in the "good" days several years ago my husband enjoyed colouring in, we had giant pencils and Mandala books, I enjoyed doing it too! Now it is very difficult to find any activity but I have got a small portable cd player with a decent set of headphones and he spends an hour or two a day happily listening to the same cd, doesn't like change but I figure he can't remember what he listened to last time so don't worry. I have put his chair next to a window where he can watch traffic go by otherwise there is nothing that lasts longer than a couple of minutes, I feel guilty all the time that I don't "entertain" him. He doesn't comprehend anything now so reading out loud, recalling past events, photos etc are all useless and just frustrate him.
Activities for late stage Dementia
- Thread starter Vampy
- Start date
Activities
Your activities will depend on the stage your 'clients' are at, their mobility, the amount of help you have, and also to some extent gender.
Music, Music, Music (as many have already mentioned) is a complete favourite, especially old familiar tunes, the more upbeat the better, or wartime songs.
Games with light, brightly coloured balls or balloons may work.
Silky scarves could be passed along in different ways or waved about to create sensory activities.
Ladies love to cuddle dolls (and of course babies, but that is not necessarily practical), and just about everyone can get pleasure out of a variety of soft toys, stuffed animals - monkeys have particularly endearing faces ..... try it, you may be surprised at the responses.
Puzzles with coloured bricks or tiles may provide some entertainment, or simple musical instruments like bells, cymbals, small drums, shakers, even home-made things (providing you are able to tolerate the din that is likely to happen).
There are some lovely items available in catalogues for children/people with Special Needs, but they tend to be fairly expensive.
Good luck with your creative thinking, you are doing a grand job!
Carmen
Your activities will depend on the stage your 'clients' are at, their mobility, the amount of help you have, and also to some extent gender.
Music, Music, Music (as many have already mentioned) is a complete favourite, especially old familiar tunes, the more upbeat the better, or wartime songs.
Games with light, brightly coloured balls or balloons may work.
Silky scarves could be passed along in different ways or waved about to create sensory activities.
Ladies love to cuddle dolls (and of course babies, but that is not necessarily practical), and just about everyone can get pleasure out of a variety of soft toys, stuffed animals - monkeys have particularly endearing faces ..... try it, you may be surprised at the responses.
Puzzles with coloured bricks or tiles may provide some entertainment, or simple musical instruments like bells, cymbals, small drums, shakers, even home-made things (providing you are able to tolerate the din that is likely to happen).
There are some lovely items available in catalogues for children/people with Special Needs, but they tend to be fairly expensive.
Good luck with your creative thinking, you are doing a grand job!
Carmen
Memory items
At my mother's care home, they have a man who they call the memory man come in once a month. He brings in items from 'the old days' and encourages the residents to talk about what they used to do with the items. He sings songs as he talks with them about what they did when they were younger. He is sooo popular. They all love it when he arrives. One week he brought in some beautiful costume jewelery and they had a great time trying them on. He has also brought in different hats and they try them on too.
They also have a man who comes in and does very simple keep fit with balls. He gently kicks a ball to them and they have to get it back to him. He also gets them to do gentle weight lifting with tennis balls. It's all done to a structured routine where he counts and they all count with him even one old lady who is blind and not able to do much at all. My Mum is not so keen on this one, she never was an 'exercise' person but most of the other residents love it.
At my mother's care home, they have a man who they call the memory man come in once a month. He brings in items from 'the old days' and encourages the residents to talk about what they used to do with the items. He sings songs as he talks with them about what they did when they were younger. He is sooo popular. They all love it when he arrives. One week he brought in some beautiful costume jewelery and they had a great time trying them on. He has also brought in different hats and they try them on too.
They also have a man who comes in and does very simple keep fit with balls. He gently kicks a ball to them and they have to get it back to him. He also gets them to do gentle weight lifting with tennis balls. It's all done to a structured routine where he counts and they all count with him even one old lady who is blind and not able to do much at all. My Mum is not so keen on this one, she never was an 'exercise' person but most of the other residents love it.
Re the singing
My mum has been in choirs most of her life and insists on singing when ever she wants to.
