Activities are crucial for people living with Alzheimer'southward disease or dementia, offering benefits such equally cognitive stimulation, the opportunity to connect with others, comfort and relaxation, and more. Plus, physical activities and exercises are important for maintaining concrete strength and remainder, plus physical exercise is corking for the mind, too.
If you're caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease, you may sometimes struggle to identify activities that are within your loved one's capabilities and provide appropriate cognitive stimulation without adding unnecessary stress. That'south why we've compiled this listing of stimulating activities caregivers can use with loved ones with Alzheimer'southward disease, along with some general guidelines for identifying appropriate activities and ensuring that your loved 1 is able to participate and appoint.
While many of the activities discussed beneath refer to activities that can exist planned in assisted living communities and nursing homes, they're also like shooting fish in a barrel for caregivers to incorporate in the home setting.
General Guidelines for Constructive Activities for People with Alzheimer's Disease
- Plant consistent routines. "There is so much that we all exercise on a daily footing without thinking considering information technology is part of our regular routine. Information technology is as if we are on autopilot whilst going virtually our daily business: getting done and dressed, nutrient preparation, cleaning, exercising, getting around our business firm and local environment and even driving. I'm often amazed that I can daydream whilst in the car and don't seem to observe how I've got from A to B!
"There are also things that nosotros practise on a weekly footing that are besides familiar because of the relative frequency that an event occurs. Nosotros might ever accept a roast with family unit at the weekend, get to a place of worship, put out the bins on a Thursday or nourish a club on a particular solar day of the week. In my work with people with dementia I've often been surprised at the level of skills that people retain every bit the affliction progresses if they are performing tasks that are very familiar to them. This is considering procedural and long-term retention tends to exist affected as a later phase than short term retention. As fourth dimension goes on deviations from normal are the things that flummox them. Smaller and smaller non-routine occurrences often seem to become more difficult over time. For many people with dementia it is of import to establish schedules that work for them as soon as possible after diagnosis so that much of their life is regulated and anticipated." – Julie Cole, Establishing Routines for People With Dementia , Dementia Consultant; Twitter: @DementiaExtra
- Be mindful of the private's needs. "Games for people with Alzheimer'southward disease should work on several levels. A board game with a colorful playing surface and objects that can be handled (cards, dice, etc.) is better than a game that does non contain these features; the more sensory stimulation the better (but be careful with objects that are small-scale enough to be placed in the rima oris). Many games involve a physical component. Concrete practise is another chemical element to consider in selecting a game, but don't cull all your games based on exercise.
"And be sure to let the people in your care to have a say in the selection process. A game that she played with her children when they were growing up, or one that she played as a child will likely concord a special attraction for a adult female whose memory of her past is more brilliant than her memory of things more contempo. That familiarity with the activity will serve to stimulate memories at the same time that it holds attention." – John Schmid, Games for People with Alzheimer's , All-time Alzheimer'south Products; Twitter: @AlzProducts
- While construction and routine is of import, fifty-fifty unplanned activities can exist meaningful. "Activities don't accept to fit in a box on a calendar or whiteboard, and they don't have to be held at intentionally carved-out hourly intervals throughout the day. At that place are countless opportunities for activities oftentimes correct beneath the noses of all dementia care unit of measurement staff. Making the bed. Repast time. Watering the plants. Tidying up the room. Each of these things, small and simple though they seem, can provide rich opportunities for engaging a resident who is peradventure not interested in bingo, movies, or other group activities." - Michelle Seitzer, 6 Best Practices for Activities Programming in Dementia Care Units , CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute); Twitter: @cpi_training
- Keep activities simple and brief, and individualized when possible. "Structured group activities very seldom piece of work. Uncomplicated, brief activities offered several times a mean solar day are the nearly effective and beneficial types of activities for Alzheimer's.
"Activities such every bit housework and simple games can assist to maintain motor skills. Listening to music is too a very calming and engaging activity.
