Activity Ideas for Early Stages of Dementia Care
Family and professional caregivers along with activity staff alike are always looking for something to pass the time with the one they care for and about who is navigating memory impairment. This blog entry covers a few great ideas for those who are in the early stages of memory impairment or dementia.
It is important to remember that we want all activities to be age-appropriate and not childlike. We want them to be dignified and do something they will feel proud of. We should always strive to keep our efforts in having those living with a diagnosis to feel proud, happy, and a feeling of achievement. Even better, it is best practice to have people living with dementia feel helpful, purposeful, and therefore respected and empowered.
If an activity is not bringing joy and a bit of wonder, it may not be a great fit for the person you are offering it to. Let’s check out a few fun options!
GrandPad. A simplified way to stay connected with friends and family. It’s also a great way to share pictures with your loved one! This device also has simplified games for a little entertainment along the way!
Foldable/Portable Kneeler/Seat for Gardening.
https://amzn.to/4jza53U
Relish Word Search. Fewer words, larger letters, and exaggerated spacing allows for a bit of an easier experience than a typical word search book.
Relish Marble Maze Game.
Left Right Center Game.
Giant Checkers & Tic Tac Toe Game.
Bean Bag Toss Tic Tac Toe Game.
Retro Ring Toss.
Velcro Ball Toss Game.
Four in a Row Yard Game.
Portable Bags Game.
Indoor Mini Putt Game.
Bingo Cards.
Giant Bingo Calling CARDS.
Large Bingo Balls.
https://amzn.to/4jDjnMn
13” Large Bingo Ball Cage.
Conversation Cards for Seniors.
Busy Board Game.
60 piece puzzle for seniors with discussion cards about the picture!
Book: 100 Short Stories for Seniors.
Book: Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul (those over 60 years old).
Book: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Age is Just a Number.
Magnifier for Reading.
https://amzn.to/40Jy0oQ
Senior Friendly Remote Control.
Scooter with Roof and Windshield. This one might be a bit of a stretch but how fun would this be to take for a ride just in the neighborhood or around a path? Obviously, if getting lost is an issue, this is not a good idea but if a person knows their path and needs that sense of independence, as an alternative to driving a car.
Shopping Cart with waterproof basket liner.
Shopping Cart. Lower Layer for Pets.
This list was extremely fun to put together! In fact, we suspect that there may be a part 2 in the near future! Our goal is to have this list be a list of fun things to do as or with older adults in the early stages of dementia but it might be a fun list of things we can do with grandkids or just ourselves too! Be sure to let us know if you have some fun ideas to add to the part 2 list in the future!
Full Disclosure: These items are linked to an Amazon Affiliate page and a tiny portion of sales from these links is given to Dragonfly Senior Navigation Services LLC.