Dementia

Grandparents Day in Australia is celebrate on the first Sunday of November.

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This has always been a very popular game at all the facilities where I have worked. If you don't have a sewing machine ask a volunteer or one of your clients' relatives to do it for you.

There are many activities with autumn leaves but I can't see why it should be restricted to autumn. Here is an activity for any time of the year

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There are two ways to play this game.
Great for dementia patients!

Try inviting relatives for this activity; it is an enjoyable occasion.

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This is an ideal game for men to form/strengthen friendships whilst having fun.

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I find this activity very rewarding. Participants can have the pleasure of holding dough in their hands for fun; no need for gloves like when they are cooking.

Celebrate special days of Mexico with Mexican food and drinks!

Leader says the first word and the audience guesses the next

A Mexican Fiesta is a great theme to celebrate any time of the year. Whether you are celebrating 'Cinco de Mayo' or the Independence Day of Mexico, a fiesta is a fabulous cultural party for everyone to enjoy. Olé!

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Here are a couple of easy Easter bonnets for your parade! I have included some templates for the decorations but let your clients express their artistic flair by encouraging them to decorate as they please.

Throw a Greek themed party to celebrate the National Day of Greece!

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Lovely decorations for St. Patrick's Day!

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Make it more interesting by having small groups of participants to share in the creation of each Leprechaun; two or three people taking turns in tracing, cutting, gluing and decorating the hat, legs, jacket and vest. You will be amazed by the results!

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These easy percussion instruments will reward you with a happy and very noisy sing-a-long! Remind participants how important percussion instruments are for mankind; African tribes, American Indians, Australian Aborigines, indeed every culture has some sort of percussion musical instrument.

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This is a very useful tree to have! It can be used all year around, just change the ornaments on Easter, Valentines Day, Mothers Day, Chocolate day, Wish Tree Day.

Any of the Arborvitae evergreens can be used; I find the Thuja occidentalis particularly good because the leaves as flat by nature, making it easier to glue the layers. You may also use false cypresses, Juniper bush, some hemlock leaves or any Yews shrubs. You may involve people suffering from mild dementia successfully.

Lovely Christmas tree ornaments made from recycled Christmas cards

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Who doesn't have a deck with missing cards? In my house we have at least half a dozen incomplete decks. Don’t throw them out, use them for Hoy!

Here are some templates to be coloured in and decorated for Guy Fawkes Day!

This is a traditional rhyme for Guy Fawkes Night's festivities.

Here are some ideas on how to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night

Celebrate Claude Monet's birthday in November by recreating one of his famous paintings!

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Make your own beautiful advent wreath and celebrate with a morning tea on the four Sundays preceding Christmas!

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Create your own beautiful hats to be worn on Melbourne Cup Day!

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Create a fantastic Melbourne Cup piece of art in this activity!

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Beautiful mandala templates to decorate in a relaxing and creative activity

Here's a Remembrance Day themed word search!

This is a great recipe to make any time of the year but especially in October in time for Oktoberfest! Everybody can join in peeling apples, grating lemon zest and reminiscing about other sauces around a large table.

Have some fun on Oktoberfest with your own party. Here a some great ides!

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This is my own recipe. You may ask an Indian friend or search online for other ways of making it. If you prefer you may buy it ready-made in Indian shops and some supermarkets.

This game has been adapted to indoors to suit people with a limited range of movements.

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Improve movement and promote well-being with this easy and fun competition!

Reminisce about familiar skills and have fun with this potato peeling competition!

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The 2010 Commonwealth Games are being held in Delhi, India from the 3rd of October to the 14th. Why not have an Indian themed day to celebrate with Indian food, music and dancing and of course lots of games. Don’t forget to serve or introduce your clients to the fabulous Indian Chai Tea which is becoming very popular.

The wonderful thing about World Animal day is that it can be celebrated indoors or outdoors. Here are some suggestions of fun things to do on World Animal Day.

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Halloween styled table decorations!

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To observe cultural dates. To engage residents in reminiscing

Promote cognitive alertness. Opportunity for socialization

Wonderful cooking aromas will bring everyone to the breakfast room!

Observe cultural festivities. Promote sense of purpose. Download full program!

Ideally, this activity should take place just before morning tea; a hot drink after a chore serves as a 'reward'. Each resident will bring her own handbag to be cleaned-up. The idea is to have them engaging in cleaning up and talking about the contents of their handbags.

