Ten Meaningful Activities for Seniors With Dementia
There is ample information on the topic of activities for seniors with dementia.
We've selected ten activities that are the most meaningful.
1.
Blogging - Seniors today did not have the modern technology to blog in their younger years.
Almost all seniors now have captured their memories in hard copy photographs kept in albums, diaries and memoirs.
A great activity is to take these individual photographs and with the help of the senior or family members, caption the photograph and upload it with a scanned version of the photo.
2.
Music Therapy - "Music melts the separate parts of our body together" - Anais Nin.
Listening to some of our old favorite tunes can trigger nostalgic memories and warm feelings from the past.
Be sure to find out the senior's favorite artists or genres by observing old records that belong to him or her, music book topics that might be in the house, or through their family members.
3.
Cleaning the house - You'd be surprised to know how many seniors still enjoy daily tasks such as cleaning the house, when mobility is not an issue.
Often, the senior gains a sense of involvement and assurance that they can still take care of things, even though they are being cared for.
4.
Rearranging pictures in a photo album - taking out the photos in a family album and then having a senior with dementia rearrange them and put them back together can be a stimulating and nostalgic activity.
The senior is able to recollect, and sometimes relive, these memories of times past.
It is always a nice journey back even when the memories are not completely familiar.
5.
Assisting with baking or cooking - Seniors can still enjoy these tasks when they take on the role as the "sou chef" all the while feeling include and dependable.
The kitchen also provides a tasty setting for conversation.
6.
Introducing new foods for the senior to try - Having a theme night for dinner can be a pleasant thing for a senior to experience.
There can be Meatball Monday, Taco Tuesday, Wellington Wednesdays, StirFridays, etc.
7.
Watching YouTube channels together - Seniors with dementia can be entertained by television, as long as they find the content interesting.
YouTube's vast selection of short videos are perfect for short-term memory.
Finding old videos and commercials from their youth can also be a fun trip down memory lane.
8.
Using Skype or FaceTime - When a senior is not too cognitively impaired, he or she can still enjoy the interaction between themselves and family members with the help of you and modern day technology.
It is a great way to instill long term memory of loved ones as well as continue a stable flow of communication between family and friends.
9.
Story Telling - Take turns sharing stories and keep in mind the ones the senior finds most interesting to use again in the future.
10.
Start a jigsaw puzzle that can be done over time.
These activities for seniors with dementia can also be fun for seniors without cognitive disabilities as long as they have a companion or friend that can assist them when they are no longer completely independent.
We've selected ten activities that are the most meaningful.
1.
Blogging - Seniors today did not have the modern technology to blog in their younger years.
Almost all seniors now have captured their memories in hard copy photographs kept in albums, diaries and memoirs.
A great activity is to take these individual photographs and with the help of the senior or family members, caption the photograph and upload it with a scanned version of the photo.
2.
Music Therapy - "Music melts the separate parts of our body together" - Anais Nin.
Listening to some of our old favorite tunes can trigger nostalgic memories and warm feelings from the past.
Be sure to find out the senior's favorite artists or genres by observing old records that belong to him or her, music book topics that might be in the house, or through their family members.
3.
Cleaning the house - You'd be surprised to know how many seniors still enjoy daily tasks such as cleaning the house, when mobility is not an issue.
Often, the senior gains a sense of involvement and assurance that they can still take care of things, even though they are being cared for.
4.
Rearranging pictures in a photo album - taking out the photos in a family album and then having a senior with dementia rearrange them and put them back together can be a stimulating and nostalgic activity.
The senior is able to recollect, and sometimes relive, these memories of times past.
It is always a nice journey back even when the memories are not completely familiar.
5.
Assisting with baking or cooking - Seniors can still enjoy these tasks when they take on the role as the "sou chef" all the while feeling include and dependable.
The kitchen also provides a tasty setting for conversation.
6.
Introducing new foods for the senior to try - Having a theme night for dinner can be a pleasant thing for a senior to experience.
There can be Meatball Monday, Taco Tuesday, Wellington Wednesdays, StirFridays, etc.
7.
Watching YouTube channels together - Seniors with dementia can be entertained by television, as long as they find the content interesting.
YouTube's vast selection of short videos are perfect for short-term memory.
Finding old videos and commercials from their youth can also be a fun trip down memory lane.
8.
Using Skype or FaceTime - When a senior is not too cognitively impaired, he or she can still enjoy the interaction between themselves and family members with the help of you and modern day technology.
It is a great way to instill long term memory of loved ones as well as continue a stable flow of communication between family and friends.
9.
Story Telling - Take turns sharing stories and keep in mind the ones the senior finds most interesting to use again in the future.
10.
Start a jigsaw puzzle that can be done over time.
These activities for seniors with dementia can also be fun for seniors without cognitive disabilities as long as they have a companion or friend that can assist them when they are no longer completely independent.
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