Inactivity is bad for older adults with Alzheimer’s because it prevents them from using their cognitive abilities and increases the risk of loneliness and boredom. To boost your senior loved one’s health, encourage him or her to maintain physical and social activity even as the disease progresses. Below are some ways to keep seniors with Alzheimer’s busy despite the challenges associated with the disease.
1. Cooking
Healthy cooking can keep your loved one busy, boost his or her mood and cognition, and lower the risk of depression. Cooking helps seniors with Alzheimer’s connect with others even when they cannot remember people’s names. Keep the activity fun and allow your loved one to choose the recipes. Cooking familiar entrées could trigger positive memories.
If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of home care Fort Lauderdale families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
2. Listening to Audiobooks
As Alzheimer’s progresses and decreases your loved one’s ability to read or write, you should consider purchasing audiobooks. Choosing this option allows your loved one’s passion for reading to continue even though Alzheimer’s has disrupted his or her brain function. Listening to audiobooks is a purposeful activity that stimulates the mind.
3. Knitting
For this activity, seniors with Alzheimer’s should use bright-colored yarn and large-gauge needles to prevent harm and simplify the projects. Older adults can exercise creativity to express themselves via the objects they knit, which is essential as Alzheimer’s progresses and continues to affect language and communication abilities. Fidgety hands are common in older adults with Alzheimer’s, but simple knitting projects can keep their hands busy in a soothing way.
4. Solving Picture Puzzles
Solving picture puzzles can exercise the mind and increase dopamine production. Avoid puzzles with a lot of small pieces, as they can be too challenging and increase the risk of combative behavior. Puzzles designed for individuals with Alzheimer’s typically include large, colorful pictures that are easier to put together.
An in-home caregiver can be a wonderful puzzle-solving partner for your loved one. Aging adults with Alzheimer’s disease can benefit from receiving professional Alzheimer’s care. Fort Lauderdale seniors need regular mental stimulation when managing memory-related conditions, and a reliable in-home caregiver who has extensive training in Alzheimer’s care can be a great asset.
5. Organizing Household Items
Looking at different objects around the home could stir memories and keep your loved one actively engaged. A clutter-free home is crucial to your loved one’s physical safety and mental health. Therefore, you should include your parent when organizing household items, regardless of how basic the organizational tasks may seem.
6. Gardening
If your loved one is working in the garden or simply sitting on a bench and enjoying the fresh air, the activity can boost his or her mental health and lessen feelings of irritability and fear. Being in the garden can stimulate the senses and keep the mind busy while planting different items, smelling the fresh air, listening to the birds chirping, and viewing the colorful flowers.
7. Listening to Music
Musical connections typically remain strong for older adults with Alzheimer’s, even in the later stages of the disease. Seniors can connect the songs with certain people, places, and things. While listening to music, your loved one can focus his or her attention on the song and feel more engaged.
If your loved one is living with Alzheimer’s, having a trained professional caregiver close by can provide you and your family with much-needed peace of mind. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of senior home care. You can rely on Assisting Hands Home Care to provide an individualized care plan to meet your elderly loved one’s unique care needs. Our caregivers help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and we offer mentally stimulating activities that can boost cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. Call one of our friendly Care Managers today to schedule a free consultation.
