Once you have been designated as caregiver for a family member, you discover the need for an arsenal of things to do with them throughout the day. Though it can be stressful to provide for someone who is experiencing a decline in mental capabilities, it is also enriching to provide for them. Here are six beneficial things you can include in the daily schedule to keep them active and aware as long as possible.
Finding new ways to help your loved one continue to interact with you is challenging. What works for one person may not do so well for another. Trial and error is the key to finding what works for today, but keeping in mind that tomorrow may be completely different is important. Beneficial activities for people with dementia are those that are chosen to help their specific needs.
Undeniably one of the best choices for therapy is to encourage music sessions. Studies conducted at the Music and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, have indicated that it may be possible to help stroke patients and others with various dementia to improve with listening to musical selections. Though not completely understood, it is known that certain brain areas are capable of routing signals around damaged parts to help improve function. Some people in therapies have been able to improve through slow singing, even though their speech has been impaired.
When stronger hands and eyes are the goal, ball tossing or rolling is excellent. Patients who are mobile enough to exercise outdoors benefit greatly from doing so. The scenery change is often enough to perk up depression. Softer, smaller balls are best, and are certainly available for bedridden patients as well. Just smoothing sheets, blankets and bedspreads can create a play area for them. It is a joy that remains from childhood, which can be accessed for happier times much later in life.
To bring back happy memories of childhood while improving small motor coordination, try coloring books and crayons. Many people enjoy choosing colors and pictures, happily filling in the various shapes. It is an easy joy that allows for plenty of artistic expression without the frustration of complicated artist tools.
Anyone who can hold a camera, or a cell phone equipped with one, can enjoy an hour or so taking pictures. Looking through the lens to capture just the right image is a stimulating activity that keeps the brain working on a nice task. Encourage a loved one to take photos of everyone there. This is one of the best times for developing a family record of that individual and good times spent together.
Gardeners know the passion they feel about gardening. Sharing the work of planting seeds either outdoors or in can be a great physical and mental therapy. Digging into the soil with tools or hands builds stronger muscles and exerting this energy is calming. Getting the seeds into exactly the right depth and spacing is excellent for maintaining eye to hand coordination. Once the seeds begin to sprout and then grow into tender young plants, the results are very satisfying.
Anytime of the year, spending a day in the kitchen baking cookies together is a treat. Working to mix the dough and then forming it into various shapes is a wonderful exercise for the small muscles in arms and hands. Decorating the treats with colorful icing and sprinkles is fun. Waiting to eat the results probably never happens, it seems, but everyone truly enjoys these memorable moments.
Finding new ways to help your loved one continue to interact with you is challenging. What works for one person may not do so well for another. Trial and error is the key to finding what works for today, but keeping in mind that tomorrow may be completely different is important. Beneficial activities for people with dementia are those that are chosen to help their specific needs.
Undeniably one of the best choices for therapy is to encourage music sessions. Studies conducted at the Music and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, have indicated that it may be possible to help stroke patients and others with various dementia to improve with listening to musical selections. Though not completely understood, it is known that certain brain areas are capable of routing signals around damaged parts to help improve function. Some people in therapies have been able to improve through slow singing, even though their speech has been impaired.
When stronger hands and eyes are the goal, ball tossing or rolling is excellent. Patients who are mobile enough to exercise outdoors benefit greatly from doing so. The scenery change is often enough to perk up depression. Softer, smaller balls are best, and are certainly available for bedridden patients as well. Just smoothing sheets, blankets and bedspreads can create a play area for them. It is a joy that remains from childhood, which can be accessed for happier times much later in life.
To bring back happy memories of childhood while improving small motor coordination, try coloring books and crayons. Many people enjoy choosing colors and pictures, happily filling in the various shapes. It is an easy joy that allows for plenty of artistic expression without the frustration of complicated artist tools.
Anyone who can hold a camera, or a cell phone equipped with one, can enjoy an hour or so taking pictures. Looking through the lens to capture just the right image is a stimulating activity that keeps the brain working on a nice task. Encourage a loved one to take photos of everyone there. This is one of the best times for developing a family record of that individual and good times spent together.
Gardeners know the passion they feel about gardening. Sharing the work of planting seeds either outdoors or in can be a great physical and mental therapy. Digging into the soil with tools or hands builds stronger muscles and exerting this energy is calming. Getting the seeds into exactly the right depth and spacing is excellent for maintaining eye to hand coordination. Once the seeds begin to sprout and then grow into tender young plants, the results are very satisfying.
Anytime of the year, spending a day in the kitchen baking cookies together is a treat. Working to mix the dough and then forming it into various shapes is a wonderful exercise for the small muscles in arms and hands. Decorating the treats with colorful icing and sprinkles is fun. Waiting to eat the results probably never happens, it seems, but everyone truly enjoys these memorable moments.
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