It is important to keep dementia patients as stimulated as possible to prevent them from withdrawing even more into their increasingly insular worlds. That progression of dementia can be slowed somewhat (though not stopped) by providing them with mentally stimulating activities on a daily basis. Before putting your loved one in assisted living, like Alpine Manor Home For Adults, you must make sure the facility provides stimulating activities for the residents at least daily. If you still have your loved one with dementia at home, here are three activities you can do with them on a daily basis to keep them stimulated and to keep the bond between you strong for as long as possible.
1. Clean the House
This is a good activity for someone who used to take great pleasure in keeping a clean home. Together, the two of you can spend some time doing simple household chores and organizing. It will actually help you with getting housework done while spending time with your loved one. Your loved one will get the benefit of doing something they enjoy and of feeling like they are helping.
People in the early to middle stages of dementia still want to feel like they are part of the world. Giving them something to do that makes them feel like they are helping or being useful is a perfect way to do this. Just remember, it is the activity that counts, not the outcome.
Your loved one doesn't have to do the activity perfectly, and you shouldn't expect them to. It's about the stimulation and the love, not the results (such as how clean your house actually gets).
2. Listen to Music Together
This should be music from the dementia patient's youth, or other songs the patient really likes. When doing activities together, it is all about the person with dementia and what they respond to. According to CareGiverStreess.com, this falls under the category of "reminiscence activities."
Reminiscence activities are particularly beneficial for dementia patients because they allow the patient to think about things that give them pleasure, or did in the past. It helps keep their memories strong for longer periods of time, because they are actively engaged in thinking.
When a song is over, spends a little bit of time talking about it. Ask your loved one with dementia why they like the song, when they first heard it, and any special memories they have that are associated with it. Whether they are able to answer or not is not important. The questions will get them thinking and the music will make them happy, and that's what really counts.
3. Arts and Crafts
You can include a lot of activities under the arts and crafts category. Dementia patients who are still able to do some things for themselves generally find these quiet, mentally stimulating activities to be relaxing and enjoyable. Examples of arts and crafts you could pursue with your loved one with dementia include:
- Knitting or crocheting
- Drawing
- Watercolor painting
- Woodwork
- Ceramics
- Flower arranging
- Putting together scrapbooks
Do these activities on the level your loved one is able to do. Make the activities easier as time goes on and your loved one is able to do less on their own. Help them if they need it, without doing the whole thing for them. The purpose is to keep them actively engaged in something they enjoy, even if they are only able to do the activity to a very basic degree.
Conclusion
It isn't hard to keep a loved one with dementia entertained. They need this kind of stimulation to keep from getting depressed. A happy dementia patient is easier to deal with than one who is unhappy. Show your loved one you love them by keeping them stimulated. It will make your caregiving duties much more enjoyable for both you and your loved one.
