Dementia Activities That Can Keep Seniors In High Spirits

For people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s, taking part in purposeful activities can go a long way in benefiting their cognitive and physical health. After receiving a dementia diagnosis, it is not uncommon for seniors to lose their sense of purpose. Lack of stimulation and boredom is what compounds the problem. It’s important for family caregivers to provide their aging loved ones with a variety of indoor and outdoor activities that can engage and bring pleasure to people living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. A task or project should be tailored to the seniors’ individual cognitive and mobility skills, which should aim to encourage self-expression, make them feel more engaged with life, help them feel productive, lessen any anxiety or irritability that Alzheimer’s may bring, and stir up old memories and allow them to reminisce about their life.

Senior Sanctuary of Anthem in Phoenix, AZ offers specialized dementia care for adults with memory impairment. We are an award-winning Anthem assisted living facility that offers a variety of activities to enhance our residents’ self-esteem and provide purposeful days.

Here are some suggestions of activities to do with your loved ones, which can help boost their spirits and prevent them from developing depression:

Gardening– Gardening can be particularly enjoying for those with dementia. Studies have found that gardening lowers cortisol levels, which can help reduce blood pressure and even alleviate stress. Aside from that, gardening is also known to increase serotonin which promotes peaceful and calming feelings. The activity benefits both ways- keeps seniors active while offering a sense of accomplishment and well-being (plants will give them something to care for, which can reassure them that they are needed).

Household Chores– Behavioral challenges are normal for aging adults with dementia, and they can get worse as the condition progresses. Letting your loved ones help with chores is one way to distract them and reduce behavioral problems. Chores, such as folding towels, wiping down the dining room table, drying dishes, or organizing items- can help seniors with dementia feel a sense of control, that they are contributing, which can improve their self-esteem.

Cooking– As dementia advances, seniors can lose interest in activities that they enjoyed before developing the condition, which causes them to lose their sense of purpose. Enlist their help in cooking or assistance with daily meals, which can make his or her life more delightful.

Music Therapy– Music is a wonderful way of providing comfort to people, particularly can uplift a person with dementia. Not only can it elicit powerful emotional responses, but also help people reconnect with memories- help them connect with their past and relive those memories. Try and play music from special times in their life, such as a song from their wedding, song of their favorite signer, band or genre together, etc.

Animal Therapy– Animal therapy could be a great way to offer stimulation, even more so if your loved one is an animal lover.

Pets have been shown to relieve stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety, and at Senior Sanctuary of Anthem, our furry friend is always sure to bring a smile to our residents. The other benefits of pet therapy includes reduced blood pressure and heart rate, helps reduce the stress hormone cortisol, and boost levels of the feel-good hormone, serotonin.

Sometimes, simple but fun activities can offer great results as well, so try out Jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, untying knots (this requires a surprising amount of focus), board games like snakes and ladders, and scrabble, etc.