Many seniors who have Alzheimer’s find it very difficult to stay engaged with the world around them, but family caregivers need to remember that it’s very important to keep their senior loved ones stimulated. Remaining physically and mentally active can enhance your aging loved one’s quality of life and reduce some of the most common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Finding a few activities your loved one enjoys can make your caregiving duties much easier, which can greatly boost quality of life for both you and your parent.
1. Try Simple Board Games
Board games are incredibly beneficial for seniors with Alzheimer’s, but they can get confusing at times. If your loved one has difficulty with math or problem-solving, try simple games like Connect Four or Pictionary. In addition to enhancing cognitive skills, these games can also boost confidence.
An in-home caregiver can be a wonderful game-playing partner for your loved one. Aging adults with Alzheimer’s disease can benefit from receiving professional Alzheimer’s care. Anchorage seniors need regular mental stimulation when managing memory-related conditions, and a reliable in-home caregiver who has extensive training in Alzheimer’s care can be a great asset.
2. Bake or Cook
In addition to being a challenging activity, cooking can also be very rewarding. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, many seniors lose their sense of purpose because they feel as if they can no longer complete basic tasks. By cooking a meal or baking a dish, your loved one will have a tangible reward for accomplishing a difficult task. With a short online search, you should be able to find a wide variety of recipes that require only a handful of ingredients and a few basic steps.
3. Work on a Garden
Getting outside for a few minutes every day gives your loved one a chance to burn some calories and get some sunshine. If your loved one used to enjoy working with his or her hands, you might want to have him or her tend a small garden. Simple chores such as trimming plants and sweeping paths are perfect for older adults with Alzheimer’s who have difficulty with complex tasks.
If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of elderly home care families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
4. Organize Household Items
Many seniors who have Alzheimer’s enjoy organizing items because it’s challenging and gives them tactile feedback. One example of organizing household items would be grouping socks by size and color. You can also take items from different areas of the home and have your loved one group the objects by their shapes or which rooms they belong in.
5. Find a Craft Your Loved One Enjoys
One of the best ways to keep seniors with Alzheimer’s entertained for hours is to find crafts they love. Some of the best options include painting, scrapbooking, and knitting. Many companies even make special crafting kits for seniors with Alzheimer’s that contain safe tools and instruments.
6. Sing Along to Your Loved One’s Favorite Music
Quite a few studies have shown that seniors with Alzheimer’s often preserve musical memories because the disease doesn’t always impact the area of the brain responsible for processing music. Even those who have moderate Alzheimer’s might still be able to sing along to their favorite bands and songs. Dancing and singing for a few hours a week could have a huge impact on your loved one’s mood and emotional health.
If your loved one is living with Alzheimer’s, having a trained professional caregiver close by can provide you and your family with much-needed peace of mind. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of elder care. Anchorage families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet your elderly loved one’s 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. Call us today at (907) 770-0907 to discuss how we can give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing your loved one is being cared for with professionalism and compassion.