Activities for People with Dementia
EFFORTLESS ACTIVITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA
Activities can help reduce wandering and behavioral issues for people with Alzheimer’s\ Dementia. An activity can be done with others or alone. Activities in our lives help to express who we are as well as build self-esteem and promote dignity. People with Alzheimer’s\Dementia must have successes every day, no matter how small.
Activities should be pleasurable and successful. Keep in mind when a person with dementia is doing an activity to concentrate on the process and have fun, rather than the end product or result. A person with Alzheimer’s\Dementia may not finish the activity, that’s completely acceptable as long as they are enjoying the time spent on the task. Be sure to keep activities short, simple and give only one instruction at a time. Be Patient and flexible, do not correct or criticize. Modify tasks as needed and focus on remaining skills. Make sure the activity is age appropriate. For example, do not give a person with dementia a toddlers puzzle.
- ACTIVITIES FOR EARLY-MID STATE
- String cheerios for the birds
- Tea party
- Name for the Presidents
- Go for a walk
- Bowling
- Paint
- Do a puzzle
- Sing/Dance
- Go for a ride
- Go for a “memory” ride
- Whistle
- Make funny faces
- Match socks
- Baking
- Crafts
- Gardening
- Go for a nature walk
- Tell jokes
- Sing Christmas Carols
- Make a fruit salad
- Hang a bird feeder
- Finish nursery rhymes
- Cut out pictures
- Make a reminisce box
- Balloon volleyball
- ACTIVITIES FOR MID-LATE STAGE
- Feed the ducks
- Sweep the floor
- Go to a petting zoo
- Sort buttons
- Tear paper
- Pet therapy
- Pack/unpack
- Gardening
- Sing-a-long
- Go for a walk
- Sort poker chips
- Rolling up yarn
- Sit outside
- Blow bubbles
- Fold clothes/towels
- Wash dishes
- Listen to music
- Look at old photos
- Mold play dough
- Go for a ride
- Sort fabric swatches
- Dancing
- Sort coins
- Music (worth repeating)
- Blow bubbles
