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.
Many people grew up learning different skills using their hands. Skills could include woodworking, carpentry, crocheting, knitting, model building, and even daily chores. Manipulating every day objects like opening a door with a key takes them back to a more independent time.
Hardware, Locks, or other objects that can be disassembled and reassembled fairly easily.
If your care recipient appears restless, agitated or idle for long periods of time, try providing him or her with familiar hardware or objects that they can hold in their hands and manipulate. If you don't already have some supplies at home you can go to the local hardware store and pick up a variety of useful objects. The objective is to choose pieces that can be disassembled and reassembled fairly easily. Locks or PVC piping or another material that they worked with in their youth could work.
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.
Strolling through a garden or creating/tending your own is a great way to engage the sensory system in a soothing way that incorporates smell, sight and touch.
Find a place you know your loved one will enjoy, you can easily find nearby locations on the internet.
Help to guide your loved one around a garden or park.