"The focus should be on the person and non the condition. Try to friction match people with activities that suit their background and experience." - 20 Practical Activities For People Living With Alzheimer'south Illness , GoldenCarers.com; Twitter: @GoldenCarers
- Use activities that tin can re-found old roles. "Make use of skills that have non been forgotten, such as buttering breadstuff, washing upward or watering, sweeping and raking in the garden. These are too ways in which a person with dementia tin can contribute to the household and feel useful. Encourage an area of responsibility no matter how small-scale." – Activities for People with Dementia , Alzheimer's Australia; Twitter: @AlzheimersAus
- As your loved one'southward disease progresses, simplify activities over time to accommodate their abilities. "Over the course of your loved one's Alzheimer'due south, information technology will be necessary to simplify activities to match his abilities. For instance:
- A life-long reader may eventually enjoy being read to, and so progress to just looking at the pictures.
- A love of gardening may go from gardening, to cut flowers, to weeding, to watering plants, to watching squirrels.
- A regular round of golf game, or a weekly night of bowling may progress to walking only.
- Playing music or singing may progress to listening to music just.
- Preparing the evening repast may somewhen progress to folding dinner napkins, and tin can be a very engaging for the one with Alzheimer's." – Kathleen Allen, LCSW, C-ASWCM, Activities to Get the Alzheimer's and Dementia Patient Engaged , BrightFocus.org; Twitter: @_BrightFocus
- If your loved one is anxious, focus on activities that promote relaxation. "Some people with dementia volition not be able to take part in many physical activities, simply this does not mean they have lost their capacity for enjoyment and relaxation. For many people, dementia is a source of great anxiety and tension. Relaxation through music, light, warmth, smell and touch benefits everyone – not least tired family carers and busy care staff." - Provide activities to maintain a person's ability, dignity and self-worth , Alzheimer's Australia; Twitter: @AlzheimersAus
- Focus on the action, not the event. "Lose your pre-conceived notions of how the activity should be done or what the end product might be, every bit people in the middle and late phase of dementia are not capable of understanding the goal of an activity. Just enjoy the process and the current moment of doing!" – Monica Heltemes, Dementia: The Importance of Staying Active , Easy Living; Twitter: @EasyLivingFL
- Know your loved one's daily rhythms. "People motility through the disease on their own individual path. Family and professional caregivers should be alert to signs that a detail activity is causing frustration. If your loved one is no longer enjoying an activity, information technology is time to brand some modifications or effort something else. Know your loved i's daily rhythms. Is there a time of day when he or she is decumbent to agitation? Are noise and distractions causing sensory overload? Plan for more than quiet time. Your loved ane may enjoy restful conversation and reminiscing with the caregiver, perchance looking at photo albums or having the caregiver read aloud. Even for people who are losing the ability to speak, a sense of beloved and connection comes from sharing fourth dimension with others." - Daily Activities for People With Alzheimer's Affliction , Right at Dwelling; Twitter: @rightathomeUS
- Program activities for the times when your loved one tends to office at their best during the twenty-four hour period. "To achieve the about success when carrying out activities, consider the times of the twenty-four hours when the person is at their best. For example, sometimes walking is best washed in the morning or the early on afternoon. For people who become restless afterwards in the twenty-four hour period or who have had a specially long or meaningless solar day, a late afternoon walk may be improve." - Dementia - activities and practise , BetterHealth Aqueduct; Twitter: @BetterHealthGov
- The nigh important thing is that your loved one remains engaged in an activity. "Whether playing cards together or participating in an practise plan together, the important thing is that the person with Alzheimer's remains engaged in the activity. Such sensory stimulation helps preserve their basic skills—such as beingness able to push a shirt—and office as independently as possible for as long every bit possible." - Activities for Stage i Alzheimer's , Homewatch CareGivers; Twitter: @hwcaregivers
Exercise and Physical Activities 
