As we journey through the different phases of life, some older adults encounter changes in cognitive abilities. If you care for a parent or loved one with dementia, you might be searching for ways to improve their health and quality of life. Engaging activities for seniors with dementia can help your loved one discover connection, joy, and excitement in their everyday lives. In this article, we’ll look at some activities for seniors with dementia that provide mental stimulation while fostering happiness, emotional connections, and a sense of accomplishment.
1. Trips down memory lane
Some of the most beneficial activities for seniors with dementia are those that spark memories and recollection. Encouraging your loved one to actively remember cherished memories can improve their mood, mental state, and memory. Show them pictures and videos from their youth, tell stories of shared memories, or expose them to music from their younger years.
You can also encourage your loved one to try to share stories, memories, and experiences. Learning to communicate their own thoughts verbally can be one of the most beneficial activities for seniors with dementia. You might also help them make a story collage or scrapbook with magazine and newspaper clippings, photographs, and more, encouraging them to remember and write captions about each clipping.
2. Music activities for seniors with dementia
Studies show that familiar music has the power to ignite the brain, and many dementia patients even dance or sing along to the lyrics of songs they love. Use music not only to evoke memories but also to encourage physical activity and emotional health. Their favorite songs might inspire them to dance or tap along to the rhythm, great for physical health. Music also uplifts mood, enhances cognitive functioning, and promotes social interaction with others.
Many assisted living facilities encourage weekly music activities for seniors with dementia, like “name that tune.” You can do something similar at home or one-on-one with your parent.
3. Art therapy and creative activities for seniors with dementia
Successful activities for seniors with dementia often include creative outlets like art therapy. Painting, drawing, sculpting, knitting, and other artistic endeavors provide an avenue for self-expression, especially when words may not flow as easily as they once did. Research shows that art may “awaken responses” in the brain and “help unlock glimmers of understanding for patients experiencing memory loss.” These art activities for seniors with dementia don’t have to be complicated for them to be effective: offer your loved one coloring books, doodling journals, blank sheets of paper, and some paints or makers, and watch their imagination take over.
4. Gentle exercise classes
Physical exercise is just as important to mental health as brain and memory activities for seniors with dementia. Scientific studies have proven that physical exercise is not only great for physical health but can also reduce the risk of developing dementia and modify progressive and worsening dementia.
The emphasis should be on gentle exercise, often led by a professional, such as chair yoga, Tai Chi, and light stretching. These exercises enhance flexibility and balance, which helps to prevent falls. Physical exercise activities for seniors with dementia also boost mood, reduce anxiety, and send “happy” chemicals (endorphins) to the brain.
GoGoGrandparent offers online activities for seniors with dementia, like free chair yoga classes on Youtube. Also check out these nine tips for staying active as you age.
5. Nature and gardening activities for seniors with dementia
Research shows that seniors who live in areas with more green space have a lower hospitalization rate for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and related dementia diseases. Spending time in nature is linked to incredible health benefits like stronger cognitive function, lower blood pressure, reduced stress, higher quality sleep, and improved mental health. Consider adding outdoor activities for seniors with dementia, like gardening, slow group walks, and open-air meditations. The tactile experience of the soil, the scents of the plants, and the sights of blooming flowers all contribute to mental engagement and a sense of serenity.
6. Cooking and baking activities for seniors with dementia
Like gardening, sensory and tactile activities for seniors with dementia are vital to quality of life. Sensory therapy has the potential to awaken the senses and elicit a positive response in your family member, often sparking memories in ways that words can’t.
Cooking is one of the simplest, most effective activities for seniors with dementia. You and your parent should work together to follow easy, familiar recipes. The goal is the activity – rather than the outcome. Cooking together fosters a sense of accomplishment since your parent is contributing in a meaningful way, and it also helps bring back nostalgic memories of cooking, baking, and mealtimes.
If your loved one doesn’t like cooking, make meals much easier with GoGo Gourmet. You can send hot, fresh meals that meet their dietary needs and preferences right to their door. Our GoGoGuardians screen drivers and monitor the order, so you can feel confident your parent is getting delicious food delivered safely and quickly.
7. Brain games and teasers
Medical research has proven that thinking skills are less likely to decline when adults keep their minds active. Engaging in brain activities for seniors with dementia is a great way to slow or prevent cognitive decline. Choose games that encourage memory, problem-solving, and social interaction. Some great examples include:
- Board games
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Word association games
- Memory card games (like Concentration)
- Crossword puzzles and Sudoku
- Social trivia nights
- Social Bingo nights
- Lumosity and brain-training apps
- Ball toss game (participant throws a soft ball into a basket to improve mobility and hand-eye coordination)
- Pattern recognition activities for seniors with dementia
- Match the scent (like “name that tune” but with smells)
Make sure you choose activities for seniors with dementia that meet the cognitive abilities of your loved one. Don’t try to push them to do something they struggle with, as this can lead to stress, frustration, and depression.
8. Daily life simulation
Your parent may no longer be able to take care of their own daily activities and may require help from an in-home caregiver. For many adults, including those with dementia, this loss of independence can significantly impact their mental and emotional health.
To help promote a sense of purpose, routine, and accomplishment, set up a small area in their home with objects that mimic daily activities. These simulated activities for seniors with dementia might include folding laundry, setting the table, arranging flowers, or brushing a stuffed animal dog. These should be simulated tasks, especially if there are safety concerns about them hurting themselves while cooking, putting away dishes, etc.
If you feel comfortable, you can also ask your loved one for help with the actual household tasks like folding laundry. When using chores as activities for seniors with dementia, minimize the pressure to get the job done quickly. The purpose is to get your loved one involved and keep their brain active, rather than to get the task done efficiently.
9. Pet therapy
Many adults with cognitive concerns can’t care for pets, but the companionship of animals has enormous benefits for people with dementia. Pet therapy sessions allow seniors to interact with trained therapy animals in a controlled, safe environment. These pet therapy activities for seniors with dementia have been shown to improve mood, reduce stress, decrease behavioral problems, improve nutrition, boost social interaction, and promote physical activities.
10. Virtual reality activities for seniors with dementia
If you’re tech-savvy, you might want to try virtual reality (VR) to help your loved one. VR can transport seniors to different times and places, stimulating imagination, curiosity, and memory. They can travel to beloved locations, historic landmarks, fantastical lands, or nostalgic places from their childhood. Virtual activities for seniors with dementia provide a new, captivating form of mental engagement and enrichment.
Engaging activities for seniors with dementia
Trying out a few of the above activities for seniors with dementia is an excellent way to provide social interaction, cognitive stimulation, and emotional connection for your loved one –all vital components of holistic care. Whether through art, music, nature, or technology, there are a range of effective activities for seniors with dementia.
Caregivers like you are essential in facilitating these activities for seniors with dementia and tailoring them to your family member’s interests, abilities, and preferences. Remember that flexibility is key; some days, particular activities for seniors with dementia will work beautifully, and other days a different approach will be more effective. Try to maintain a calm, patient demeanor while creating a comfortable, nurturing environment. Learn more with this article about the seven things to do as your parent gets older.
If you want to keep your loved one safe, even while remote caregiving, check out GoGoGrandparent’s services. Our GoGoGuardians can monitor your loved one’s rides, grocery deliveries, prescription deliveries, and home services to ensure they always have access to safe, efficient amenities.
