Dementia is a progressive disease, which means the loss of brain function doesn’t happen all at once. Your elderly loved one will have the ability to participate in creative activities that can enhance his or her self-confidence, mood, and communication abilities and strengthen his or her engagement with other people. Here are some creative activities seniors with dementia can enjoy.
1. Ballroom Dancing
If your loved one enjoys dancing, put some creativity into the moves by enrolling him or her in a ballroom dancing class. Familiar dance patterns can spark fun memories of the past, even if dementia has clouded recent memories. Ballroom dancing can also reduce dementia-related agitation, boost cognitive performance, and enhance gait and coordination.
2. Becoming a Local Tourist for the Day
Most people associate sightseeing with vacations in another state or country or trips to nearby towns. However, touring their local communities gives aging adults with dementia the ability to see what their areas have to offer while increasing brain stimulation. Visiting the local chamber of commerce, historic buildings, and various attractions allows your loved one to socialize with other people and possibly trigger memories from the past.
Caring for a senior with dementia can be challenging for family caregivers. Luckily, there is dementia care Waterloo families can rely on. Professional dementia caregivers help seniors with dementia stay safe and comfortable at home by preventing wandering, providing cognitive stimulation, and assisting with household chores.
3. Opting for Fun Volunteering Ideas
Volunteering can enhance communication skills. Although your loved one may not respond quickly, listening and interpreting conversations and commands may stimulate his or her brain. You can create fun volunteer activities that don’t require your loved one to be in a large crowd, which is often an issue for seniors with dementia. Your loved one can read for someone with vision impairment at a local senior centre, host a bake sale at church, or write thank-you cards to send to soldiers overseas.
4. Going to an Indoor Water Park
Water therapy can provide many benefits to seniors with dementia. For instance, working out in the water on a regular basis can boost cognitive function. Instead of opting for traditional water aerobics, take your loved one to an indoor water park. Swimming and moving about in the water can provide a sense of purpose and accomplishment, which could increase your loved one’s independence and slow the progression of dementia.
Seniors can face a variety of age-related challenges. Though some families choose to take on the caregiving duties, there may come a time when they need a trusted in-home care provider. Families sometimes need respite from their duties so they can focus on their other responsibilities, and some seniors need around-the-clock assistance that their families are not able to provide. Home Care Assistance is here to help.
5. Hosting an Improv Party
Invite a few of your loved one’s friends over for an impromptu comedy show in the basement or living room. Improv is a fun way for aging adults with dementia to socialize and live in the moment. Going with the flow may take a lot of pressure off seniors who spend most of their days confused about the past, present, and future.
6. Watching Old Films
Call your local movie theatre and see if they’re playing classic movies on the big screen. If so, take your loved one to a screening. The enjoyment your loved one receives from watching the old films could enhance his or her sleep quality and stave off depression, anxiety, and other emotional health issues seniors with dementia are prone to.
Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of at-home care. Waterloo families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ 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. For reliable in-home care services, contact us at (519) 954-2111.