- Use props to enhance chair exercises. "Use props, such as streamers, maracas, batons, pom poms, canes, stretch bands, tambourines, clappers, peak hats, scarves, or pocket-size hand-held balls. (All can of these items can be ordered at wholesale prices through world wide web.activitytherapy.makesparties.com). Face the person and have stimulating music playing with an easy to follow rhythm. You may wish to use music from their era, only information technology is acceptable to use any kind of music that elicits a positive response. Please remember their preference when selecting music. Design a routine that is repetitive and easy to follow. You may wish to get-go with xx minutes and build up to 45 minutes every bit tolerated. Have lots of breaks. Hand held props held develop hand strength and provides a stimulating visual to follow the leader. Music, Move and Props are iii key elements for a successful exercise program." – Activity Ideas for Alzheimer'south/Dementia Residents , NCCDP.org; Twitter: @NCCDP
- Whatever physical activeness tin exist beneficial, from a simple walk to a yoga class. "Exercise provides countess benefits to all seniors, regardless of whether or not they have Alzheimer'due south. Workouts tin consist of everything from taking a walk around the cake to taking a yoga-for-seniors class." – Anne-Marie Botek, How to Plan Meaningful Activities for Someone with Alzheimer's , AgingCare.com; Twitter: @AgingCare
- Participate in the Walk to Finish Alzheimer'due south. "Participate in the Alzheimer'southward Association Walk to Stop Alzheimer's. To larn more nearly Walk, please click here." - 101 Activities , Alzheimer'southward Association; Twitter: @alzassociation
- Find creative ways to encourage concrete activity. "Ideas for practice include walking in the park, gardening, throwing a beach brawl or a balloon and playing Simon says. A simple weight to lift may be made out of a broom handle and a pocket-size handbag of sand. For more advanced Alzheimer's, yous may have to do some passive do past moving their limbs for them, but practice is nonetheless of import." - Top Ten Reasons Why Alzheimer'due south Patients Demand Activities , AGIS
- Coordination exercises are beneficial for those with Alzheimer'due south illness. "Here we accept a broad range of exercises which can exist classified into exercises for 'fine' and 'gross' motor skills.
"Fine co-ordination exercises are those which force usa to be precise in our movements and which, in general, don't involve large muscle groups. Examples of fine co-ordination exercises include coloring with colored pencils (trying to stay within the lines), cutting out pictures, sewing and knitting, putting differently-shaped objects within a box with holes of different sizes, origami, making bracelets or braiding, sorting coins… These activities strength our brain to stay attentive and to concentrate on what we're doing.
"When information technology comes to 'gross' co-ordination, big musculus groups are involved. This could be extending your arms and touching your nose, billowy a ball with i or both hands, trying to go along an object like a balloon or beach ball in the air, clapping in time to music or learning a choreographed routine that involves both hands and legs." -Luis Miguel Pérez, Concrete activities for someone with Alzheimer's , PeopleWho.com; Twitter: @PeopleWhoUSA 
- In the early to centre stages of dementia, there are many suitable activities. "In that location are many suitable practise opportunities that may exist beneficial for people in the early or middle-stages of dementia. Local customs or sports centers often provide a range of organized exercise and physical activeness sessions, such every bit ball games, seated exercises, tai chi, music and dance, indoor bowls or swimming. Y'all may be able to use a personal budget, in the class of a direct payment from your local authority to pay for these. Some of these activities can be modified and carried out at home. Walking, gardening and housework are also good forms of everyday concrete action.
"People in the early stages of dementia may experience no new difficulties in sports and other physical activities they savour. They ought to be encouraged to continue these activities where possible." - Exercise and physical activeness , Alzheimer's Gild; Twitter: @alzheimerssoc
- Substitute an activity for a behavior. "If a person with dementia rubs his or her hand on a table, provide a cloth and encourage the person to wipe the table. Or, if the person is moving his or her feet on the floor, play some music and so the person can tap to the shell." – Activities , Alzheimer'southward Association; Twitter: @alzassociation
- Look into local volunteer opportunities. "Some cities accept programs to help facilitate meaningful date and community involvement for individuals with dementia. For example, Seattle Parks and Recreation supports Dementia Friendly Recreation, which includes the 'Call up the Hungry' volunteer plan. In this program, those living with memory loss are able to give back to the customs by helping at local soup kitchens.
