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Stimulating Memory Care Activities for Seniors with Dementia

a senior does one of many activities for seniors with dementia with a caregiver

If you have a loved one suffering from dementia, it can be hard to help them navigate their memory loss journey and find comfort and control in their day-to-day life. There are many activities for seniors with dementia that can help their confidence and cognitive function and distract them from their struggles. While nothing will recover their memory loss, giving these seniors a better quality of life—and keeping them engaged—as they live out their golden years is invaluable.

The team at Westminster Place is happy to answer any questions you have about memory care services and activities for seniors with dementia. Our life care community in Longview, TX, offers a variety of programs and activities designed specifically for seniors with memory loss. Find help for your loved one with our senior memory care services today by calling 903.329.6520.

Senior Memory Activities

Activities for seniors with dementia are not just about winning at a game or even completing an activity. Instead, they’re about going through the process of just doing something. The goal is to get the person living with memory loss engaged and occupied so that they are less frustrated with their situation. Choose activities to help them live in the moment and focus on that task you’ve put in front of them. This keeps their mind from thinking about what they don’t know, can’t do, or are having trouble remembering.

Help a senior struggling with memory issues to get a small bit of control over their lives through activities like:

Knitting

While it’s not for everyone, it’s a great activity because it is tactile and repetitive to keep the mind focused and engaged with a simple task.

Music

Music can be a powerful tool. Just listening to music can connect them to memories, and singing can be a happy way to express themselves and change their mindset.

Arts and Crafts

Expressing yourself through visual arts can stimulate the mind in a positive way. Putting pen or paint to paper (in any form) or creating a personalized collage from family photos and favorite magazines.

Folding Laundry

It may seem silly, but this simple and repetitive activity creates a feeling of accomplishment and independence.

Knots

Tie them or untie them. This tactile memory care activity provides excellent sensory stimulation and can even get creative when seniors try and make up their own knots. Untying can be just as fun as trying to tie them.

Puzzles

As long as they are not too tricky, puzzles are popular with older adults, and they are a great activity to help keep the mind trained on finding pieces and putting them in their place, which can be a very satisfactory feeling.

Memory Boxes

These are great to work on as a family unit if possible. Everyone can contribute memorabilia or things that signify milestones in a loved one’s life. They are a great tool to pull out when a senior suffering from dementia is having an especially hard day.

This is just a small sample of the kinds of enriching activities for seniors with dementia. How your loved one responds to them will depend on their interests, personality, and stage of dementia. The most important thing is to keep trying different things until you find what works best for them.

Building an Enriching Routine

Whatever activities you choose to take part in with a senior living with dementia, be sure to keep a few things in mind:

  • Take the senior’s individual needs into consideration
  • Create consistent routines
  • Remember that while structure is good, activities can be in the moment, and spontaneity may be what your senior craves
  • Set expectations and keep activities simple and brief
  • Plan activities for when they are most alert during the day
  • Focus on the activity, not the outcome

Caring for a senior with dementia is not an easy task. While these memory care activities can help, there may be times when a senior needs additional support and care. It’s important to reach out for help and seek professional memory care services when needed.

Memory Care for Dementia at The Harbor

Westminster Place’s dedicated memory care community is called The Harbor. The Harbor offers comfortable apartment-style living in a community designed just for residents dealing with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. This secure community has its own courtyard and garden, gourmet dining, and many memory care and general activities to enjoy.

Residents at The Harbor enjoy:

  • Comfortable single apartments, each with a private bathroom
  • Communal dining in a spacious restaurant-style room
  • An on-staff culinary director
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Available laundry services
  • Cable and internet included
  • Staff available for all their needs, like chaplain services and a social worker
  • 24/7 emergency services are available
  • An on-site beauty salon and barbershop
  • Private outdoor spaces
  • A variety of memory care programming and activities

We are dedicated to providing personalized and compassionate care for residents at The Harbor. Our trained staff is available 24/7 to assist with a variety of needs, such as medication management, housekeeping, dressing, bathing, and much more.

Call Westminster Place for Memory Care Services Today

Westminster Place offers a safe, secure, and peaceful memory care facility in beautiful Longview, Texas. Memory care residents have a home away from home with the benefit of around-the-clock care and services. If you are a family member or caregiver, you can have peace of mind knowing that your loved one is happy and well cared for.

A continuum of care is offered at Westminster Place so that if your care needs change over time, you can adjust your senior living arrangements within the same community. We offer independent living, assisted living, memory care, long-term care, and respite care services.

If you are ready to help your loved one get the level of care, attention, support, and respect that they deserve, then contact our team online or at 903.329.6520 to learn more about memory care today.