discovery education crossword puzzle maker

Aside from being beneficial to a person’s physical and mental well-being, group exercise classes can be great for socializing, too. People with dementia can still take part in sports and leisure activities.

going to a local animal shelter or farm.

visiting a sensory garden - a self-contained outdoor space that provides rich sensory experiences to visitors.

attending dementia-friendly cinema screenings.

visiting a favorite place around town, such as a restaurant, park, or shopping mall.

interacting with babies, children, and animals.

visiting a forest reserve, woodland, or beach.

When looking for activity ideas, it can be worth checking what’s happening in the local community.

having an afternoon tea party or picnic.

sitting on the patio and drinking coffee or juice.

walking or jogging through a park or courtyard.

The Alzheimer’s Association offers a variety of ideas for days out, including: Organizing a day out can be a good way to help a person with dementia stay active. Going outdoors and moving about can also help improve several neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as agitation and anxiety in people with AD.Ī 2018 Korean study also found that physical activity slows down the progression of dementia severity, functional decline, and abnormal behavior in people with AD. Physical inactivity is one of the modifiable risk factors for AD.

playing interactive games or puzzles with others using dedicated dementia apps.

video conferencing using apps such as Zoom and Skype.

Technology can be a great way for people with dementia to stay in touch with family and friends and socialize online.

reminiscence work, where each person shares their personal life stories and experiences from the past using objects, photos, videos, and other media.

games with large-print playing cards or bingo.

local memory cafes, also called dementia cafes, to meet with other people with dementia and their caregivers.

drawing, painting, and sculpting classes.

Here are some ideas from the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS): Group activities are ideal social engagements for people with dementia. Learn more about how social engagement may improve cognition in pre-dementia. Social and leisure activities may also provide a form of resilience against cognitive decline. Social interaction rescues people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) from memory deficit. Keeping in touch with people, such as friends and family, or even building new relationships, is beneficial for the well-being of a person with dementia as well as their caregivers.

singing, humming, or playing instruments.

offering foods with stronger or sweeter flavors.

offering toys that wind up, stress balls for squeezing, and things with zippers or Velcro closures.

placing bright-colored flowers in their room.

tapping and patting to make rhythmic soundsĬertain activities can also engage a person’s senses and catch their attention.

wrapping or concealing items that they can unwrap.

sitting outside for sunshine and fresh air.

offering physical contact, such as holding hands and brushing hair.

petting and spending time with an animal.

providing sensory books to see and feel.

offering stuffed toys or dolls to cuddle.

Some activities that a person can do with their loved one in the later stages of dementia include: Being with the person - even just sitting beside them, being fully present, and responding to anything they do - is more than enough. Those in the later stages of dementia often remain in their beds and cannot hold a conversation.ĭespite these symptoms, many people may still respond to one-to-one attention through touch or eye contact.

problems with speaking and understanding language.

Significant changes in emotions and behavior occur in the later stages of dementia. For example, allowing them to contribute to the household can make them feel useful and promote responsibility. Performing activities they still have skills for can help a person with dementia reestablish old roles. It can also promote social interaction and encourage an emotional connection. Planning and performing meaningful activities with a person with dementia can help them maintain their residual skills while providing an avenue for enjoyment, relaxation, and pleasure.

certain cancers, such as uterine, breast, and colon cancer.

heart diseases, such as coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart attack.

These problems can predispose older adults with dementia to chronic diseases such as:

Learn about the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. This inactivity may lead to a host of problems, including:

Most people with dementia spend a significant amount of time being sedentary and less physically active than their cognitively healthy peers. Share on Pinterest Cavan Images/Getty Images

Discovery education crossword puzzle maker