Providing mentally enriching daily activities for loved ones with dementia is just as important as ensuring their best physical health. Sensory activities are commonly used in promoting cognitive function and enhancing the quality of life for individuals with dementia in skilled care communities, homes, and at day programs like the one at St. John’s Home.
St. John’s Dementia Caregiver Respite Program
St. John’s Dementia Resource Center offers a free weekly respite day program for local caregivers and their loved ones living with dementia. These activity-packed days provide a much-needed respite for caregivers to avoid burnout, as well as social stimulation for those with dementia.
The program focuses on incorporating activities that can stimulate all five of the human senses: touch, smell, sound, taste, and sight.
Some activities on the agenda include:
- Drum fitness
- Baking
- Balloon volleyball
- Sensory modeling dough
- Karaoke
- Trivia
- Painting
At-Home Sensory Activities
Many of the activities listed above and other can easily be done at home in one-on-one sessions with your loved one. Identifying a variety of stimulating activities that you and your loved one enjoy can take some “trial and error,” but remember that there is not “right way” or timeline. This website and Pinterest are great resources for ideas. They key to success can be as simple as knowing what your loved one once liked to do.
Did your loved one with dementia grow up baking with a family member? Following an easy recipe for something like chocolate chip cookies can provide your loved one with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Maybe you do not want to make a batch of cookies or turn on the oven so try making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Doing this activity step-by-step together can elicit those same confidence-boosting feelings.
Learning what you and your loved one enjoy together can bring joy into both of your daily lives and in some cases, it can also slow down the effects of dementia for the person experiencing this disease.
