Great Activities that Keep Aging Adults with Alzheimer’s Busy
By Home Care Assistance Des Moines 9 am on
Many of the most challenging behaviors associated with Alzheimer’s disease are caused by boredom. Wandering, aggression, and stubbornness often happen when seniors want to get attention from their caregivers or have nothing to keep their minds occupied. These activities can all be modified to fit your senior loved one’s abilities so he or she stays busy throughout the day.
Cook Simple Recipes
Memory loss may make it too dangerous for your loved one to prepare meals alone, but he or she can help you put together simple recipes that don’t require heat. Since following a complicated recipe may be too challenging, look for ones that only require a couple of ingredients and limited steps. For instance, your loved one may enjoy putting together a salad made from pre-chopped ingredients or layering pudding with cream in a dish to make a parfait.Aging adults with Alzheimer’s disease can benefit from receiving professional Alzheimer’s care. Des Moinesseniors need regular mental stimulation when managing memory-related conditions, and a reliable in-home caregiver who has extensive training in Alzheimer’s care can be a great asset.
Do Easy Arts and Crafts
Your loved one can enjoy a favorite hobby with accommodations. For instance, seniors with Alzheimer’s may no longer be able to follow intricate crochet patterns. However, they may be able to continue to crochet by using bigger hooks and thicker yarn to just make rows of stitches that generate a soothing sensation of repetition. Coloring, making flower arrangements, and scrapbooking are a few more safe and simple craft projects your loved one can enjoy.
Make a Fidget Box or Blanket
Seniors with Alzheimer’s often have other health conditions that limit their options for activities, and severe memory loss may make it challenging to follow a television program or movie plot. Fidget boxes are an option you can fill with tactile objects to stimulate your loved one’s senses. Soft pieces of fabric and other textured objects entice your loved one to keep his or her hands busy. A blanket can also be made by sewing the objects onto a piece of fabric.If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of elder care families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
Organize a Drawer
Seniors with Alzheimer’s often engage in repetitive actions, which can be disruptive if they begin to take things apart. To stop that type of behavior, give your loved one a drawer with odds and ends and ask him or her to organize it. You can use an organizer tray that helps your loved one sort various buttons and other trinkets into whatever he or she feels is an organized system. Keep in mind the goal of this activity isn’t to actually organize the drawer but to help your loved one stay busy. If possible, designate a specific drawer for this activity so it’s available anytime your loved one needs to do something.
Perform Household Chores
Your loved one’s restlessness can serve a useful purpose in the home. Find a chore your loved one enjoys doing and encourage him or her to get started. Some seniors enjoy the soothing action of sweeping floors, while others like to match socks or fold towels. You can also hand your loved one a damp cloth and ask him or her to wipe down the tables and countertops in the kitchen while you do dishes. Giving your loved one a job nearby lets you keep an eye on his or her wellbeing while helping him or her feel like a contributing member of the family.If your aging loved one is living with Alzheimer’s, having a trained professional caregiver close by can provide you and your family with much-needed peace of mind. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type ofat-home care. Des Moinesfamilies can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet your elderly loved one’s unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. If your loved one needs professional Alzheimer’s care, Home Care Assistance is here to help. To hire a compassionate, dedicated caregiver, call us at (515) 264-2438 today.
