Alzheimer`s Activities Expert

We are going to digress for this activity using large colorful pictures of babies doing different things. 

This is another ideal activity to be done with the flash cards, “Adorable Photographs of Our Baby” 

Before the actual beginning of the game, it is probably best to discuss all the different things babies do. There are fourteen baby photograph cards, so gear your discussion towards what is on the photographs. Here is a list of what the babies are doing: 

Twp babies kissing                                                                                    
The baby is playing with bright colorful toys in his crib.                                
The baby is eating. The baby is sweeping.                                                 
The baby is cooking                                           
The baby is taking a bath.                                            
The baby is drying off
The baby is being rubbed with body lotion
The baby is resting on a dog                                                 
The baby is going for a walk                                                          
The baby is singing. 2 pictures
The baby is all dressed up
The baby is sleeping 

To view some of these pictures go to  http://www.amazon.com/dp/1424321840?tag=dementia05-20&camp=15309&creative=331441&linkCode=st1&creativeASIN=1424321840&adid=11376JGHJ65C6VSTJ0XD

or go here

http://books.google.com/books?id=Vwi158NHdY0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=adorable+photographs&ei=tRAzSd2ZLojiNPT3oJ4N#PPP1,M1
for more pictures or email alzheimersideas@gmail.com for some photos 

Come back tomorrow for more details

By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://dementia.today.com

While they are doing that you could talk about babies. You could have soft baby items for the participant(s) to hold and share with all the persons in the group.
 
Suggested items are: a baby doll, a baby blanket, a baby rattle, a clean cloth baby diaper, a baby wash cloth and towel, baby lotion
 
Explanations:
A baby doll often seems real to a woman with moderate to late stage dementia. She gets much comfort from holding the doll. If you are in long term care, make sure you have a care plan in place if the person with dementia uses a doll for comfort.
 
A baby……come back tomorrow for more explanations.
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://dementia.today.com

What also works well are all knds of tactile props that your friend with dementia can possibly see and touch.
 
You could create a baby picture with something soft and or silky on it..
 
People with dementia like to rub silky and furry things.
 
Some people with dementia also like to try to eat inappropriate objects. Therefore you need to be on the lookout for this
 
You could have a placemat with a large colorful picture on it. Make sure thr placemat or other object is interesting to touch.
 
You could have several large baby photographs for the dementia person to arrange and rearrange.
While they are doing that you could
…
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://dementia.today.com

Happy Thanksgiving to all the loyal readers and to tne new readers of this highly informative Alzheimer’s and related dementia, activity blog

Were you waiting with baited breath to find out what is sure to bring a smile to just about every person with dementia?
 
The answer is BABIES. People are hard wired to love and care for babies.
If not humans would be extinct.
 
Anyway, if you cannot have a live baby visit, show persons with dementia baby photographs or home movies of babies..
 
You can center a days worth of activities around babies and what they do during the day.
 
Of course, it might be a bit much to care for a baby and a person with dementia at the same time.
 
You may want a live baby visit for short periods periodically and have baby photographs and other baby props around for dementia persons to investigate.
 
What also works well….
Come back tomorrow to find out.
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://dementia.today.com

Many activities are best done one on one for lower functioning folks who are visually impaired when trying to visually stimulate them.
 
You can have a photo album with large pictures. However they may not be able to see them clearly or they may not know what they mean
 
You can describe the pictures in simple terms. You could say I know that the person(s) in the picture loves you and wanted me to give you a big hug from them.
 
Hugs are just great. They will know you care. The act of hugging will bring a smile to their face.
 
Another thing that is sure to bring smiles all around is….
 
Come back tomorrow to find out
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://dementia.today.com

By engaging those with late stage Alzheimer’s disease or other late stage dementias, is a bit more challenging. However it is critical.
 
One thing you must remember reactions to an activity are subtle. You might see a smile on someone’s face. He/she might try to hold your hand or try to verbalize.
Please watch closely for responses.
By far the best type of activities focus on the senses. Try to use those senses that seem to get the most positive response.
“What are the senses?”, you ask
The sense of sight- Unfortunately, many with late stage dementia or Alzheimer’s have poor vision. Thus you have to be their eyes
Now what
Come back tomottow to find out
 
As always, please leave your questions and comments
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://dementia.today.com

We want to include this low level, non verball person in the conversation, in some way
Here are a few ways to do it
 
Say,” I know (non verbal person’s name) likes (whatever.) I can tell by his/her smile.” or
Give an expected answer and say that is what (the non verbal person) would say if he/she could talk
 
Then gently squeeze the non verbal peron’s hand or rub his back.
 
You may want to give this person a sensory object to hold.
Studues have shown that doing this will ground this type of person and actually can arouse him/her if the person os lethargic or calm his/her down if mild agitation is present
 
What kinds of objects can you  use?
 
If you have a whole group of non verbal low functioning folks with dementia, this is not the best activity for them
 
What is?
 
Come back for the next post tomorrow, to find out the answers to these questions.\
 
Comments and questions are always welcome
Thank you
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://dementia.today.com

Here is an explanation of how to involve someone in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia

 A non verbal person and/or one who is in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, may not understand the game at all but benefits from the social interaction. You also may want to provide this person with some tactile stimulation during the activity.

For example, let him/her stroke or scratch different feeling fabrics or a stuffed animal appropriate for the activity .

You may want to apply some soothing, fragrant hand cream to them, if he/she can tolerate it.

Include this person in the conversation in some way by saying, for example

Come back for the next post tomorrow, to find out

Comments and questions are always welcomeThank youBy Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://dementia.today.com

How to do a great job helping those with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, succeed at an activity is not difficult,. it just takes knowledge of the person with dementia and some basic skills on your part.
 
Because you know the strengths and weakness of the dementia person, you are going to use his/her strengths to formulate a hint
 
If the person is in the early stages of any of these diseases, the hint can be more general and open ended.
 
If this is too difficult for the dementia person, perhaps, giving a choice of two things is more appropriate.
 
An explanation of how to involve someone in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, next time
 
Comments and questions are always welcome
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://dementia.today.com

How to be an effective hint giver for this game to people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias
 
The name of the game is, as you recall, What’s My Thanksgiving Line?” However this game can be played for any holiday or any anything.
 
Also to see a copy of the game click here
What’s My Thanksgiving Line?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1013904/whats_my_thanksgiving_line.html?cat=12
 
I do not want to sound like a broken record, but it is true. Know the people you are working with whether it is an individual or a group of people with Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias, or many long term care residents.
 
What might you need to do?
 
Read the next post
 
See you then
 
By Susan Berg author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful Mind Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones and Involved Professionals a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.
http://www.alzheimersideas.com
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/dementiacare/
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiatips.blogspot.com
http://dementia.today.com