Alzheimer`s Activities Expert

Since I shared an Ash Wednesday Spiritual Circle this past Wednesday, I am sharing something elso today.

I am sure you can tell by the picture what I am talking about.

How do we get folks with dementia or anyone else for that matter interested in square dancing and why would you want to?

Every six months or so I invite a local square dancing group to our nursing home. As you can see by the picture, the members of the group are not young. Yet all are sharp mentally. Why “You ask?”

I have not delved into each person’s background. However I know that when you do activities that stimulate your mind and body at the same time, you go a long way in staving off dementia.

The folks I work with everyday already have dementia. So what do I do?
First let them watch a group of square dancers perform
Let all who wish be part of the dancing group
Get some  help for those in wheelchairs They can try it in their chair
Alternately, have a square dancing circle by placing the chairs in a circle so they can watch, listen and do what they can.
Everyone can clap and have a good time

Here is something you should try to get going
SQUARE DANCING TODAY 

Remember to start with simple steps

More tomorrow

Activities Directors, other healthcare professionals and caregivers, fearured here is a meaningful activity that is easy, yet produces wondrous results

Whether your loved one or client has dementia, some other disorder, or you just want to provide something meaningful for him to watch, I recommend this inspirational Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Gift of Love, video. It featuires two uplifting short films.

The first is, “Mrs. Wetherby’s Treasure,” It is about two sweet and innocent 9-year-old girls who befriend themselves to an elderly neighbor. They discover a truly wondrous and unexpected friendship .

The second short film is entitled “Dear Grandmother,” It features a series of unexpected events in the life of a New York fashion coordinator named Celia Davis. In a short period of time, Celia loses her estranged mother and is appointed guardian of her 12-year-old half sister Merry, who is quite a handful. They go  on a lengthy cross-country journey together. They start out as strangers but by the time the journey is over, they form a joyous, deep-seated bond.

For those working in long term care this is a must have in your film collection.

Chicken Soup for the Soul products provide those with Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias, and others living at a long term care facilities with something wonderful.

More tomorrow and more at my sister site

Activities Directors, other healthcare professionals and caregivers. What do you do for the resident, client or family mamber who likes to do things independently?

I just found this book which is ideal for those who are even the least bit interested in history. The puzzles are easy enough that people who like to puzzles can achieve success and be challenged at the same time.

There are so many historical events we celebrate throughout the year. It is nice to have a book that highlights them in an easy to use format.

The puzzles can easily be adapted for group use.

The best part of all is that they are mind stimulating and fun. They also help prevent memory loss

What do you do to highlight historical events?

Also, please remember my sister site

Since today is Ash Wednesday, I thought I would share a special Ash wednesday spiritual circle which is sure to bring peace, comfort and joy to those with Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias, and to other long term care residents.

Begin with an opening hymm. I like:
Blow Ye Trumpets Blow

Other hymns I suggest are:
Ashes to Ashes and
Lay Aside Your Passing Pleasure

Secular songs I suggest are:
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Always
I Love You Truly
I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles
You are My Sunahine

Talk about this reflection
God will deliver His promises as we are able to receive them.
What He is doing is right for us. We should listen to His messenger.

Instead of a story, read this poem
Marked by Ashes Ruler of the Night, Guarantor of the day . . .
This day — a gift from you.
This day — like none other you have ever given, or we have ever received.
This Wednesday dazzles us with gift and newness and possibility.
This Wednesday burdens us with the tasks of the day, for we are already halfway home
     halfway back to committees and memos,
     halfway back to calls and appointments,
     halfway on to next Sunday,
     halfway back, half frazzled, half expectant,
     half turned toward you, half rather not.This Wednesday is a long way from Ash Wednesday,
   but all our Wednesdays are marked by ashes —
     we begin this day with that taste of ash in our mouth:
       of failed hope and broken promises,
       of forgotten children and frightened women,
     we ourselves are ashes to ashes, dust to dust;
     we can taste our mortality as we roll the ash around on our tongues.We are able to ponder our ashness with
   some confidence, only because our every Wednesday of ashes
   anticipates your Easter victory over that dry, flaky taste of death.On this Wednesday, we submit our ashen way to you —
   you Easter parade of newness.
   Before the sun sets, take our Wednesday and Easter us,
     Easter us to joy and energy and courage and freedom;
     Easter us that we may be fearless for your truth.
   Come here and Easter our Wednesday with
     mercy and justice and peace and generosity.We pray as we wait for the Risen One who comes soon.For over thirty years now, Walter Brueggemann (b. 1933) has combined the best of critical scholarship with love for the local church in service to the kingdom of God. Now a professor emeritus of Old Testament studies at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, Brueggemann has authored over seventy books. Taken from his Prayers for a Privileged People (Nashville: Abingdon, 2008), pp. 27-28

Here is an idea for higher functioning folks with Alzheimer;s disease or a related dementia. People can play independently or in a small group with a volunmteer leader



This Baseball Trivia Game has the fun  of being at a game. It has over 1500 questions and tons of info,. It contains over 50 years of facts.

