7 interactive dementia activity ideas

Puzzle games like jigsaws can help a person with dementia cope with the frustration of memory challenges. They are great brain exercises which improve cognition and potentially delay the progression of dementia symptoms. They are thought to improve short-term memory and can also be therapeutic. Puzzles are a great activity to take part in that’s fun, challenging and helpful to their condition.

The NHS states that music lights up emotional memories and therefore can have many benefits for a person living with dementia. It can help reduce anxiety and depression, help maintain speech and language and is an enjoyable way to exercise the brain. Music is a powerful connector that can bring back old memories of someone with dementia like their wedding, a holiday or a childhood favourite.

Gardening can improve cognitive function and social interaction and help to stimulate and engage the brain, DementiaUK says. Soil, flowers and the outdoors are great stimulants and most gardening doesn’t rely on memory as a key skill. Someone with dementia can greatly benefit from gardening as it can be a group activity, that gets them outside and gets the body moving.

Baking is a fun (and delicious) hobby that can simulate the senses with smells, tastes and sight. It is a great option for people with dementia as it is both stimulating and calming. It can improve appetite and encourage a good relationship with food, as well as keep the brain active as it involves weighing and measuring. It can also improve their creative skills and can be an enjoyable social activity.

Spending time with your adorable pets is arguably a way to improve the mood of most of us, dementia or not. However, someone living with dementia can care for a pet to gain a sense of routine and calm. Pets are engaging, stimulating, and prompt memories of past pets. The Royal College of Nursing says that pets enhance mood and improve communication skills while providing a great deal of fun and playfulness to the individual.

Studies have shown that people who partake regularly in physical activity can bolster their mental health and the ability to think. Exercise can help someone living with dementia by improving their self-sufficiency, self-confidence, and cognition and can improve muscle strength and balance. People with dementia who regularly exercise can maintain their independence for longer and reduce the risk of frailty.

Storytelling can prompt memories and emotions of people living with dementia, as well as exercise their creativity. Stories can help them to reconnect with their past and bring them closer to their loved ones. Expressing themselves through storytelling can promote self-esteem, their sense of identity and their communication skills. Telling and listening to stories is a great way to stretch the imagination and social muscles.

For people living with dementia, boredom and a lack of stimulation can be a challenging aspect of their lives. Going outside into the community can be a great way to get exercise, prevent restlessness and experience new places. Well-known places could provoke happy memories and maintain a social life if out with family or friends. Living with dementia shouldn’t mean your life stops, and getting out and about is crucial to a happy life.