She can’t remember where she put her glasses. He forgot to turn off the bathroom faucet. Memory loss and dementia, whether Alzheimer’s or other disease related, can be a frustrating thing for both seniors and their loved ones. It’s important to remember that there is only one way to keep the body and mind healthy, and that’s to keep the body and mind active. Engaging in appropriate activities will not only prolongate memory loss, but will promote happiness and enrich daily living. Activities need to be adapted to fit each individual and their personal level of ability. They can range from singing familiar songs to entering into full sensory experience. Here are some simple activities to try with your loved one.
- Household Chores. When mom has washed the dishes a thousand times, it is not something she is going to forget quickly. Stand next to her and help her choose the right amount of soap, and then do the drying yourself. Sing a song while you work together. Helping with household chores will promote a sense of accomplishment and worthiness.
- Cooking/Baking. Our sense of smell is our strongest sense in memory recall. Throwing down some drop and bake cookies or allowing mom to stir the soup with your supervision is going to bring a pleasant feeling, and can improve both mood and appetite.
- School Time. Spelling bees, presidential trivia, and naming states and capitals are so much fun! School skills access the part of the brain that handles rote-memorization, an area that is often in tact far later than short-term memory. You might be surprised at your loved one’s skill level!
- Cut it Out. Clipping Sunday coupons or cutting out paper dolls or shapes is soothing and is a social activity. As you’re cutting out the coupons, talk about what products your dad (or even his parents) used to buy for the house, how the prices have changed, and likes and dislikes when it comes to food or products.
- Sensory Experience. Put together a quick kit with a theme. Include something that involves each of the five senses. If it’s spring, have a picture of a garden, the sounds of birds singing, some fresh cut grass to smell, some lemonade to drink, and a small flower to plant in a pot. Engaging all the senses around a theme allows the brain to build new connective synapses (bridges) to access old memories and establish new ones.
Remember, just as our interests vary and change, so does your senior loved one’s interests. Whereas strict routines in bathing, eating, and grooming are important, when it comes to activity, switch it up. Change requires adaptability, which is a skill that engages the brain in a healthy manner.
Guest Blogger: Susana Fletcher has been a senior care volunteer since the age of nine. Spending numerous hours in arts and crafts, senior book clubs, and personal assistant services over the years, her love of seniors has been a constant throughout her life. With a degree from The University of Texas, Susana was an 8th grade English teacher in AISD for a number of years until she started a family. Three kids and eight years later, she turned her attention to the future, and realized that a job in Senior Care was where her heart was calling. She has been the Activities Director at The Collinfield House since 2010.
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