Seniors with Alzheimer’s often do best when their days are full of activities that keep them busy. Your aging loved one may no longer be able to do some former hobbies, but that doesn’t mean he or she can no longer have fun. Activities for people with Alzheimer’s should be safe and simple enough for them to do with minimal assistance. Here are five great ideas that can help you get started on keeping your loved one’s mind and hands occupied.
1. Helping with Simple Chores
Your loved one may get agitated when you leave him or her alone so you can do essential tasks such as laundry. If so, find ways your loved one can help. For instance, you could fill a bin with soapy water and let your parent wash a few plastic dishes. Your loved one may also enjoy folding towels, matching socks, or sweeping the floor. These activities may not always be performed up to your standards, but your loved one may enjoy feeling helpful.
Aging adults with Alzheimer’s disease can benefit from receiving professional Alzheimer’s care. Naples seniors need regular mental stimulation when managing memory-related conditions, and a reliable in-home caregiver who has extensive training in Alzheimer’s care can be a great asset.
2. Painting
Self-expression helps seniors feel good about themselves, and painting is a soothing activity that allows them to express their emotions. To keep this activity simple, try choosing washable nontoxic art supplies such as tempera paints. You can set your loved one up near a window to view the landscape, or encourage him or her to make strokes on the paper in an abstract manner.
3. Playing with a Fidget Blanket
There may be times when your loved one is unable to move around freely, such as when he or she is weakened by an illness. During these times, fidget blankets made with things such as zippers, Velcro, and ribbons provide a tactile activity that requires very little movement. If you don’t have a fidget blanket, create a rummage box full of safe items your loved one can explore.
If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of elder care families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
4. Watching Family Videos
Seniors with Alzheimer’s may also enjoy watching videos during times when they need a quiet activity. Family videos preserve memories, and your loved one may even recognize some of the people on the screen. Don’t push your loved one to remember the events in the movies if it causes confusion. Instead, just let your parent watch the movies. You never know when something may trigger a memory.
5. Making a Vision Board
Vision boards are simple to make, and they can provide insight into the things your loved one likes. A vision board is essentially a collage people use to reinforce their goals, but your loved one can fill up the board with images of things that appeal to him or her. Get a piece of poster board and blunt scissors. Your loved one can cut out pictures from magazines and glue them to the board. This activity can take several days to complete, and your loved one will have a fun piece of art to display when finished.
If your loved one is living with Alzheimer’s, having a trained professional caregiver close by can provide you and your family with much-needed peace of mind. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of home care service. Families can rely on Assisting Hands Home Care Naples to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our caregivers help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and we offer mentally stimulating activities that can boost cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. Trust your loved one’s care to the professionals at Assisting Hands Home Care. Reach out to one of our compassionate Care Managers today.
