Enriching Activities for Those with Dementia

Last week I wrote about some of what I consider to be the most important concepts of providing activities to those with dementia. Below is a list of some specific activities which I have found often work well with those with dementia, especially those in the middle and later stages. For additional activities which are especially useful for those in the early stages, I will address this at a later time.

• Put on familiar music with a rhythm, sing along and/or clap or tap along.
• Put a 50 piece adult puzzle together with your loved one – make sure that it’s suitable for adults
• Get a book of proverbs or find some online and do together.
• Make bird feeders out of pine cones, peanut butter and bird seed or sunflower seeds. Put it out near a window and birdwatch.
• Cook simple things together – even if only to have your loved one grease pans and stir.
• Ask for advice from your loved one. This can have a very powerful effect on their self-esteem.
• Read Ann Landers and discuss possible answers.
• Use modeling clay to make shapes of familiar objects such as birds, etc.
• Engage in physical activities together like walking, stretching and wading in a pool.
• Ask your loved one for help – setting the table (remember it doesn’t have to be perfect!), folding clothes, sorting items, raking leaves, sweeping, sorting socks, etc.
• Pose questions with no right or wrong answer such as what would you do with a million dollars or what is your favorite dessert? If these are too difficult, give two choices such as would you rather have chocolate pie or strawberry shortcake.
• Stimulate the senses through cooking, a neighborhood walk, a walk around a fruit and vegetable market, etc. Ask them to pay attention to what they see, what they hear and what they smell.
• Use different types of fabric to have a “touch test”.
• Do simple paper activities such as find the differences or find things that begin with a certain letter of the alphabet. These can easily be found on the web.
• Play with your own pets, visit a zoo or any other place that houses animals.
• Make collages out of magazine pictures.
• Play games and remember that you don’t have to stick to the rules!
• Especially for those in the later stages, use lotions with lavender and other relaxing smells.
• Reminisce
• Review family photos – especially those from earlier times which are more likely to be recognized.

These are just a few possibilities. Use your imagination or check with other caregivers for more ideas. Please remember that all activities must have purpose so as to maintain the self esteem and sense of self worth of the person with dementia. Have fun!!

Enhancing the Lives of Those with Dementia

Like all of us, people with memory loss need a variety of activities in their lives – both to enrich and to stimulate. Next week I will give some suggestions for activities but this week I’d like to review what I consider to be some of the essential components of activities.

• First and foremost, activities should NEVER be about simply keeping busy. There should be a purpose in order to give meaning to the life of the person with memory loss. Again, as with all of us, we need meaning in our lives in order to feel a sense of self worth. Instead of simply giving your loved one towels to fold without giving them a purpose, let them know that it would be very helpful to you for them to do this since you are behind in your work, too busy or are unable to do as good a job as they do!
• Provide an appropriate level of challenge – not too easy but also not too difficult. A certain degree of challenge is beneficial though.
• Always allow plenty of time to complete the activity. Remember, processing speed of people with memory loss is slower than most so they need extra time.
• Be flexible. Always have a plan “B”. Go with the flow.
• Activities should draw on remaining abilities and knowledge. It’s all about success. Focusing on what they can no longer do serves no purpose whatsoever.
• Choose activities which involve very few steps and lead the person through them one step at a time.
• Avoid activities which are childish. They may not be able to complete what they once did but they are adults and deserve activities that are dignified and appropriate for adults!
• Focus on one task at a time.
• Don’t criticize or correct the person.
• Minimize surrounding distractions including excess noise and movement. Assure that the temperature is appropriate.
• Provide encouragement and praise.
• Plan activities that you enjoy – when you’re having a good time, they’re going to be much more likely to enjoy themselves, too.
• Incorporate the use of as many of the senses as possible.
• Incorporate and foster humor as much as possible.
• Focus on enjoyment, not achievement
• HAVE FUN!!!

Bring on the berries!!

This is the time of the year when berries are at their best. Isn’t it great that such a delicious food is also great for us? We’ve known for quite some time that blueberries and other berries are very high in antioxidants which in turn, means they’re good for getting rid of those free radicals in our bodies that can be harmful to our brains. Research has just added yet another reason that berries may be beneficial for our memory as well as our long-term health.

A recent study from The Annals of Neurology explored the possibility that a particular subclass of antioxidants called anthocyanidins found in berries can cross the blood brain barrier and affect the brain. Researchers investigated the effects of anthocyanidin-rich blueberries and strawberries over long periods of time.

Data was first collected in 1976, when female nurses aged 30-55 answered a battery of lifestyle questions (including questions on diet) and took 6 cognitive assessments. The nurses re-answered lifestyle questions every four years—and finally, starting in 1995, they retook the original cognitive assessments.

This data, collected at regular intervals over several decades, gave researchers valuable insight into how long-term lifestyle and diet choices could affect cognitive health. Women who reported eating larger quantities of anthocyanidin-rich blueberries and strawberries slowed down cognitive decline in astonishing ways: by measures of cognitive performance, older women who ate more berries appeared to have delayed aging by 2.5 years!

The study was not conclusive since the data was only self-reported, but it is a good indication of just how much diet can have a positive impact on brain health. This is obviously an area where future research could show some profound effects.

So for now, my advice is to load up on blueberries and strawberries, as well as all those other fresh berries available this summer. Frozen berries are equally as good if you can’t find fresh. Eat them alone, put them in salads, put them on your cereal, eat them as dessert or any other way in which your creativity takes you. The sky is the limit!! Enjoy.

The Importance of Independence

Happy 4th of July to All. This is a great day when we in the United States celebrate our independence and all the freedoms that go with it. We’re fortunate to have this independence as so many of the world’s 195 countries continue to fight for theirs.

Most of us want to be independent in our own lives, too. We want to be able to essentially do what we want when we want to do it and we want the abilities that enable us to do this. For a person recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, this wish for independence certainly does not cease. If anything, it increases. For those of us who have friends or loved ones who are in this situation, it’s important for us to do whatever we can to encourage and enable them to live as independently as possible for as long as possible. There
are a number of ways in which we can do this.

1. First of all, we can and should continue to treat them as adults – not necessarily lessen our expectations but change them to meet their abilities. It’s particularly important to focus on their strengths – what they CAN do, not what they are no longer able to do.

2. Encourage them to get help with some of their daily tasks such as mowing the lawn and cleaning the house. This can free them up for doing more enjoyable things and give them time to do the things that are absolutely necessary.

3. Help them to use memory aids such as lists, post-it notes, signs and a calendar. This will also give them more time and less stress.

4. Work with your loved ones to check out the safety of their living spaces. Do they need to add grab bars? Remove unsafe throw rugs? Use appliances with automatic shut-offs? Reducing the incidence of falls and promoting safety can certainly keep them independent for longer.

5. Ensure that they take the correct medications at the right time. You might need to help them set up a reminder system such as a daily call from a friend.

6. Encourage them to stay active. One of the worst things they can do is to isolate and stop getting out and being with friends and relatives. They need to maintain those relationships which are most important to them.

7. Encourage them to get support. Call the local Alzheimer’s Association. Join an early memory loss support group. Talk to their friends about their situation.

8. Last but by no means least, encourage them to engage in regular physical fitness activities, eat nutritiously, work to reduce stress and stay cognitively active with a wide array of mentally stimulating activities.

I hope that you find some of these ideas helpful and that you assist those dealing with memory loss to stay as independent as possible on this day when independence is at the forefront of our minds. Offering a little bit of help and encouragement at this crucial time can go a long ways to helping them stay independent!