keeping someone with dementia /Alzheimer's occupied
- Thread starter russia
- Start date
Hullo and welcome to the forum @russia.
Everyone is different. of course. My partner can't follow television easily, but loves music, so CDs and DVDs usually have the desired effect. What she will listen to varies from day to day sadly. Would you or the person you care for enjoy memory cafes ? The one we go to has crafts and occasionally music. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/find-support-near-you will help you find something local, as well as any other local support you might need.
Everyone is different. of course. My partner can't follow television easily, but loves music, so CDs and DVDs usually have the desired effect. What she will listen to varies from day to day sadly. Would you or the person you care for enjoy memory cafes ? The one we go to has crafts and occasionally music. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/find-support-near-you will help you find something local, as well as any other local support you might need.
Hello @russia and welcome from me too
I wonder if you may find something of use in the list of the very informative Factsheets can be found with this link https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets-full-list
If communicating becomes an issue, a few handy tips can be picked from the useful thread that can be reached with this link https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/compassionate-communication-with-the-memory-impaired.30801/
An example of a Factsheet that applies to your specific question can be found with the following link
Keeping active and involved (1506)
PDF printable version
My wife, who has dementia, gets great fun out of very simple on-line games on her tablet. I know a lot of members have had success with this.
I wonder if you may find something of use in the list of the very informative Factsheets can be found with this link https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets-full-list
If communicating becomes an issue, a few handy tips can be picked from the useful thread that can be reached with this link https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/compassionate-communication-with-the-memory-impaired.30801/
An example of a Factsheet that applies to your specific question can be found with the following link
Keeping active and involved (1506)
PDF printable version
My wife, who has dementia, gets great fun out of very simple on-line games on her tablet. I know a lot of members have had success with this.
I find myself leaving him to fiddle with undoing his lace up boots for 20 minutes or so - would take me seconds but it keeps him occupied. He has Parkinson's so no coordination for craft (and seeing as he's never done anything crafty in his life until now, I don't think introducing them now would be ideal)
My dad still reads the newspaper and although I don't think he remembers what he has read it is a normal behaviour for him as he always read the paper every day. Maybe look for something that they used to do many years back.
I also occasionally do jigsaw puzzles with him. Large pieces and about 200 pieces. Although I do most of it it keeps him engaged looking for the 'straight' edges and then I normally pick a colour and we look for the yellow piece etc.
A mixture of things they can do themselves and together with someone seems the best.
It all depends on what stage they are at.
Hope this helps
I also occasionally do jigsaw puzzles with him. Large pieces and about 200 pieces. Although I do most of it it keeps him engaged looking for the 'straight' edges and then I normally pick a colour and we look for the yellow piece etc.
A mixture of things they can do themselves and together with someone seems the best.
It all depends on what stage they are at.
Hope this helps
The home mam was in had loads of books full of old pictures of the local area.
Mam could spend hours looking through them, recognising familiar scenes from her childhood etc.
Sometimes I’d search you tube & find old films about the area, she loved those too.
Hope you find something that helps
X
Mam could spend hours looking through them, recognising familiar scenes from her childhood etc.
Sometimes I’d search you tube & find old films about the area, she loved those too.
Hope you find something that helps
X
Thank you all for all your help and suggestions, the thing is she is not interested in anything, no puzzels, no tv, no magazines, and most days until 12-1 pm she is very sleepy so she is not up to much.
I do take her out sometimes but she soon forgets and that is when she gets really angry, she complains that she never goes anywhere etc. She gets very very annoyed if her partner leaves her side, but he is fine and likes to do his own thing, he is very good and spend most of the day by her side, but he likes to go out and about and as soon as she realizes he is not by her side she gets so agitated that she wears herself out to the point that she doesn't even have any strength left to eat anything. She even gets quite violent.
I feel i am not doing enough to contribute to her wellbeing.
I think she might need to be reassessed again by the doctors as perhaps she needs her medication changed, she might need something that will help her not to get so agitated /violent and upset when her partner is not by her side, because she is never alone, i am always by her side and so is he apart from a few hours a day that he likes to go and do a few things.
Thank you all again for all your suggestions
I do take her out sometimes but she soon forgets and that is when she gets really angry, she complains that she never goes anywhere etc. She gets very very annoyed if her partner leaves her side, but he is fine and likes to do his own thing, he is very good and spend most of the day by her side, but he likes to go out and about and as soon as she realizes he is not by her side she gets so agitated that she wears herself out to the point that she doesn't even have any strength left to eat anything. She even gets quite violent.
I feel i am not doing enough to contribute to her wellbeing.
I think she might need to be reassessed again by the doctors as perhaps she needs her medication changed, she might need something that will help her not to get so agitated /violent and upset when her partner is not by her side, because she is never alone, i am always by her side and so is he apart from a few hours a day that he likes to go and do a few things.
Thank you all again for all your suggestions
Hi @russia, I went to pound land and bought 5 packets of large colored beads and some plastic blue gardenwire, I cut the wire to a manageable length and tied a knot at one end, and poured the coloured beads into a large plastic sandwich container.
My mum can spend hours just sorting the beads into colour order and then threading them and she absolutely loves it so I started to buy 1 packet every week and now she has a full box. She will watch TV but looses the storyline, she will read same pages in a book and I have bought her a mini gym which she can do sitting in her favourite chair which she does occasionally. But I too have days where she has hours not wanting to do those things and they are the hardest of days so I understand how you feel. I'm not looking forward the longer days!