She's in the late stages of Alz's and I know that she has driven some people in care homes, up the wall and back again, with her singing! Some people don't like it at all and it's often men - so please find out first if everyone likes it or not
I think the hand massage idea is brilliant as a lot of people have very painful hands and a massage with a soothing cream would be so relaxing and nice - I'd love that
If anyone's got one of those screens for showing slides, holiday pics - this is going back a few years so I might be well out of date for this, sorry if I am. I remember one lady showing me slides of trips she'd taken to the Far East and Russia and I found it fascinating. So this might be lovely for elderly people to see a big screen with lovely big pictures and a very brief explanation of what it is &/or where.
Good luck
My mum has been in choirs most of her life and insists on singing when ever she wants to.
She's in the late stages of Alz's and I know that she has driven some people in care homes, up the wall and back again, with her singing! Some people don't like it at all and it's often men - so please find out first if everyone likes it or not
I think the hand massage idea is brilliant as a lot of people have very painful hands and a massage with a soothing cream would be so relaxing and nice - I'd love that
If anyone's got one of those screens for showing slides, holiday pics - this is going back a few years so I might be well out of date for this, sorry if I am. I remember one lady showing me slides of trips she'd taken to the Far East and Russia and I found it fascinating. So this might be lovely for elderly people to see a big screen with lovely big pictures and a very brief explanation of what it is &/or where.
Good luck
Hi,
It's really lovely that you put so much thought and effort into this. In my mother's care home, there are all sorts of activities but few that she can get involved in. My mum is quite late stage so I'm not sure how helpful this is, but the one thing she does continuously is fold things. Any piece of paper or material, she folds it in different ways and presents it to whoever is with her. It's not folded in any specific shape but my mum obviously finds meaning in it. Or it might be putting things into envelopes, tearing pictures from magazines and newspapers - it's all busy-work for her hands and she puts loads of concentration into it. Her hands tend to get stiff so holding any kind of pencil or any fine work causes frustration, but random folding or arranging seems to give a lot of satisfaction.
Best wishes and good luck
It's really lovely that you put so much thought and effort into this. In my mother's care home, there are all sorts of activities but few that she can get involved in. My mum is quite late stage so I'm not sure how helpful this is, but the one thing she does continuously is fold things. Any piece of paper or material, she folds it in different ways and presents it to whoever is with her. It's not folded in any specific shape but my mum obviously finds meaning in it. Or it might be putting things into envelopes, tearing pictures from magazines and newspapers - it's all busy-work for her hands and she puts loads of concentration into it. Her hands tend to get stiff so holding any kind of pencil or any fine work causes frustration, but random folding or arranging seems to give a lot of satisfaction.
Best wishes and good luck
An inexpensive, 'play' material
I wonder if your guys and gals might enjoy some home made play dough? The recipe is amazingly cheap and easy. Most people played with play-dough, (or Plasticine) at some stage in their childhood, and they will probably remember rolling it in their hands, or making long snakes, (which can be coiled to make squiggy 'pots')
Play Dough Recipe:
This is an excellent play dough recipe which is fun to make.
You will need:Multiply at will.
1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
½ cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup water with food colouring added
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond essence (optional but it makes the play dough smell nice!)
Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan, and stir over a medium heat until the dough forms into a ball. Allow to cool, and then knead until smooth.
Remember this is likely to go off after a few days
Store in an airtight container (a Ziploc bag with the air pressed out is good)..
I wonder if your guys and gals might enjoy some home made play dough? The recipe is amazingly cheap and easy. Most people played with play-dough, (or Plasticine) at some stage in their childhood, and they will probably remember rolling it in their hands, or making long snakes, (which can be coiled to make squiggy 'pots')
Play Dough Recipe:
This is an excellent play dough recipe which is fun to make.
You will need:Multiply at will.
1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
½ cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup water with food colouring added
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond essence (optional but it makes the play dough smell nice!)
Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan, and stir over a medium heat until the dough forms into a ball. Allow to cool, and then knead until smooth.
Remember this is likely to go off after a few days
Store in an airtight container (a Ziploc bag with the air pressed out is good)..
Re
I agree, music can be very good. It can open up old memories. Try asking family members what their old favorites were, what they played at weddings, parties and special occasions etc. But also be aware that some people who are agitated can be made worse by extra noise!
Few other ideas...
Painting/drawing.
knitting (its easy when someone has shown you how)
Going for a walk to a local park with kids playing in it.
