"I Can't Let Them Just Sit All Day" How do I get them to engage?
I hear from many of the families that I work with that their loved ones with cognitive losses that “all they do all day is sit in front of the tv”. Or “I don’t know what to do that will get them involved”. It is time to engage and have some fun.
It is common knowledge that elderly people with dementia lose their short-term memory first and their long-term memory last. They often remember people and events from their earlier years but have difficulty remembering what they ate for breakfast today. What do you do with someone who can no longer carry on a normal conversation?" The short answer is "Relax and have fun." Some activities I have found are as simple as folding laundry! They can do it multiple times and they are helping you.
Reminisce! Everything you do together lends itself to reminiscing. If the person can still speak fairly well, say, “Tell me about...” If his vocabulary is more limited, you may have to facilitate the story. “Do you remember when...” As you bake cookies together you can talk about residents' favorite cookies, meals, etc.
Read aloud and use visual aids such as memory poems, family pictures, or stories about "the days gone by" to stimulate reminiscences. Ideas include Chicken Soup for the Soul series and familiar short stories
Make music. Sing, hum, whistle, dance. Singing brings oxygen to the brain to help you think more clearly. Dancing exercises other parts of the body. Both increase your own sense of well-being as well as theirs.
Sensory stimulation activities could include the following:
Making lap quilts
Painting.
Talking books
Scrapbooks
Walking
Flower arranging
Tutoring, or visiting children
Baking
Happy hour with non-alcoholic drinks
Ice cream party
Brushing & fixing hair.
Manicures
Ladies luncheons
Building with wood (include sanding)
Link the activity to their long-time interests. When my husband had alzheimer’s he took apart a lock and fixed it. Amazing, ever lock in my house broke after that.
If you do something that you enjoy it makes it that much easier. If you find yourself at loose ends or losing your temper it’s time to take a breather and consider calling for assistance. Marcie can help with alternatives.