Activities to do with your loved one: Share your tips

Hi, I like your suggestions! There is one I question: taking walks at different times of the day. I have read that a schedule is imperative for Dementia patients and to change it causes confusion.
They need predictably in their lives.

@janet7 My mother had dementia plus Alzheimers. My dad took a walk alone each morning, to "set" his mind/day. Later, he would encourage her to go for a walk, even a short one, to say "hi" to anyone out, or to look at "pretties". She really liked meeting up with the neighborhood pets. For her, a schedule included different things on different days, based on what she was showing interest in. He didn't try to keep to a particular time frame except mealtimes, rather to keep the continuity of the activity itself. She eventually became mute, with a "lights are on but no one is home" expression. She stayed in their house until 2 weeks before her passing, when she no longer would take any nourishment.

Does this make sense?
Ginger

I agree that going for a short walk is very beneficial, no matter what time. I do notice that if I move something, he gets anxious, so I try to keep everything in the same place.
I do try to follow his lead, however, he easily gets off a schedule because he forgets about time. If he is enjoying what he is doing, I just let him enjoy until he is finished. So a schedule is not beneficial for us right now, but maybe in the future.

what has worked for my is to get into the car and go anywhere. doesn't matter where, just going helps her.

my mother was the same way until she went into memory care.

my mom in the end times, constantly folds her sheets on her. so we give her a towel to fold over and over. also bought a fabric board thing that had different textures on it to stimulate her senses a little. there was also a puzzle with a ball in a plastic thing you try to move it around by moving the board. she didn't do well with this one. she did enjoy the textures of ribbon, thread, rope, soft fabric, sequience sp? etc. she is immobile so i had to find things for her to do in bed. I also bring my dogs in occasionally to have them touch her hands and pet them etc.

My husband has always liked puzzles. Now he’s still able to do the 300 or 500 larger piece ones. It’s something we can do together. I’ve never really been a puzzler but I’m learning to enjoy it, too.

I bring my wife with me to work for about 3 hours a day. She has an activities box in my office where we have a book on mindfulness, a coloring book with colored pens, a preschool workbook, a computer with bubbleshooter a computer game she likes. Plus she still has her phone and is constantly checking for non existent messages, which is a distraction worth keeping the phone. All these activities give an answer to "I'm bored". I have added a new distraction to the activities box, a Rubik's Cube. She has busy hands and the rotating colors hold her attention. Big win if two or more colors match up. I am always on the look out for stuff to put into the activities box. Lately busy hands and visuals are the focus.

Mine doesn’t like to get out much or is too tired, so we watch jeopardy and play along. It’s a lot of fun for both of us.
If he feels like getting out we go for ice cream or grocery store as he really likes this.

I was introduced to the "fidget quilt" or "fidget blanket" by a friend who makes them for dementia and Alzheimer's patients. My mom had been a lifetime sewer and would have loved this idea. There are lots of ideas on online and some very nice ones on Etsy and Amazon. It would be something to keep those hands moving with the different shapes, textures, simple activities, etc.

DH used to love to target practice. Obviously, I can't permit that any longer. HOWEVER, I might have found a solution. He mentioned a game he used to enjoy playing called "Duck Hunt." It was from the original Nintendo Entertainment Systems. I initially searched for it and only came up with one on EBAY for $309. That seemed a little pricey so I texted various family and friends and asked for help. This paid off. My son-in-law found one on Amazon! YAY!!!!! It's due here in about a week. I sure hope this helps others who may face similar circumstances.