Unlocking Potential: Inspiring Activity Ideas for Clients with Dementia

Unlocking Potential: Inspiring Activity Ideas for Clients with Dementia

Caring for clients with dementia can sometimes feel like a challenge, especially when it comes to finding engaging activities. It’s easy to fall into a trap of thinking there are limits to what they can do. However, our experiences at Home Instead Wimbledon and Kingston show us time and time again that we mustn’t underestimate the potential of our clients.

Suzie S. recently shared this fantastic story. Her client Margaret who is ninety-five, suffers from dementia. Originally from Edinburgh, she moved to London in 1956. Margaret often talks about going back to Edinburgh, but she has realised she no longer has family or friends there. We worked out together that she has lived in London longer than she did in Edinburgh.

Now our Suzie is more than just a Care Professional, she is also the Community Liaison Officer for Wimbledon and Kingston. More than that though, Suzie has shown through the years her dedication to her clients and how astute she is in her knowledge of the needs of older adults generally. This once again made evident through the birthday present she gifted Margaret this year. In May, Suzie gave Margaret a five-hundred-piece puzzle of London, not just as a way of celebrating Margaret’s life in the city but to support Margaret’s cognitive stimulation and wellbeing. Margaret loved it. Once the London puzzle was completed Margaret asked her son, Keith, for one of Edinburgh, and he happily obliged. Today, Margaret is on her fourth five-hundred-piece puzzle.

Margaret says she likes puzzles as they are something she can do when she’s on her own. Suzie has seen the smile on her face when she finds a piece that fits, and her family are so happy to see their mum so engaged and motivated by the puzzles. Before this, her family had bought her a snap game and a twenty-piece puzzle made specifically for adults with dementia.  Suzie’s incisive gift proves how important it is not to limit clients and just how important cognitive stimulation is to a person’s overall wellbeing.

Embracing Cognitive Stimulation

According to Dementia UK, cognitive stimulation therapy is a fantastic way to engage clients with dementia. It involves a wide range of activities designed to stimulate thinking and memory. These activities can include:

• Discussions about past and present events
• Word games and puzzles
• Listening to and playing music
• Practical activities like baking or gardening

Care Professionals can provide this valuable therapy on a one-to-one basis at home.

Suzie knew that research shows that clients with dementia who regularly engage in cognitive stimulation activities show significant improvements in memory, thinking, and reasoning.  These benefits are not just short-term; they can last long after the activities have stopped. Moreover, clients report an improved quality of life and better communication and interaction with their carers if they are provided with such stimulation, which we have seen with Margaret.

We know that every client is different but here are some ideas to get you thinking about activities you can do:

1. Memory Games: Simple word or number puzzles can be a great way to engage clients. You can find puzzles in books and even at the back of free newspapers!
2. Music Therapy: Playing a favourite song or encouraging them to sing along can trigger happy memories and improve mood.
3. Gardening: Even simple tasks like watering plants or arranging flowers can be very therapeutic.
4. Cooking and Baking: Involve your clients in baking simple recipes. The act of measuring, mixing, and tasting can be very stimulating if it’s of interest to them.
5. Arts and Crafts: Encourage your clients to paint, draw, or do simple craft projects with your support. This can be a wonderful way to express creativity and recall happy memories.

Our experience with Margaret and the insights from Dementia UK remind us that we should never underestimate the potential of our clients. By incorporating engaging and stimulating activities into their daily routines, we can help improve their quality of life and provide them with moments of joy and accomplishment. Let’s continue to think creatively and provide our clients with the rich, fulfilling lives they deserve.