"If you lot don't live in a city where such programs are bachelor, volunteering may exist a smashing activity for a caregiver and person with dementia to do together. If volunteering outside of the habitation doesn't seem feasible, there may be small-scale means to encourage contribution around the house (e.one thousand. watering plants, helping to set up a meal). Feeling useful and feeling like 1 has a purpose in life have been shown to have substantial positive impacts on health and well-being. While contributing to others won't cure the disease, research suggests that information technology might assistance better mood and quality of life." – Molli Grossman, Dementia and Alzheimer'southward Activities – Ideas for Stimulation and Fun , Kindly Care; Twitter: @kindlyhomecare
- Resistance training helps to maintain strength. "Resistance preparation builds muscle strength which tin can be lost through the natural aging process. Effort the following activities:
- Passing a weighted ball to each other around a circumvolve
- Half squats using a chair for support and remainder
- Exercise bands or tubes" - Active Ideas for Dementia: Aid for Caregivers , University of Kentucky – College of Agronomics, Cooperative Extension Service; Twitter: @UKAgriculture
Engaging Cerebral Activities 
- Assemble jigsaw puzzles with large pieces. "Jigsaw puzzles with very big pieces. The images shouldn't be child-oriented; try scenery or pictures of animals instead. Floor puzzles are good because they typically have big pieces, and there aren't too many, which can be discouraging. Work on these on a table so y'all don't have to struggle getting off the floor!" – Kay Paggi, Activities for Alzheimer's and Dementia Patients , Caring.com; Twitter: @Caring
- Reminiscing can be comforting. "Reminiscence therapy is some other type of cognitive stimulation that tin can aid ameliorate the quality of life for an individual with dementia. Reminiscence activities may include:
- Looking through photo albums
- Creating a scrapbook
- Telling 'I remember when' stories
- Re-reading saved letters and greeting cards
- Listening to music
- Blistering and eating a special family recipe together" – Activities for Dementia Patients Can Provide Mind-Stimulating Benefits , CaregiverStress.com; Twitter: @homeinstead
- Sort hardware parts or coins. "Another way to enjoy handy activities is to have your seniors sort inexpensive hardware parts similar these basics, washers, or bolts.
"Some older adults might also enjoy sorting a big pile of coins as a reminder of when they used to manage household finances." – 10 Activities for Seniors with Alzheimer'due south: Cheap DIY Ideas , DailyCaring.com; Twitter: @DailyCaring
- Play a game of "name that tune." "Doing a music quiz can be a great style to trigger memories and reminiscence about a particular era. If they struggle to say the name of the song, you could play musical bingo and provide words or images that are mentioned in the songs." - 21 ideas for group activities in your intendance habitation , Unforgettable.org; Twitter: @unforget_org
- If your loved one has difficulty reading, read to them or utilise picture books. "Reading will become increasingly hard for the person with dementia. Switch to books with larger impress, or books with pictures. Consider getting tapes of books. Information technology can be very fulfilling to read to the person, and this can be an activity that you and the person with dementia do together for relaxation." - Helping with Activities of Daily Living , Dementia Care Notes
- Place familiar objects in a purse and ask the person to guess what's within. Choose a colorful purse, something that catches the center, silk, or whatsoever other cloth that feels good to the bear upon. You don't want to be able to come across through the bag. Information technology might have a rope so that you can tie it shut.
"Observe random objects, such as kitchen utensils, keys, padlock, sun glasses, tin can of soup, plumage, push button, pen, diverse tools, bobbin, spool, yarn, zipper, clothes pin, hole puncher, the list can go on and on. I am enlightened that yous all have a vivid imagination.
Yous can put i object at a time, or more.
