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Here’s a question I often hear from staff on memory care units. How do we provide residents with meaningful and enjoyable activities when staffing is at a minimum? A good example might be on weekends when fewer activities staff are present.
Today I’m providing a list of 18 activities that generally only require set-up by staff, and then the resident can enjoy the activity independently. Of course, this varies depending upon the abilities of each person. But I believe you’ll find something that nearly every resident will enjoy.
Be sure you have a means of communicating activity options for each resident, whether this is on a list or in a care plan. That being said, residents will sometimes surprise us and show interest in an activity we never expected.
Also, please make staff aware of any safety issues regarding activities. For example, if a resident puts non-edible items in her mouth, you wouldn’t want a weekend CNA to unknowingly give her beads to sort.
I would also love to hear your ideas. Please share your activity suggestions in the comment section!
Garden catalogs
You can order free seed catalogs from major companies every spring. Residents enjoy looking at the colorful pictures, and these often bring back fond memories of their own gardens.
Matching games
Games that involve matching are a simple way to exercise the brain. A favorite activity among our residents is matching Old Maid cards.
Folding
A common activity on memory care units is folding towels and washcloths. But don’t forget other possibilities like sorting/folding colored socks or folding baby clothes.
Puzzles
A company called Keeping Busy offers an array of beautiful jigsaw puzzles created especially for people living with dementia.
Music
An increasingly popular activity for memory care involves the use of iPods. You’ll want to create individual playlists for each resident featuring their favorite music. Many nursing homes have had success asking for donations of iPods from the community.
Sorting
There’s no end to the variety of items that residents can sort. A few examples include playing cards, checkers, colored golf balls, poker chips, and silverware.
Flowers
Find an array of artificial flowers that look as realistic as possible, then spread them out on a table. Provide vases so residents can create pretty flower arrangements.
Dolls and animals
Interactive pets and dolls provide companionship to residents living with dementia. Two of the most popular ones are the Joy For All Cat and the Paradise Galleries Baby Doll.
Polishing
Many of our older residents recall the days when silverware needed to be polished because of tarnishing. Most of today’s flatware is made of stainless steel, but you can still ask residents to polish it for you. Try using toothpaste as a safer and less expensive polish.
Coloring
Gone are the days when coloring was just for kids. Many adults enjoy coloring as a means of relaxation and creativity. As a result, you can now find a wide assortment of coloring books created especially for adults.
Photo albums
Ask families to create a photo album for their loved one using copies of old pictures. Many residents don’t recognize people in current photos, but they’ll probably enjoy looking at pictures from their childhood or young adult years.
Building
Building with PVC pipes is an excellent activity for male residents. You can buy activity sets online; however, I’ve found that the most cost-effective way to get PVC pipe is to order it through your maintenance department.
Rummaging
Sometimes residents simply enjoy rummaging through familiar items. You can create a variety of rummage boxes using different themes: kitchen gadgets, jewelry, fabrics of different textures, tools, sports equipment.
Scrapbooks
Residents enjoy looking through themed scrapbooks that you can purchase online. Better yet, ask residents to help you make books using big, colorful pictures cut from magazines. Possible themes include farm machinery, kittens or puppies, flowers, birds, vintage cars, or babies.
Stringing
Our residents love to string Cheerios for the birds. You could also provide supplies so they can string beads to make bracelets or necklaces.
Painting
For mess-free painting, you can try reusable aqua painting projects. This is most appropriate for residents with more advanced dementia.
Cleaning
Residents want to feel helpful and useful. Encourage them to wipe tables, dust furniture, or sweep the floor. Be sure to thank them for their efforts when they’re done.
DVDs
One of my pet peeves is when I visit a memory care unit, and I find a random TV show blaring in the background. In general, I don’t recommend the use of television.
However, depending on the interests of the residents, it is sometimes okay to play short, old-time favorite TV shows. Or residents might enjoy DVDs featuring such things as nature scenes, cute animals, or music programs.
**Would you like a free printable list of these activities? I hope you’ll post this list as a quick reminder for your staff when they’re looking for activity ideas. You can also add your own notes after each category, depending upon what’s available at your facility.
You’ll also want to check out this popular article about how to adapt activities for memory care.
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