Games To Help With Dementia
Any activity you try with alzheimer’s and demented patients works only if you utilize the skills they have (nothing too difficult, it will frustrate them) and builds upon skills they used to have. this helps their memory to become stronger by doing things that remind them of being young. i was an activities director at a nursing home for two years on the unit specifically set aside for demented patients and am getting my masters in gerontology. these suggestions are all things i have done that have worked.
try the following:
Bingo (helps use hand eye skills, auditory skills, and its fun for them)
Scrabble (even if they can’t spell, adding up the points and winning gives great joy and comfort)
Guess the Song (or Sing the end of the song) make sure its songs that she would know (usually stuff from the 30s and 40s (you can download this stuff). music brings demented patients back and jogs memory.
Hair and Nail Salon: Fingernails can get really gross when you’re not paying attention to your hygeine, and demented patients can scratch themselves or others if they’re not kept neat. Try a full manicure (with lotion, hand massage, cleaning under the nails, let her choose the color) This promotes her self esteem, reminds her of being young and beautiful, physical stimulation (touching) helps the brain work better. same with the hair, by rolling curlers and set her hair once in awhile. this works for the same reasons as above.
Easy Cooking: this helps them to use their skills they have forgotten and brings them a feeling of being needed.
you can buy a bread machine for pretty cheap. make different kinds of bread (let her suggest what kind of bread) just have her add the ingredients to the machine and turn it on.
Wrapping Presents: sounds weird, but we had a little "Baby Shower" once with food, presents, decorations, etc. they absolutely loved wrapping the presents. we helped with tape and scissors of course.
Coloring: this seems a bit juvenile, but the ladies who were higher functioning than the rest (they could still pay attention to an individual task if nobody was telling them what to do) absolutely loved coloring. its soothing, and they really get into it.
Tea Time: if she doenst like tea, use something else. dress her up for it. make it seem like a formal, fun event.
Find some old tv shows on DVD ( I love Lucy comes to mind, the Three Stooges, anything you know she liked when she was little. A lot of them like that old TV show Lawrence Welk. Its on PBS on saturdays i think. just tape a couple episodes.
try the following:
Bingo (helps use hand eye skills, auditory skills, and its fun for them)
Scrabble (even if they can’t spell, adding up the points and winning gives great joy and comfort)
Guess the Song (or Sing the end of the song) make sure its songs that she would know (usually stuff from the 30s and 40s (you can download this stuff). music brings demented patients back and jogs memory.
Hair and Nail Salon: Fingernails can get really gross when you’re not paying attention to your hygeine, and demented patients can scratch themselves or others if they’re not kept neat. Try a full manicure (with lotion, hand massage, cleaning under the nails, let her choose the color) This promotes her self esteem, reminds her of being young and beautiful, physical stimulation (touching) helps the brain work better. same with the hair, by rolling curlers and set her hair once in awhile. this works for the same reasons as above.
Easy Cooking: this helps them to use their skills they have forgotten and brings them a feeling of being needed.
you can buy a bread machine for pretty cheap. make different kinds of bread (let her suggest what kind of bread) just have her add the ingredients to the machine and turn it on.
Wrapping Presents: sounds weird, but we had a little "Baby Shower" once with food, presents, decorations, etc. they absolutely loved wrapping the presents. we helped with tape and scissors of course.
Coloring: this seems a bit juvenile, but the ladies who were higher functioning than the rest (they could still pay attention to an individual task if nobody was telling them what to do) absolutely loved coloring. its soothing, and they really get into it.
Tea Time: if she doenst like tea, use something else. dress her up for it. make it seem like a formal, fun event.
Find some old tv shows on DVD ( I love Lucy comes to mind, the Three Stooges, anything you know she liked when she was little. A lot of them like that old TV show Lawrence Welk. Its on PBS on saturdays i think. just tape a couple episodes.
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