Having a person with dementia work with buttoning and unbuttoning, zipping and unzipping, serves a number of meaningful goals. This activity aids maintaining fine motor skills, and it provides a sense of accomplishment. If a person can successfully button and unbutton, he or she can potentially put on their shirt independently.
Backpack with lots of zippers. and latches would be ideal.
A shirt for buttons.
Practice zipping and buttoning with your loved one.
Can You Fix It? is an activity in which you ask your care recipient for some help repairing or restoring an item. The item could need to be reassembled or simply need batteries, but the focus is on asking the care recipient for help. You set a person up for success with this activity by knowing about their current abilities with regards to vision, dexterity and the ability to manipulate or manage tools.
Something that needs to be "fixed."
Ask your loved one if they can fix an item for you. Some individuals may need step by step directions or pictures to demonstrate the process. Be sure to make any necessary accommodations to the project so that they can participate on a level that matches their capacity.
Deep breathing can be done anywhere and at anytime, and can help you relax and refocus.
Turn your attention to your breath. Breathe in through your nose for a count of four. Exhale for a count of four. Repeat this process rythmically until you feel your body and your mind have calmed.
Making a list of things you are grateful for can help you refocus on the things that matter most.
Write a list of things you’re grateful to have in your life and display it somewhere you can see it often. We have a tendency to focus on the negative, so remind yourself of all you are grateful for.
Like most Montessori activities, this is self-correcting so there is minimal need for the caregiver to be involved in the activity. Perfect to keep you loved one occupied if you need a moment of time to regroup.
Create a nut and bolt kit by supergluing bolts in place on a wooden board and place the nuts in a container next to the activity. The participant chooses from the container and guesses which ones fit until all nuts are on the correct bolt.
Sorting is a simple activity that can be done with a variety of materials. The person you care for can do this activity independently if they are not at risk of choking, and it can be done over and over again.
Sorting objects can include:
Ask your loved one to sort buttons, coins, silverware etc. You can ask them to sort by color, size, shape.
A great activity to do together is to start a fish tank. It has been suggested that just watching fish in their habitat, their movements and their interactions with other fish can be a stress relieving and entertaining.
Allow the care recipient to make the decorative decisions with regards to what color rocks you will choose, what figurines you may put in the tank and what type of fish you would like to have. Selection of a fish bowl can be modified to a fish bowl to fit your budget. There are also mechanical fish for sale that are battery operated to swim about the tank (however, read reviews before you buy).
This is a great way to provide some pampering. A manicure complete with a beautiful color can leave someone feeling refreshed and more vibrant.
Give your loved one a manicure.
Nostalgic TV programs and movies with a light snack can be a good way to relax.
Watch one of your loved one's favorite television shows from when they were growing up.
Talking about the past and familiar events with your loved one brings a sense of comfort.
Photo albums or history picture books.
Share favorite memories or look through old pictures together.