Caring for dementia is no easy task. Persons living with dementia often withdraw from activities they once enjoyed, making it a challenge to keep them interested and engaged.
Many caregivers use dementia-friendly activities. Because not only do they provide entertainment for persons living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, but most importantly engagement.
Various research and studies have linked caring for dementia using engaging entertainment to improved daily happiness, dignity, and quality of life.
Increasing the amount of social interaction for people with dementia living in care homes to just one hour a week improves quality of life when combined with personalized care.
Impact of person-centred care training and person-centred activities on quality of life, agitation, and antipsychotic use in people with dementia living in nursing homes: A cluster-randomised controlled trial’
And this study on how engagement in activities is vital when caring for dementia claims that it improves social bonding, combats loneliness, reduces challenging behaviors, promotes self-esteem, and even lowers medication consumption.
Caring for dementia: Five engaging entertainment you can use daily.
Watching movies and TV shows.
Mood is one of the factors that researchers include when assessing the quality of life of persons living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
This is because a positive mood is linked to less anxiety, aggression, and apathy among care-recipients. And watching movies is one activity that instantly uplifts their mood.
In fact, according to a non-profit groups who hold regular movie screenings, attendees leave their events happier, more social, and more communicative.
While another study shows that Passive Engagement (Listening/Watching the Target Activity) increased, which means they were focused on watching the movie.
Listening to music.
Music keeps persons living with Alzheimer’s and dementia engaged and active.
Just watch this touching viral video of an 80-year-old with dementia playing the piano accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic. Or this former ballerina dancing as soon as she hears the music to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.
Experts believe that music-based treatments “improve emotional well-being and quality of life” in persons living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. They also found that music fights against symptoms of depression, reduces anxiety, and prevents behavioral problems.
Doing some light exercise.
Regular low-impact exercises like chair aerobics, Tai Chi, and yoga are vital for persons living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, because it improves their strength, balance, and mobility.
Exercise also helps them build and maintain muscles to prevent slips and falls. Or in the unfortunate case that they do get into an accident, it aids in faster recovery.
Aside from the health and safety benefits, it also gives them opportunities to socialize. Taking group exercises, for example, helps them feel less lonely and isolated.
The Alzheimer’s Association also reports that a strong social network raises quality of life as well.
Preparing and cooking a simple meal.
Cooking is one of those therapeutic activities for people with dementia that ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to improving quality of life.
Because of food’s deep connection with memories, cooking is an effective way to bring about positive emotions through sensory stimulation. The smell, texture, and taste of certain dishes can trigger strong emotional reactions from persons living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
It can remind them of a person, a place, or a certain moment in their life they cherish the most. Which gets them in a good mood, leading them to become more communicative.
More importantly, even simple tasks like choosing which dish to make, preparing ingredients, or clearing up the table after a meal can stir up feelings of independence, self-worth, and pride.
Tips for Cooking Activities
- Make sure to match the difficulty of the cooking activity to the ability of the person receiving care. A mismatch could cause them to feel frustrated or unaccomplished.
- Try to match dishes with their cultural, religious, or ethnical background. The familiarity of the food keeps them more engaged.
- Check that the kitchen is as safe a space as possible. Perform all necessary safety checks before the cooking activity.
Knitting projects.
According to anecdotal data from a nonprofit offering knitting lessons for both patients and caregivers, participants feel a great sense of accomplishment, purpose, and pride when they finish an item.
Knitting also improves the quality of life of caregivers. It’s been shown to have the same benefits as meditation – relaxation, better focus, reduced anxiety, and less chronic pain. Which is especially important for caregivers who are prone to burnout, depression, and health problems.
One of the most popular knitting projects in the Alzheimer’s and dementia community are twiddlemuffs.
These long, wildly decorated hand warmers is a simple intervention tool to keep persons living with Alzheimer’s and dementia from fidgeting or scratching themselves. You can access easy-to-follow DIY videos when you download Joygage.