For all people have a discussion about baseball in general or specifically about the team in your area.
Then after the discussion, play a game using the facts discusseed.

You can talk about very simple thing about the game of baseball such as: the number of players on a team, the number of outs in an inning, the positions of the players, cities that have baseball teams, baseball weather, or anything you know your group will enjoy.

Do not forget to sing some sports and patriotic songs.

My sister site has some great information

Remember to come back tomorrow

Spring training has begun. The season of spring is not too far off. A person’s fancy turns to baseball.
In fact we celebrate Baseball Day in April. On my activity calendar, I have it coinside with my home team’s first game. My home team is the Boston Red Sox.

So what can we do to make this day special even for the non baseball fan.

First, we can plan a party.
This is always fun even if we do not do everything we plan.
We can make invitations and decorations.

We can talk about baseball, sharing simple facts about the game.
We can play a simple game of baseball using a beach ball or a balloon  and an air filled plastic bat(the inflatable kind), or people can use their hands or arms as the bats.

More ideas tomorrow

Remember to visit my sister site

We have been discussing a game I call, Number Ball. You could even have a contest or discussion on naming the game.

This is a great activity for those with Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias and other long term care residents.

Why is this activity so good?
It is highly adaptable.
It offers both mental and physical stimulation.
Why is that good? 
You focus on one participant at a time
The act of expecting both physical and mental  responses, engages the participant more than if he/she were just using one form of stimulation.

Here are a few ways to play the game
Each person catches the ball once and answers a question
Each person catches the ball once and all answer a question
Each person catches the ball once and gets hints from a helper who shows pictures or objects so the ball receiver can give a response
Each person catches the ball twice and adds up the number his/her left hand was on for each catch.

There are still many more ways to adapt this game.

Can you  suggest one?

As you recall, spiritual circles bring comfort and piece to those with dementia as well as to other long term care residents.In the post on February 15, I gave a general description of a spiritual circle.

Today I would like to give you more specifics. At our next spiritual circle discussion, I will discuss a themed spiritual circle.
Spiritual Circles should be:
Fairly short -about  20 to 30 minutes
 Inviting
In a quiet location
Have familiar hymns
Have familiar readings
Offer simple discussion
Have prayers and sensory cues
Have staff participation
Are a small group or 1:1

Begin with a familiar hymm
I like This is the day go here for the words  to this hymm and other familiar hymms
You can include one or two more hymms if you like

Next sing some other peaceful songs that express love and devotion
I like Let me call you sweetheart and I’ll be loving you always

Then I read or tell a familiar biblical tale such as:
Noah’s ark or David and Goliath

After that I quote some passages from the bible

Then perhaps I invite group members to have a some discussion with simple questions if the group members are able to participate.

Next we pass around some sensory objects such as a cross, Jewish star, or religios pictures.

Then we end with a familiar prayes such as The Lords Prayer

Don’t you feel good just thinking about this

Remember my sister site

As Activities Directors, other healthcare professionals and caregivers, we are always looking for activities that stimukate a persons’ brain and offer some movement especially for those with Alzheimer’s disease and/or related dementias.

I think we found a winner with Number Ball. There can be so many variations to this activity to change its difficulty and physical demand even within the same group. The key is to know your audience and their interests and abilities. I sound like a broken record because I keep saying this no matter what activity I am talking about.

You can use easy to difficult trivia statements,math problems, song titles, and/or easy to difficult seasonal questions. Actually the category possibilities are endless.

Also you do not have to use a ball. However the ball offers the most exercise potential. You can make a large six sided di or use playing cards from ace through five. However,these two tools do not offer any real physical components.

More later. Tomorrow is Spiritual Saturday.

Remember to go to my sister site to see more on this activity as well as other important dementia information

I apoligize for jumping around with topics. If a person asks a question, the answer can take me away from the topic.

I did want to get back to how to facilitate a discussion with folks who have dementia.

Actually the way I do it is sort of how this blog goes.

I usually have a topic for discussion in mind. However if I get questions on other subjects or I think of “must share” information, I may change the focus of the discussion.

Also I like to give every participant a chance to have their say about something. Thus if I notice someone has not spoken, I will address this person by name and ask him/her a specific question. If this person is non verbal, I will compliment him/her on something because I know this makes him/her feel good.

My goal is to make everyone feel good at a group or 1:1 visit, I or my staff runs.

More tomorrow

My sister site will discuss a great activity tomorrow