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Cultural observance. Reminiscing.

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Pancakes are easy to make and the fillings can be savoury or sweet. The aroma throughout the facility will have people coming from everywhere the see what’s cooking!

Enjoy a multicultural food day to celebrate the life of Dr Martin Luther King Jnr.

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Damper is so easy to make - all you need is a hot oven and some very basic ingredients! Here is a recipe well worth trying!

Opportunity to reminisce. Focus of interest outside routine.

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To promote socialization. Provide a sense of purpose.

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Here is an activity that will help you with your resolve to become more ‘green’. It is fun to make and requires little skill and yet looks rather striking hanged in walls, doors, windows and shelves.

Colouring-in, whether with crayons, coloured pencils or paint is therapy as well as a great way to pass the time absorbed in something creative. It may help to maintain what remains of dexterity and fine motor control. It is also likely to develop and foster friendship.

Have fun and increase bonding with staff.

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Here is a series of word searches for thanksgiving with 3 different levels of difficulty. Choose the most appropriate for your residents!

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Learn how to respond to the assessment of needs with the following 6 case studies.

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Learn how to identify the needs of residents entering aged care facilities.

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Make your own game for Melbourne Cup Celebrations!

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Get in the spirit of Melbourne Cup Day with a hat parade!

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Get residents involved in Melbourne Cup celebrations!

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The Horse-Race game is a great way to spend the morning on Melbourne Cup Day!

Observe cultural festivities. Promote sense of purpose. Download full program!

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In which countries did the following foods originate from?

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In which country would you see people wearing these?

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Encourage creative expression. Improve dexterity.

Fill in the missing letters to reveal the animals and breeds!

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Which creature does each of the following pet names indicate?

Celebrate Oktober Fest with this Word Search!

Fun facts about birds for World Animal Day!

Here are some interesting stories about famous cat lovers to help you celebrate World Animal Day.

Here's some fun animal trivia for World Animal Day on the 4th of October 2009.

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Increase socialization. Improve ability to follow directions.

Memory recall and reminiscing

To engage socially and reminisce

A poem especially for Dad's!

Here's a fun find-a-word especially for Father's Day!

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VIDEO Instructions included! Object: maintain social skills and reinforce friendships. Sensory stimulation.

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Tactile stimulation and promote 'staying on task'.

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Improve dexterity (grasping objects) and practice decision-making.

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Improve hand-eye coordination and enhance motor skills

Improve upper body strength and hand-eye coordination.

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Hand-eye coordination. Upper body movements (exercise).

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To promote tolerance. To encourage acceptance and inclusion of cultural diversity.

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This sample program is for acute Dementia care. Some people like to do it weekly, others monthly. I tried to have a music program at least once daily. One cannot underestimates the value of music in the lives of dementia clients. Downlod the form and adjust it to suit you. If you have an activity that works well for you I would love to hear it. A monthly program will be available shortly.

Improve dexterity and promote dimension discerning

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Promote recognition of colours. Develop motor skills.

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Fun exercise and opportunity for social interaction.

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Sensory stimulation with familiar scents.

Develops hand-eye coordination

Promote cognitive well being, provide fun and enjoyment, and establish old roles.

Suitable to clients in first stage dementia (small objects are dangerous for later stages).

Enhance spiritual fulfillment. Improve dexterity.

Encourage new interests. Promote friendship. Soothe the mind.

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To maintain logic and planning skills.

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Stimulation of taste senses. Provision of enjoyment.

Enhance memories and provide stimulation by utilising interesting textures.

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Sensorial stimulation and provision of home-like activity.

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Provide sensory stimulation and enjoyment, ideal activity for Mother's Day

Time out to relax and quiet the mind. A simple and effective way to use essential oils.

This is a very soothing and worthwhile activity

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Reminiscing and mental stimulation through socialising

This is an excellent game for socialization.

Nice game to maintain or improve physical abilities.

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Reminiscing, engaging in conversation, cognitive exercise

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Engagement of residents in tasks they used to do in their own home. A very calming activity.

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Upper limbs exercise and promote sharing and socialization

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Orientation, reminiscing and enjoyment. Socialization.

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Promotion of physical activity and improve cognitive function.

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Promote alertness and sensory stimulation

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Provide bed ridden clients with a feeling of enjoyment and well being

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Eye-hand coordination practice and fine motor skill exercise

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Sensory stimulation and encouragement of interpersonal skills