Memory Care Activities

The Inn on Villa Lane provides quality Resident engagement for those living with dementia through our signature memory care program Honoring Choice.

When loved ones are diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, help is needed for them to continue to feel useful and to control loneliness, depression, anger, or agitation. Activities keep neurons firing in the brain, but dementia inhibits choosing and following through on activities on their own. Whether your loved one is living at home, in an assisted living or memory care community, or is involved in an Alzheimer’s day care program, there are many activities that our residents living with dementia can do and enjoy and can improve their qualify of life. Begin with activities that the person has enjoyed in the past. Here are some suggestions from The Inn on Villa Lane activity center:

• Watch for boredom from too simple activities, or frustration if too hard
• Keep it short, simple, with few instructions
• Be patient! Watch your facial expressions or raised eyebrows
• Keep activities routine, organized, and structured
• Limit activities to 45 minutes or less

Brain-stimulating activities for dementia residents such as these improve psychological well-being and encourage social participation:

Creativity: Coloring, painting, arts & crafts, listening to music, playing rhythm instruments, singing songs, hula dancing

Cooking/Kitchen: Wash & peel vegetables, shell peas, break beans, make popcorn; copy recipes onto cards and find pictures, make a grocery list

Daily Activities: Bathing, brushing teeth, getting dressed, eating

Gardening: Plant seeds and bulbs, pull weeds

Housework: Fold towels, sweep, set table, rake leaves

Photo and scrapbooking activities: Look through photo albums, create a scrapbook, look at old greeting cards and letters

Physical activities: Short walks, simple exercises, toss a large ball

Puzzles and Games: Bingo Press (numbers on cards are in numerical order to avoid confusion), object trivia (describe, facts), easy crossword puzzles, word searches with large type, jigsaw puzzles with large pieces, simple card and board games

Reading: Read aloud, look through magazines and books with pictures, read Bible or Bible stories, short story collections

Seasonal Decorating: Help decorate tree, string popcorn, put decorations up and take down

Social: Visit with family & friends, talk to pets

Sorting and Organizing: Sorting & organizing M & M, colorful beads, small hardware items, nail polish/lipstick, buttons, coins, organize pantry.

There are many other activities that dementia residents can do and enjoy, and may be initiated in an Alzheimer’s memory care center or at home, and carried through by a medical professional, family member, or caregiver. Be creative, and your loved one will enjoy life once again!