Activities for PWD

psg712 · April 24

Anyone have ideas to help keep PWD active and engaged with something to do? I'm sure it depends on the stage.

When I'm able to make a weekday, daytime visit to mom's MC, I sometimes find her sitting among the group that is doing an activity, but she is rarely participating in it. I have gotten her to do things like coloring (has to be books designed for small kids, with simple big pictures) - but I've noticed that she chooses only one color and does the whole picture with that color. If she finishes it. She often loses focus after a few minutes. I found a "pop-it" puzzle yesterday and got her to punch all the little bumps to the other side - she actually attacked it in an irritated way - but again, not much holds her attention for long.

If we take a walk around the facility, she'll inevitably make a beeline for her room. I've often found her lying in bed, awake, in the afternoons. She'll get up if I ask her to. She's pretty compliant right now but rarely initiates any activity or interaction other than moving things around in her room. She doesn't seem depressed, just peacefully passive. Curious what others' experiences have been.

M1 · April 24

This is pretty typical behavior for advanced dementia. My partner shuns most MC activities with groups, but honestly most of the folks there are pretty passive during the activities; few can actually participate.

My partner used to be an accomplished artist but can no longer hold a paintbrush, choose colors, or draw. Coloring books haven't worked. There are "dementia watercolors" you can get that have preapplied paint activated by water on a paintbrush; I have bought some on amazon but we haven't tried them yet. Over the last year she has enjoyed little art projects done with me in her room (not in the group), but she no longer has the ability to participate. There is a "plant room"/conservatory area, and she enjoys walking down there to see the plants and trim off dead leaves; that is the only thing that she currently engages in. Otherwise we eat lunch or sit outside when the weather is nice. She sleeps more and more, frequently still in bed when I get there for lunch (around 11:30) and it's not uncommon for her to be back in bed for a nap by 3 pm or 3:30. Like your mom, she also spends a lot of time moving things around in her room,.

Long way of saying there's probably not a lot you can do to change the pattern. It is hard to watch though.

psg712 · April 24

Thanks M1. I was thinking this was probably normal at her stage but didn't want to neglect something I could be doing to engage her interest. It's long been the case that she doesn't initiate conversation or take an interest in others, even those who were close to her. Sad but expected.

terei · April 24

My mom was pretty apathetic about doing anything, but I made sure she had music she liked available to her at all times

psg712 · April 24

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/206979#Comment_206979

That's a good idea. They play music in the common area during dinner and some activities, but with the general group noise and the fact that mom has hearing in only one ear, I'm not sure she can hear much of it.

I'll have to find something for her room. She had a radio in her AL room before she moved to MC, buy she kept telling us it was broken. She just didn't remember how to turn it on 😞 Not sure there will be anything she can operate on her own. We'll just have to listen together when I visit.

Anonymousjpl123 · April 25

Psg712 so many of the people in my mom’s place are like this. By stroke of luck, my mom is in a phase where she’s more engaged and at peace than she has been in…a while. I’m not counting on it to last but so relieved. One thing I did is bring in a bunch of used recent magazines to her MC. They loved it. Would skim through them, cut out pictures. They seem to like activities that require very little effort or momentum. Flipping through magazines, short walks, and that’s about it. Even for my mom.

She can’t use the phone or tv anymore.
She has shelves full of books but doesn’t read.
My philosophy is offer options, and do whatever feels easiest. Just don’t give up visiting ❤️🌸

psg712 · April 25

Same for my mom with books or TV. I didn't even put a phone in her room when she moved to MC because she has no idea what to do with it, even when it rings. The magazines are a good idea! I think pictures make more sense than words now.

sunnydove · April 29

Pictures, pictures, pictures!

I have made a few photo albums full of pictures and memories for my mom. She loves looking through them. And I think it even comforts her seeing pictures of her mom, dad and siblings.

I also found this super cute book in a little free library called "Zooborns" that has the cutest pictures of baby animals from zoos around the world. She just LOVES looking through that book, over and over and over. She will show me the ones she likes the most and point out her favorite ones.

She also has stacks of little booklet magazines called "All God's Creatures" that a family friend sends to us. I have "laminated" most of the covers with clear packing tape since she flips through them so much they wear out. Sometimes she's looking at them, sometimes she will put them in piles and then rearrange them and put them in other piles. She seems to enjoy it so I'm happy for her to have an "activity" that keeps her occupied.

You might also try a little box of trinkets. Like small animal figurines, little toys or something your LO can take out and arrange on a table top and then put away and take out again.

psg712 · April 29

Thank you! The animal picture books sound like a great idea for my mom. She loves animals. Maybe my son could pass back to her the kids' nature magazines that he has outgrown. She gifted him that subscription when he was younger.

We've tried photo albums of family, but recently those don't seem to be too successful. I think she has some sense that she should recognize the people but is unable to identify them most of the time.

harshedbuzz · April 29

It can be hard to overcome the apathy at a certain point even when a caregiver tries to actively engage them.

We found most pictures a fail. Dad was more invested in the family of his youth than the one that existed in his mid and later years. The one photograph subject that did pique his interest, however briefly, were pictures of a younger him. My niece had a photobook made for his 80th birthday he would sometimes look at.

HB

psg712 · April 29

Photo books ... yeah. Some close friends created a Memory Book (ironic title) when we were preparing to move mom close to me 2 years ago. It mostly had pics of church gatherings, group shots. She has looked at it occasionally but by now has almost no memory of the people in the photos. One of the AL staff said it was a shame that the friends didn't print names beneath the photos. MC staff know better. Names don't mean any more to her than the pics do ... probably even less.

But we take what we can get ... had a pleasant visit yesterday and she seemed in a good mood. Just hung out, no projects or agenda. That seems to be the sweet spot. So grateful for the lessons and support from the folks on this forum!

H1235 · April 29

My mil loved to see the little great grand kids. I’m not sure she knew who they were, but she still had fun with them. I was babysitting them at the time and would bring them to AL to visit her. Ages 2and3. They were the center of attention all the way to her room too. Unfortunately they are grown and in school now that my mom is on her way to AL.

terei · April 29

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/206983#Comment_206983

I told the aides to turn it on when they were in there regularly. It played the same music mom liked over + over

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