What can you do when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s? How can you support a loved one with Alzheimer’s? We get these questions frequently, and the answer to them may be more complex than you imagine. The truth is, selecting the right activities for those who have dementia is important—and not just because we want to keep them safe, healthy, and occupied.
Actually, the right kinds of activity can provoke happy, positive memories, and provide these folks with moments of true joy. For those with Alzheimer’s, these moments of joy can be everything. As such, our team goes to great lengths to ensure that we select activities that are fun, engaging, and, in the end, likely to create those moments of pleasure.
Here are just a few examples of the sorts of activity we embrace for our Alzheimer’s folks:
Singing songs and/or listening to music. It’s amazing how music can stir the emotions and harken the mind toward happy memories. We all have so many associations with music; the act of listening or of singing can immediately transport the mind to somewhere else altogether.
Arts and crafts. So long as the patterns/instructions are simple, art can be a great way to stir cognitive functioning and imagination.
Organization. Believe it or not, the simple act of sorting and organizing can be really peaceful and pleasurable to many Alzheimer’s patients.
Gardening. There is something uniquely comforting about getting one’s fingers in the dirt and tending to plant life—or simply to taking in the beautiful scene of a botanical garden.
Cooking/baking. Again, so long as the recipe is fairly simple, this can be a great way to jog the mind and to enjoy time together.
Working on puzzles. Puzzles can sometimes bring a lot of pleasure to those with Alzheimer’s.
All of these activities can be rewarding—and bring significant joy. We recommend them not just in adult day care settings, but at home, too!
Contact us today to learn more about Alzheimer’s-appropriate activities.