They can either try to guess the object, say what the object tin be used for, or count the objects in the bag. Without looking in the pocketbook. Timer is provided as some individuals just demand to effigy out what that object is!" - Fidelma Carroll, What's In The Bag , GoldenCarers.com; Twitter: @GoldenCarers 
- Retentiveness games can help to keep the brain agile, just be mindful of frustration. "Retentivity games are a great way to keep the brain agile. If your loved 1 is getting frustrated with non remembering, endeavour over again on a different solar day. Consider using pictures of mutual images they will recognize." - 12 Activities That Are Beneficial to Those with Alzheimer's , Aksarben Hamlet; Twitter: @DRetirement
- Encompass creative pursuits, such as painting, writing, or music. "Various forms of art such every bit music, visual arts, drama, and writing, are a dandy mode for caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's to engage creativity, improve behavioral issues, and provide an outlet for cocky-expression." - Activities that stimulate the mind of people with Alzheimer'southward , Elizz; Twitter: @ElizzTweets
- For the fix-it type, tightening screws into pieces of forest or fitting pieces of PVC together can be both cognitively stimulating and relaxing. "Was your loved one the logroller, the handyman, or the become-to guy? Maybe he'd like to sort through and lucifer up nuts and bolts, or tighten screws into pieces of wood. Perhaps he'd like to connect smaller PVC pipes together. At that place are also action boards with lots of 'to do' things attached that you tin purchase." - Esther Heerema, MSW, Artistic Activities Ideas for People with Dementia , Verywell; Twitter: @Verywell
- Sometimes, a simple action such as looking through old photos is enough. "One of the best activities is to look through former photos from your loved one's childhood. If these aren't readily available, print off or discover a few older magazines or newspapers from their early on adulthood to share with them and spark conversation." - Activities to practice with Someone with Alzheimer'due south , Kenwood Care Assisted Living; Twitter: @KenwoodCare
- Encourage social activities. "Engage in social activities that crave interaction with other people, such as playing a game, talking or drinking a cup of coffee with someone." - 10 Activities for People Living with Dementia or Alzheimer's Disease , Empathetic Care; Twitter: @CCareMI
- Create a scrapbook. "The act of collecting saved mementos and recording written memories associated with each will not just stimulate fond memories for the person with Alzheimer'south, merely it's besides a skilful opportunity for that person to share and record snippets of personal history for future generations while he or she still can." - 8 Memory-Sharing Activities for Someone With Alzheimer'south , Dwelling Instead Senior Intendance; Twitter: @HomeInsteadIrl
- Bake or build. "Making and giving abroad baked appurtenances is something many women savor doing – whether they are young or old and whether they have dementia or non. Every bit the diseases progresses people with dementia may need more assist, but they still take not bad pleasure in the process too equally the results.
"I find it helpful to exit and measure all the ingredients earlier nosotros commencement to mix things together. Putting each ingredient abroad subsequently it'south added is a good way of tracking what has been done.
"Men may be more accustomed to woodworking, 'fixing,' or doing DIY chores around the house. Use the aforementioned 'baking' principles to help them feel useful." – AmazingSusan, 101 activities y'all tin savour with a person living with Alzheimer's dementia , My Alzheimer's Story; Twitter: @MyAlzStory
Sensory Activities
- Have fun with Play-Doh or clay. "Give resident some dirt or play dough and have them make something, annihilation. This is good exercise for their hands." - Gina Salazar, What Can I Exercise This Weekend? Fun Activities To Practice with Person Who Has Alzheimer's , DementiaToday; Twitter: @DementiaToday
- Try art therapy. "Fine art therapy is some other activity that has been proven to successfully engage adults with dementia. Whether information technology is painting with watercolor, assembling a collage or creating a clay ornament, art allows people who accept lost exact skills to limited themselves." - 10 Activities for Seniors With Dementia , Elmcroft Senior Living; Twitter: @ElmcroftLiving
- Music tin can also be powerful for people with Alzheimer's affliction. "Whether vocal or instrumental, playing music can help to create a mood, stimulate imagination, and be a source of swell enjoyment." - Alzheimer'southward Illness: Creative Action Ideas To Enrich Home Intendance , Continuum Care
- Take ordinary gardening to the next level with a sensory garden. "A growing number of care homes now offer a sensory garden for residents to spend time in. They are normally wheelchair-friendly and with advisedly called plants and flowers to attract local wildlife. A sensory garden is a garden or other plot designed to provide visitors with different sensory experiences. For example, a sensory garden may feature:
- scented and edible plants
- sculptures and sculpted handrails
- water features that residents tin can hear and touch
- textured bear upon-pads