Dolls - some of my residents think dolls are real children (and we have a male resident who likes to push a pram around all day)
Get friends to bring dogs in when they are on walks.
Playing catch with a beach ball is one of the best activities you can do, great for keeping mind and body fit, and people always have a laugh.
If possible ask them/their families what jobs/hobbies they had and work out what they might like to do from that.
I agree, music can be very good. It can open up old memories. Try asking family members what their old favorites were, what they played at weddings, parties and special occasions etc. But also be aware that some people who are agitated can be made worse by extra noise!
Few other ideas...
Painting/drawing.
knitting (its easy when someone has shown you how)
Going for a walk to a local park with kids playing in it.
Dolls - some of my residents think dolls are real children (and we have a male resident who likes to push a pram around all day)
Get friends to bring dogs in when they are on walks.
Playing catch with a beach ball is one of the best activities you can do, great for keeping mind and body fit, and people always have a laugh.
If possible ask them/their families what jobs/hobbies they had and work out what they might like to do from that.
singing
my mum has been in a nursing home for over a year now and her attention span is virtually zero - I have been told that she joins in with singing when they have entertainment on - this absolutely amazed me as I have never actually known my mum to sing - even in church!
my dad was part of a group who used to go round entertaining and my daughter sings semi professionally but mum has never sung a note until recently!
my mum has been in a nursing home for over a year now and her attention span is virtually zero - I have been told that she joins in with singing when they have entertainment on - this absolutely amazed me as I have never actually known my mum to sing - even in church!
my dad was part of a group who used to go round entertaining and my daughter sings semi professionally but mum has never sung a note until recently!
Singing. Singing. Singing.
Then perhaps.......
........more singing.
Also, I think you'll find that some men enjoy pampering.
hey Stanley, your post made me smile. My niece was 37 when we lost her to this horrid condition earlier this year, but we took great pleasure in singing to her (has a really bad voice) and occasionally she would try so hard to sing along with us. Very often her mouth was working but she struggled to find the right words. She would very often laugh at me but as they say laughter is one of the best medicines you can get. So, for me singing and music is one of the best things you could ever do.
Answer
Hi my names liz and I have mild to moderate PCA dementia, in reply to your questions if I was at a centre music would be the first in my list, gardening weather permitting, bring some dogs, cats, animals into centre, old movies, exercise e.g. Chair aerobics, games, bocci inside bowls, painting, jewellery making, card making with stamps, get a singer in and have some dancing. I'm aware at late stages people may need more assistance but it is important to keep what is left of the brain alive. I know a lot of the stuff I have suggested costs money, I know there is a budget for thing like this, also do a cake day, or car boot sales to get some funds.
I just know when it comes my time at that stage I do not just want to sit and look into the air or sleep especially when I am fighting this illness with every bit of my life and I don't want to reach that stage and not have a voice to tell you what I want.
May I wish you all the best with your planning what to do, I certainly wish there was more people like yourself to help.
Regards
Liz, 51
Belfast
Hi my names liz and I have mild to moderate PCA dementia, in reply to your questions if I was at a centre music would be the first in my list, gardening weather permitting, bring some dogs, cats, animals into centre, old movies, exercise e.g. Chair aerobics, games, bocci inside bowls, painting, jewellery making, card making with stamps, get a singer in and have some dancing. I'm aware at late stages people may need more assistance but it is important to keep what is left of the brain alive. I know a lot of the stuff I have suggested costs money, I know there is a budget for thing like this, also do a cake day, or car boot sales to get some funds.
I just know when it comes my time at that stage I do not just want to sit and look into the air or sleep especially when I am fighting this illness with every bit of my life and I don't want to reach that stage and not have a voice to tell you what I want.
May I wish you all the best with your planning what to do, I certainly wish there was more people like yourself to help.
Regards
Liz, 51
Belfast
Hi everyone,
I'm posting this here because it's important to know from a person with Dementia's point of view. I'm currently volunteering at several day centres where people with moderate to late stage Dementia go for a couple of hours, lunch, and a nice afternoon.
However, these afternoons are getting quite long and boring for the people with Dementia because we can't think of things to do (it's only an hour or so) and I was wondering, if you were to go to a centre where there are 10 or so people with Dementia, what kinds of activities would you like to do?
