Creating Engaging Activities: Three Essential Tips / Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias

As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, we often struggle with adapting activities to their changing abilities. Through our experiences, and what we’ve learned from others on their caregiving journeys, Nancy Treaster and I developed three important tips to help you create meaningful engagement that honors who our care receivers are today.

Connect with us and share your tips:

• Website: https://www.thecaregiversjourney.com
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• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancytreaster/
• Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Additional Resources Mentioned

Other The Caregiver’s Journey podcast mentioned

Home Safety here

These resources contain affiliate links so we may receive a small commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you.

• Large plastic rings child's toy that center screws into base here
• Adult coloring book here
• Dementia friendly puzzle here
• Lavender lotion here
• Bead maze here
• Fidget blanket here
• Photo gifts
• Shutterfly here
• Memory Cafe example here

Takeaways

From the moment of diagnosis, we need to shift our focus from what our care receivers used to do to what brings them joy now. 

Tip 1: Adjust Our Expectations

Our care receivers’ engagement and abilities change throughout their journey — even throughout each day. 

Key points:

• Let go of ‘before’ comparisons
• Let go of outcomes
• Watch for signs of enjoyment or frustration
• Pay attention to new interests
• Adapt activities to current abilities
• Accept different ways of engaging

Tip 2: Prioritize Their Safety

As we introduce or adapt activities, safety must be a primary concern, considering both cognitive and physical abilities.

Key points:

• Consider vision changes and depth perception challenges
• Adapt activities to safely maintain independence
• Provide appropriate supervision and get creative in places to find it
• Make creative adjustments to familiar activities
• Create support networks for safety

Tip 3: Create Engaging Activities

Create activities to reflect their personal history, career, hobbies and interests, while engaging their senses. Whenever possible, engage multiple senses for a deeper connection and engagement.

Key points:

• Engage their senses:
• • Touch (e.g.: fidget blankets, textured items)
• • Sound (e.g.: familiar music, calming sounds)
• • Smell (e.g.: familiar scents, cooking aromas)
• • Sight (e.g.: colorful objects, family photos)
• • Movement (e.g.: seated dancing, simple exercises)
• Create social connections through:
• • Small group activities
• • Religious or spiritual practices
• • Memory cafes
• • Senior center programs
• • Family gatherings

When planning activities:

• Observe body language for signs of engagement or distress
• Have backup calming activities ready if they get agitated
• Remember that watching can be a form of participation
• Consider “drip grief” (see bottom of post for definition) — both yours and theirs
• Be flexible and creative in your approach
• Accept help from others who want to support you

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