- magnifying glass screens
- Braille and audio induction loop descriptions
"Sensory gardens can benefit older adults by encouraging them to spend more time outside. Their pattern and layout aim to provide a stimulating journeying through the senses, heightening a person'southward awareness of what's around them." - Activities for dementia , NHS Choices; Twitter: @NHSChoices
- Employ sensory edible bean numberless. "Provide minor edible bean bags made of different cloth textures: cotton fiber, velvet and silk, and filled with unlike grains." - 15 Activities For Late-Stage Alzheimer'south Disease , GoldenCarers.com; Twitter: @GoldenCarers
- For some people with advanced dementia, holding a doll can be comforting. "For advanced dementia patients who may take comfort in belongings dolls, a series of dolls and doll clothes can make for a pleasurable activity." – Mark Huntsman, Why the Montessori Method is Becoming a Popular Handling for Dementia , Alzheimers.net; Twitter: @Alzheimersnet
- Plan outings. "Being in touch with the community inspires a great sense of well-beingness and purpose within all of u.s.a., and the all-time function is you lot don't accept to go far to find new things to explore. While the ordinary daily routines are bang-up for structure and familiarity, exploring is another mode to help your residents and offer self-esteem and a sense of self through discovery. Taking individuals with dementia on trips and outings is very of import but can as well cause confusion in some due to beingness in unfamiliar places. Be sure to plan your trips wisely and look for atmospheres that are less likely to cause additional stress and or anxiety. Outings offer a neat avenue for reality orientation and aid them tap in to what is going on effectually them.
"Try planning trips to the zoo, sporting events, art museums, fruit picking, or visiting with family unit and friends." - viii Important Program ideas for Alzheimer's and dementia , LinkedSenior; Twitter: @linkedsenior 
- Color pictures or doodle. "Who says senior home care has to involve senior activities? Do you remember your coloring books? Break out an Adult Coloring Book. Respect your loved one'due south nobility with adult pictures, but you might enjoy meeting your loved i's inner kid.
"Look for uncomplicated designs (they can get quite ornate). Utilize colour pencils rather than kids' crayons." - Senior Dwelling house Care: seven Abode Activities for People with Alzheimer'south , Skylark Senior Care
- Create a memory bag. "Fill the bag with items reminiscent of their tardily teens/early twenties. Scented products work well for this, as scents are strongly tied to memory. Try including soap, perfumes and aftershave, or vacation scents like gingerbread, pine and peppermint." - Activities for Dementia Patients , A Place For Mom; Twitter: @APlaceForMom
- Attempt the fine art of needle felting. "Recently, in the facilities where I visit, residents have enjoyed the art of needle felting. The process is easy, continuous and allows for comfortable, natural exchange of conversation, friendship building.
"Everyone in the group is able to verbalize and write. If they were non, I would conform the project for the people involved. Passing around a carte du jour and marker, nosotros begin talking about the wonderful season that we are experiencing, the decorations, the gifts, the lights. I then ask: 'What exercise you lot love most about what is going on correct at present?' There is common footing on which we stand: family unit…friends…fourth dimension together. They write those simple thoughts onto a piece of paper and we place it over to the left…
"We talk virtually the colors those people in our lives might be to us; what colors we might savor seeing. I demonstrate the easy process of felting, laissez passer around an example of completed wool that has been felted. They brainstorm to choose colors. Conversations arise as we talk most our pieces of paper, our reflections of those who reflect our hearts, our smiles. I share how I once read that writing a word or two on a piece of paper and placing information technology over to the left while doing art sometimes helps our memories." - Aneesha Parrone, Using Needle & Wool Felting to Assist People With Dementia , Art Therapy; Twitter: @arttherapy
- An Alzheimer'due south activity mat is not only an engaging activity just besides provides sensory stimulation. "Sew an Alzheimer's Activity Mat with costless sewing instructions as seen on Sewing With Nancy! Marcia Engquist, who designs Alzheimer's Activity Aids, designed these activity mats after watching residents at a care center restlessly fidget. These piece of cake-to-sew activity mats assist soothe the agitated fidgeting of people with dementia or autism. Plus, the mats help focus their attending, stimulate senses, exercise hand muscles, and entertain users." – Nancy Zieman, Sew an Alzheimer's Activity Mat , NancyZieman.com; Twitter: @nancyzieman
- Music and visual cues can promote engagement. "Music is a large part of religious celebrations and provides an auditory cue for a person with Alzheimer's disease. Carefully select hymns and songs that reflect their spiritual needs. Song and instrumental pieces, the sound of an organ, a pianoforte, or church bells can provide spiritual fulfillment and encourage reminiscing.