I've thought about bringing in nice smelling hand lotions and creams along with nail varnish and having some pampering time, but I doubt very much the men would be interested!
Any recommendations? Thoughts on hand lotions?
Hallo All ... some terrific suggestions! May I add that Care Homes might like to consider applying to Pets as Therapy - details below - for a regular visit from a volunteer with their dog (or cat!) All dogs are assessed thoroughly for their temperament and general suitablity before they are allowed to visit. Also: relatives might be able to bring in a family pet, if that pet is calm and well behaved.
Hand massage is lovely - and even the men might enjoy it! (You could use E45 cream, baby or a little almond oil, instead of a scented cream); classical music is soothing and reminiscence therapy always goes down well. Scents and smells evoke strong memories - roses and lily of the valley in the summer; Christmas pud and cake in the winter; etc ...
Good Luck!
Pets as Therapy have a website but are also available at: 14a, High Street, Wendover, Aylesbury, Bucks. HP22 6EA. Tel: 01844 345445
Hand massage is lovely - and even the men might enjoy it! (You could use E45 cream, baby or a little almond oil, instead of a scented cream); classical music is soothing and reminiscence therapy always goes down well. Scents and smells evoke strong memories - roses and lily of the valley in the summer; Christmas pud and cake in the winter; etc ...
Good Luck!
Pets as Therapy have a website but are also available at: 14a, High Street, Wendover, Aylesbury, Bucks. HP22 6EA. Tel: 01844 345445
Scarves and Bangles
Hello Vampy,
I have just finished completing an application form for a project working with older people living with dementia and this was one of the questions. My mum,Meg, loved trying on my scarves and accessories and I would often leave them behind to 'swap' with others on my next visit. She was always interested in her clothes and had a fantastic sense and appreciation of colour and this was her way of continuing that I guess.
Have fun!
Hello Vampy,
I have just finished completing an application form for a project working with older people living with dementia and this was one of the questions. My mum,Meg, loved trying on my scarves and accessories and I would often leave them behind to 'swap' with others on my next visit. She was always interested in her clothes and had a fantastic sense and appreciation of colour and this was her way of continuing that I guess.
Have fun!
Mums home used to hand out simple percussion instruments to accompany the singing. One lady in particular would love to stand in the middle of the room with her tambourine Salvation Army style
They also did a simplified version of a beetle drive. Instead of teams changing tables the AC would sit with 4-5 people and help them complete their individual beetle. First to finish was given a sweet treat.
Sorry can't do link from my phone, but if you need the rules I'm sure Google can help.
They also did a simplified version of a beetle drive. Instead of teams changing tables the AC would sit with 4-5 people and help them complete their individual beetle. First to finish was given a sweet treat.
Sorry can't do link from my phone, but if you need the rules I'm sure Google can help.
Try making a memory box and putting pictures in a box or objects that remind them of their family or things they used to do I am only 15 and my greatgrandfather is in his late stage and my grandma is in her early stage so it is hard
activities
My Dad is in the moderate stage starting the final stages somewhat and he loves
songs from World War 2, patriotic songs, etc. Hope that helps. Also, the other day they had the residents dress up for the 4th of July with hats and beads, then they had a
parade.
My Dad is in the moderate stage starting the final stages somewhat and he loves
songs from World War 2, patriotic songs, etc. Hope that helps. Also, the other day they had the residents dress up for the 4th of July with hats and beads, then they had a
parade.
Sarah
There is a website called chatterbox that sell "many happy returns" reminiscence cards, these are excellent.
Hi everyone,
I'm posting this here because it's important to know from a person with Dementia's point of view. I'm currently volunteering at several day centres where people with moderate to late stage Dementia go for a couple of hours, lunch, and a nice afternoon.
However, these afternoons are getting quite long and boring for the people with Dementia because we can't think of things to do (it's only an hour or so) and I was wondering, if you were to go to a centre where there are 10 or so people with Dementia, what kinds of activities would you like to do?
I've thought about bringing in nice smelling hand lotions and creams along with nail varnish and having some pampering time, but I doubt very much the men would be interested!
Any recommendations? Thoughts on hand lotions?
There is a website called chatterbox that sell "many happy returns" reminiscence cards, these are excellent.
