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Giving the prevalence of this disease over the year, it is necessary important to develop therapeutic activities.
But due to cognitive impairments associated with Alzheimer disease and similar dementia, many activities cannot be done or neither do they hold the adults attention for a reasonable length of time.
During most of the process, procedural memory skills and emotional attachment are largely spared.
Thus, activities that focus on existing skills or are modified to account for damaged abilities are apt to be used more effectively in adults with Alzheimer’s disease.
74 Simple Memory Loss Support Activities For Dementia Patients
These are some great memory loss support activities you can do on a daily base with your love one with dementia.
Let's get started...
1. Photo albums: this is a cool activity to do together, you both can look through the photo album, ask your love one questions about who the people in the album are, and things they did.
You can also make a family tree of immediate with pictures and names of immediate family members, this may prompt memories you still think your love one still have.
You'll be surprised at some of the people your love one may remember anything about his/her pass is good. Some people find photo album to be their worst triggers especially when they are confuse.
2. Painting or coloring by number: If your love one is into painting, they are lots of kits you can get with numbered sheets, paint or pens on Amazon, there are some for adults and some for kids.
Because some seniors regress back to childlike behaviors, they will also love the kits for children.
Search pain or color for kits on Amazon or any other shopping site you like to use! You can also buy wooden kits at the Dollar Store (kid’s kits - airplane, helicopter, bird house, robot, etc.) They come with glue and clear instructions.
Your love one can puts them together and then paints them with acrylic paints. When your love one is anxious you both can paint.
To be honest, I find it very relaxing as well. You can also go online to find free botanical printable - that are very simple - print them on card stock/heavy paper - and your love one either colors those or paints them with water colors.
It really eases anxiety. You can also just take a bunch of bird houses on your family vacation (a kit you can buy on Amazon) and everyone in the family can get into painting them.
Happily, they may be artists, and their bird house may be beautiful. Now the only problem will be to figure out what to do with all of the painted wooden arts!
3. Indoor corn hole: corn hole is a flexible game that can be played during family reunions and several other come together events. Though this game is mostly played outdoor, in backyards and packing lots, it can also be played indoors. Learn how to play indoor corn hole if you don't know how to go about this game.
4. Folding towels and cloths: You can use the Konmar method to fold kitchen towels together. This is a very handy activity that keeps your love one busy and makes it easy for you to sort towels whenever you need them. There are 3 easy methods to fold you can learn.
5. Sorting buttons: buttons are great sensory toys as they come in different colors and shape and sizes. For seniors who have regressed back to childlike behaviors, they will love this activity as it is going to assist them learn more colors.
You will need to get a jar of buttons and a muffin tray at variety store. Your love one is going to sort out the different colors with the help of the muffin tray.
Sorting buttons will help the senior’s concentration and memory, motor skills, Hand eye coordination and helps the senior in problem solving.
6. Word search puzzle: word search puzzle is fun games to play and not just only fun but they are educational as well. This game can be played online but you can print them and present to your love one on a hard copy.
You can equally create your own word search puzzles with simple word search makers on better still search for free printable online.
There are several word search games you select for your love one some are, Disney like Disney animated movies, Food and Drink like types of food, Science like algebra word search, Music like famous bands, Animals like types of dogs, kids like finding Nemo.
7. Card games: Research has it that card games can improve basic learning such as numerical counting and improves executive functions. Card games are great at testing cognitive ability.
Each person partaking in the game is trying to figure out what cards the other is holding. You can order your own Cards with family photos on them to help trigger curiosity. Playing Cards games will improve social interaction.
8. Scavenger hunt: sometimes you can both go on scavenger hunts in the grocery store, and once a month or so you can take your love one to a Home goods store and try to find an obscure item.
Scavenger hunt or you can it call treasure hunts is a good physical activity that stimulates the mind, reduces stress, boost motor skills, and enables cooperation and navigation.
I went on a treasure hunt with my grandpa, last week she had to find three items, not including food that had a number on it (not the price tag)...there are literally a thousand things you could do.
