosts their sense of well-being and provides them with stability.

Final Note

The article’s suggestions are ideal for helping persons with Dementia get some much-needed physical activity, jog their memories, and generally brighten their days. In addition to keeping your loved one from growing bored at home, activities can also enrich their lives.

One more perk is that some activities refresh and highlight one’s skill set.

When planning outings with a loved one, it’s essential to keep their interests and abilities in mind and to get a doctor’s approval before introducing any new forms of physical activity.

Caregivers can rest easy knowing their patients are having a good time while they have their work done.

When creating your activities for your loved one, remember to keep things easy and confined to just one or two steps.

Recognize the value of trial and error in determining what works best for your loved one at this time. Permit yourself to try something else if an activity you tried initially did not yield the desired results. Pay attention to how your loved one reacts, and adapt your approach accordingly.

References

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