"Visual cues can besides promote engagement. For example, a person may have a photograph of a family wedding in their room. Using the photograph to prompt a conversation can remember a cherished memory. They may not recognize the people in the photo, just they may know it was a very special event. Examples of other visual cues may include a cross or crucifix, a Bible, rosary, holy card, or a statue." - Caring for the Spiritual Needs of Alzheimer's Patients , Shadowbox Press; Twitter: @ShadowboxPress
Making the Most Out of Everyday Activities
- Incorporate life skills activities. "Life skills 'stations' are a more recent development in retentivity intendance programs. These enable residents to find comfort in practicing daily routines and life skills that were previously part of their everyday lives, such every bit folding laundry, hobby work, or gardening.
"In improver, some facilities accept added computer-based, retentivity-stimulating programs such every bit Dakim Brain Fettle, which shows bear witness of helping residents with Alzheimer's and dementia remain more agile through cognitive stimulation. Every bit new generations of tech-savvy seniors enter senior living communities, even more than technological advances will be required to meet their needs and expectations." - John Moschner and Marki Greer, Unique Dementia Care Activities Heave Quality Of Life , Provider Magazine; Twitter: @ProviderMag 
- Regular household chores offering familiarity and encourage concrete activity. "Wash dishes, set the table, ready food, sweep the flooring, dust, sort postal service and clip coupons, sort socks and fold laundry, sort recycling materials or other things." - Adapting Activities for People with Alzheimer's Disease , National Institute on Crumbling; Twitter: @Alzheimers_NIH
- Make cookie-cutter mini pancakes. "Some dementia activities are especially fun to do with kids, family or friends. For this one, yous will need a pancake griddle and metal cookie cutters to pour the batter into, such as stars, hearts, Christmas copse, flowers, bells, Mickey Mouse, etc. Keep the cookie cutter around the batter until the shape sets. When washed, people tin choose decorations: raisins, apple slices, coconut, candies, nuts, even a piffling whipped cream. Dandy for a brunch or special birthday breakfast too." – Mary Schulte, Meaningful Dementia Activities , ElderOneStop
- Repetitive tasks such as gardening are fulfilling. "Basic, repetitive tasks such as raking may fulfill your loved one, especially if he gardened in the past. Use herbs or other nontoxic plants that arouse multiple senses." - Activities for People with Alzheimer's Disease , AARP; Twitter: @AARP
- Arrange for a visit with a pet. "Much like children, animals tin often touch people with Alzheimer's more securely than people can. Ed, my life partner who developed Alzheimer's, typically ignored me completely whenever I took my little Shih Tzu, Peter, to visit him. He focused all of his attention on the dog.
"I'grand reminded of a mid-stage Alzheimer'south patient at the facility where Ed lived who always had a blank expression on her face up and never answered my greeting. I never heard her talk to anyone else either. But her eyes always lit up when I took Peter with me. Then ane day when I arrived without him she spoke to me for the first time ever, asking 'Where's thedog?'
"There was some other incident with alate-stage lady with Alzheimer'due south whose confront Peter licked when I held him up for her to see. I told her Peter didn't ordinarily 'kiss' people he didn't know, and she immediately answered, 'Dogs are very selective.' Her son told me that was the first lucid remark she'd made for months." – Marie Marley, Four Activities People With Alzheimer'due south Can Typically Bask at All Stages of the Affliction , Huffington Post; Twitter: @HuffPost
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