Alzheimer’s disease affects cognitive function, memory, problem-solving skills, and behavior. It’s also a progressive illness, which means it gets worse over time. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, seniors start to have more trouble with daily tasks. Senior home care providers can offer help with daily tasks, but they can also help seniors build routines with engaging activities that help their brains stay healthier longer.
Puzzles and Brain Games
Puzzles of all sorts and brain games are great for seniors in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, number games, word games, and more all help with memory recall and stimulate the brain. They can also be fun to engage in with other people.
Memory Activities and Journaling
Creating personalized memory books or journals can help seniors to write down and preserve the stories and memories that they don’t want lost as Alzheimer’s disease progresses. These items can help the seniors themselves reminisce, but they’re also a way to share positive memories and stories with family members.
Music Activities
Music of all sorts helps to keep the brain stimulated, too. Music activates parts of the brain associated with memory and emotions. This works with both listening to music and playing musical instruments. Listening to favorite music can help to improve moods and can be a regulating activity for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease.
Gardening
Gardening is an activity that can help seniors with Alzheimer’s disease to keep their brains engaged while also staying physically active and creating something that gives them a sense of accomplishment. Elder care providers can help seniors to plan out what they want to do and they can also help seniors to tend to the plants once they’re established.
Sensory Activities
Sensory activities are helpful for seniors in all stages of Alzheimer’s disease. These are activities that involve senses like sight, touch, smell, or sound. Seniors might explore different textures of fabrics, paper, or other items. They might try aromatherapy or other types of smell-oriented activities. These sensory activities help to stimulate different parts of the brain, keeping them active.
Arts and Crafts
Making something gives seniors a huge sense of accomplishment. Simple crafts like painting, crocheting, or even just coloring in a coloring book allow for self-expression and help seniors maintain motor skills. Home care providers can help seniors set up and choose different arts and crafts to try.
Physical Movement
Moving the body, even just a little bit, can help seniors to reduce anxiety, improve their sleep, and keep their bodies as healthy as possible. This is really important when seniors are battling Alzheimer’s disease. Senior home care providers can help aging adults remember to move more and ensure that they’re engaging in physical activity as safely as possible.
Engaging in as many of these activities can help seniors with Alzheimer’s disease to slow down the progression of this complicated disease. Senior home care providers can help families to understand more about Alzheimer’s disease and how they can help the seniors they love.
Assisting Hands of Loudoun proudly serves Ashburn, Leesburg, Lansdowne, Aldie, Broadlands, Brambleton, Belmont, Sterling, Dulles, Hamilton, Purcellville, Loudoun County, and surrounding areas in Northern Virginia.
We provide Senior Home Care, Personal Care Services, Companion Care at Home, In-Home Dementia Care, Hospital-to-Home Transition, and 24-Hour Home Care. Call us today for a free, no-obligation assessment at (703) 982-0050.
- Engaging Activities for Seniors with Alzheimer’s Disease - November 25, 2024