9. Plant a tiny succulent garden: Buy tiny pots and have your love one paint it, buy succulents from any home depot around you, and a small bag of dirt, have your love one transplant the succulents to the tiny flower pots and care for them...it will gives the person something to care for, and will watch them grow!
10. Toss a ball: Like get a kid basketball hoop, the one you can put inside a room that sticks to the wall, the get a soft ball your love one can toss into it. With Hand eye coordination games, any age can play, and keeps your love one moving.
11. Coupon clipping: You can get coupons for internet printables , purchase them online, magazines etc. to get them for free, you can ask friends or check them out at your local library.
The best free coupon site online are SmartSource, SlickDeal, RetailMeNotEveryday, ShopAtHome etc.
12. Sweep and Wipe off patio furniture or garden furniture is an outdoor activity that keeps the senior active.
13. Sing favorite hymns: Seniors generally have a high participation in religious activities so singing hymns will just engaging.
14. Read out loud: a study from the University of Waterloo in Canada shows that loud reading is beneficial to your health, it boost verbal memory, sharpens your focus, increases vocabulary, and of course exercises your memory.
15. Ask to visit friends, neighbors or other acquaintances that have a baby.
16. Use the vacuum cleaner and do some house chores as a form of physical exercise.
17. Read classic short stories to elicit fun memories and have a happy moment.
18. Playing horse shoes will raise your heart rate and it is also a light activity.
19. Bake cookies for seniors who love baking.
20. Have afternoon tea for tea helps in body stability.
21. Make a fresh fruit salad and have a good snack.
22. Bake homemade bread and enjoy your own recipe.
23. Listen to polka music if you are into such music.
24. Water house plants if you are into some sort of gardening.
25. Make sewing cards from recycled greeting cards.
26. Have a spelling bee great for cognitive impaired seniors.
27. Look at family photographs to elicit great and fun memories.
28. Finish nursery rhymes great for cognitive impairment.
29. Cook hot dogs outside with friends and family.
30. Wipe off dirt on the table.
31. Make homemade ice cream and enjoy with family members.
32. Make a family tree poster and put the names of each family member under their picture.
33. Make cream cheese mints.
34. Dance especially tap dancing is a great physical activity.
35. Have a calm pet in to visit and scrub the fur.
36. Plant a tree in your environment to partake in tree planting events.
37. Reminisce about the first kiss.
38. Make a May basket for it helps with hand eye coordination.
39. Make a Valentine collage.
40. Take a walk to strengthen feet.
41. Give a manicure and pedicure.
42. Cut out paper dolls and decorate using colored papers.
43. Take an adventurous ride and get some desired fresh air.
44. Make a basket of socks helps with concentration and hand eye coordination.
45. Make paper butterflies.
46. Put coins into a jar.
47. Rake leaves help with memory.
48. Roll yarn into a ball helps with hand eye coordination.
49. Weed the flower bed.
50. Make birthday cake, a cherry pie and a cream mints.
51. Make Christmas cards, better orientate time.
52. Play Pictionary a game that can promote positive growth dynamics.
53. Pick out fresh flowers as this activity helps with memory relaxes the brain.
54. Finish favorite Bible quotes for example: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - God puts a strong band about me, guiding me in a straight way, Proverbs 18:10 - The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the upright man running into it is safe, Ephesians 6:10 - Lastly, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power.
55. Sort poker chips.
56. Sing Christmas carols for this activity will help strengthen your singing muscles and lung capacity.
57. Decorate paper place mats.
58. Make homemade lemonade, builds positive attitude.
59. Clean out a pumpkin make the elderly feels useful.
60. Sort playing cards by their color.
61. Cut pictures out of greeting cards. Free Printables of picture card boards are online.
62. Read the daily newspaper out loud.
63. Look up names in a phone book.
64. Play favorite songs and sing together.
65. Put bird feed out for the birds.
66. Cut out pictures from magazines.
67. Make peanut butter sandwiches.
68. Make homemade applesauce for such meaningful activity elicit good memories.
69. Cut up used paper for scratch paper keeps the senior busy.
70. Watch National Geographic.
71. String Cheerios and hang them outside for the birds.
72. Straighten underwear drawers.
73. Trace leaves and cut them out.
74. Sort objects such as buttons by color.
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