Things to do with someone living with dementia

It can be difficult to think of things to do with someone living with dementia. It may be that their ability to communicate has been impacted so conversation becomes more difficult, and their mobility may be reduced so getting out and about is harder than it was. However, keeping people engaged in life reduces the risk of depression and evidence points to it slowing down the progression of the disease so it is worth persisting.

What works for one does not work for all

Whether we have dementia or not we are all different people and like different things so something that works for one person may not work for another. However, thinking about some of the many things that our CareGivers do with our clients there are plenty of options to try;

• Crafts - there are all sorts of crafts that you could try, from a colouring in book to knitting, to making something seasonal (like Christmas cards?).
• Pet therapy - animals can be very curative and although dog therapy is most common, I have recently seen guinea pig therapy in action which looked fantastic.
• Getting into nature - nature has a huge benefit to our wellbeing and finding a way to interact with it can be very positive for everyone. If it is difficult to get outside to nature, then think about what you can bring inside - perhaps a collection of leaves to put together into a collage.
• Music - I talked about this in my last column, music is great. There are plenty of Singing for the Mind groups around which are very popular.
• Groups - social interaction has a positive impact on us all, so have a look for local groups that you can both attend, lunch clubs, singing groups, (seated) exercise classes etc.
• Reminiscing - this can be an easy standby, just talking about old times, or using prompts like old pictures, historical websites, local history museums, films of times gone by etc.
• Cooking - If you are cooking anyway, see if you can turn it into an activity that you both get involved in.

The key thing is to try different ideas, see what works and what you both enjoy and do more of that. Try to focus on what the person can do rather than worrying about what they cannot.

Dementia Friends

If you are looking for a bit more practical help on how to interact with someone living with dementia, I am running my next free dementia awareness session at 8pm on 1 November at Farnham Maltings. Call 01252 745444 or visit their website book a place.

Alastair Shanks, Owner Right at Home GF and Dementia Friends Champion