Providing Alzheimers Activities
in your Home

Providing Alzheimers activities in your home is very important. Many people with Alzheimer's Disease get bored easy. Boredom can lead to wandering and problem behaviors. Your household will run much smoother if you stick to a daily routine and you provide activities to keep your family member occupied. Many families with a family member with this disease rely too heavily on the television to keep them occupied. That may work for some people for a short time period, but most people with Alzheimer's Disease can only watch television for a short period of time. I have found that the older television shows will hold their attention longer than the new ones. It varies from person to person.

Think about what they like to do, what are their interests? If he was a farmer it would be a good idea to invest in a couple of books on tractor photos. A fish tank or a window in front of a bird feeder may interest someone for hours. Maybe he was a mechanic, sorting nuts and bolts might be something which would keep him busy and make him feel needed. You have to figure this one out for your family member. We are all different. There are hundreds if not thousands of Alzheimers activities you can do at home with your family member. Get creative. Play their favorite music, dance, have a good time and enjoy each other. Remember to socialize if this has been your lifestyle. Do not isolate someone with this disease. They need the social interaction with others. Go for walks, go to parks, museums, whatever you can find to do, just get out of the house while you can.

The Alzheimers stage they are in, will dictate which activities are most appropriate for them. In the early stage they can still participate in most of their usual activities. It is a good idea to provide activities which will stimulate brain activity. Talk about current events every morning over coffee. Review trivia, there are different games and videos on the market. Work on a memory scrapbook together ( review it often to help maintain the memories). Organize your photo albums and review them frequently. It is a good idea to work on home movies also, whether it is creating new ones or editing the old ones. These will be helpful later down the line.

The Alzheimers activities for the middle stage are usually more physically oriented. You should continue with the brain activities for as long as possible. They will reach a point where they can only follow simple directions. You will find at this point simple household tasks can become an activity, such as folding clothes. For many people simple activities they have done thousands of times over their lifetime will be comforting to them now. Play games, but don't focus on the rules. It is the activity itself that is important. It is helping them to feel normal and independent. Keeping your family member with Alzheimer's Disease active is good for both of you, both physically and emotionally. Providing activities you can do together will help you to continue to share enjoyable experiences.

Late stage activities are mostly for comforting. Music should be used during all of the stages, but at this point mellow relaxing music will help calm them when they are restless. Reading to them is also a good activity. I have found audio books also work well for people in the middle and late stages. I believe the audio book keeps the mind active and also prevents them from feeling alone. There are hundreds if not thousands of Alzheimers activities you can do at home with your family member.

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