My friend, Pam, has educated herself about the challenges faced by people with dementia ever since her husband was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s.  Her husband (much like my mother) was a very active person prior to the emergence of dementia. And even as the disease worsens, her husband still wants to remain active and engaged, just like my mother did.

So what activities can you do to engage the loved one? Pam shared this list with me that she picked up in one of her seminars. I wish I had had this list when I was interacting with Mom, so I wanted to make sure to share it with you. These ideas include:
-    Clip coupons
-    Bake cookies
-    Plant seeds
-    Listen to polka music
-    Toss a ball
-    Fold baby clothes
-    String Cheerios for birds
-    Wind yarn
-    Finish famous sayings
-    Weed the garden
-    Dust the furniture
-    Feed the pet
-    Polish the silverware
-    Sweep the kitchen floor
-    Play Uno
-    Cut out paper dolls
-    Pop popcorn
-    Have a high tea
-    Give a manicure
-    Finish famous quotes
-    Make a clay sculpture
-    Play favorite songs and sing together
-    Name the Presidents
-    Trace and cut out shapes
-    Cut out pictures from magazines
-    Darn the holes in socks
-    Polish shoes
-    Look through recipes
-    Arrange flowers
-    Name states and capitols
-    Take a walk outside
-    Plant flowers
-    Sew sewing cards
-    Dance
-    Sponge paint
-    Sand wood blocks
-    Play a kazoo
-    Make a cake
-    Read a short story or poem
-    Look through a hunting magazine
-    Try different scented hand lotions
-    Clean out a pumpkin
-    Sort playing cards by color
-    Have a spelling bee
-    Watch old “I Love Lucy” videos
-    Decorate sugar cookies
-    Make cards with decorative stamps
-    Visit a neighbor
-    Snap beans
-    Bake homemade bread
-    Reminisce about the first kiss
-    Color a picture of the flag
-    Remember great inventions
-    Describe something beautiful
-    Blow bubbles
-    Talk about a special vacation
-    Talk about how the person met his or her spouse
-    Play Old Maid
-    Make a family tree poster
-    Feed the birds