Activities for those who have Alzheimer’s and Dementia Disorders

There are many different stages that a person with Alzheimer’s and other Dementia disorder go through. Keeping these seniors busy with activities is a great way to maintain engagement. Some basic guidelines for activities are:

· Take note of what activities make the person happy (vs. anxious or irritable)
· Focus on enjoyment vs. achievement when it comes to activity selection
· While it’s great to have some “special” projects, encourage activities that center around daily life – this will help your senior feel like a valuable member of the household

This awesome list of “101 Activities” is made available by alz.org

1

Listen to music

2

Toss a ball

3

Color pictures

4

Make homemade lemonade

5

Count trading cards

6

Clip coupons

7

Sort poker chips

8

Read out loud chapters from Harry Potter books or other favorite stories

9

Rake leaves

10

String beads

11

Bake cookies

12

Take photos of the person and you and create a collage

13

Brush or comb one another’s hair

14

Participate in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
To learn more about Walk, please click here.

15

Plant seeds indoors or outdoors

16

Look at family photographs

17

Wipe off the kitchen table

18

Weed the flowerbed or tend to the garden

19

Fold laundry

20

Have a friend visit with a well-behaved pet

21

Cut pictures out of greeting cards or magazines

22

Play dominoes

23

Ask the person about his or her favorite childhood books or cartoon characters (you can share yours too)

24

Bake homemade bread

25

Sort objects by shape or color

26

Sing old songs

27

Invite the person to tell you more when he or she talks about a memory

28

Put silverware away

29

Make a Valentine card

30

Play favorite songs and sing

31

Ask the person about his or her brothers or sisters

32

Make a cherry pie

33

Play with tops or jacks

34

Make a scrapbook

35

Take a walk around the yard

36

Write a poem together

37

Reminisce about the first day of school

38

String Cheerios® to hang outside for birds

39

Make a fresh fruit salad

40

Sweep the patio

41

Color paper shamrocks green

42

Fold towels

43

Have an afternoon tea party

44

Talk about great inventions

45

Look through the pages of a clothes catalog

46

Look at a map of the United States and identify states and capitals

47

Make a family tree poster

48

Color a picture of our flag

49

Eat a picnic lunch outside

50

Water house plants

51

Play horseshoes

52

Dance

53

Watch Sesame Street together

54

Make homemade ice cream

55

Make holiday cards

56

Reminisce about favorite sports activities the person enjoyed while growing up

57

Write a letter to a friend or family member

58

Dress in your favorite football or soccer team’s color

59

Pop popcorn

60

Name the presidents

61

Give a manicure

62

Make paper butterflies

63

Plant a tree

64

Finish famous sayings

65

Feed the ducks

66

Model with play dough

67

Look at pictures in a comic book

68

Put a puzzle together

69

Sand wood

70

Rub in hand lotion

71

Arrange fresh flowers

72

Remember famous people

73

Recite nursery rhymes

74

Make peanut butter sandwiches

75

Cut up used paper for scratch paper

76

Blow bubbles

77

Take care of a fish tank

78

Bake cupcakes and decorate them

79

Interview the person about his or her life using either a video camera or cassette recorder

80

Play Hangman

81

Finger paint

82

Cut out pictures from magazines

83

Put coins in a jar

84

Put bird seed out for the birds

85

Decorate a pumpkin

86

Reminisce about a favorite summer

87

Roll yarn into a ball

88

Trace and cut out autumn leaves

89

Cook a favorite family recipe together

90

Gather a yellow sponge, crayons, paper and tape and make a SpongeBob SquarePants

91

Wash silverware

92

Give him or her a hug

93

Ask the person to show you how to knit or sew (or another favorite hobby)

94

Make a picture frame our of popsicle sticks and glitter

95

Play a musical instrument

96

Keep a journal together

97

Ask the person to talk about his or her favorite sports hero

98

Sort playing cards

99

Ask the person about his or her favorite pet

100

Wash windows together

101

Ask the person about his or her first car

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