Dementia can cause a slow decrease in older adults’ memory as well as their thinking and reasoning skills. The decreased memory could disrupt their daily lives, but there are steps seniors can take to slow the progression of dementia and reduce its symptoms. Below are some activities that provide memory loss support for seniors with dementia.
1. Playing Card Games
As dementia progresses and memory loss becomes worse, your senior loved one may experience changes in decision-making abilities. The poor judgment could pertain to grooming, medication errors, and difficulties handling finances. However, playing card games requires using decision-making skills, and it creates an opportunity to learn. Adding card games to your loved one’s weekly activities could lead to better judgment and enhance his or her mood.
A professional caregiver can be a wonderful game-playing companion for your loved one. Caring for a senior loved one can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Rhode Island Home Care Assistance for the help they need. We provide high-quality live-in and respite care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care.
Cooking
It’s common for aging adults with dementia to misplace items due to memory loss. In these instances, they often accuse family and friends of stealing the items, especially during the later stages of the condition. However, activities like cooking require using repetitive steps, which can enhance memory and reasoning skills. Your loved one can recreate his or her favorite meals or try new recipes. Cooking the foods can help with forgetfulness, increase sensory stimulation, and reduce combative behavior.
3. Performing Yoga
The movements and breathing techniques used in yoga can boost memory and critical thinking skills in older adults with dementia. While completing yoga, seniors participate in memory-training techniques and use many of the skills they already have, which can enhance their memory. Yoga can also increase verbal memory, which is associated with vocabulary and the ability to remember the names of people, places, and objects.
Aging adults who need help managing mental and physical health issues can benefit from the assistance of a highly trained professional caregiver. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of homecare families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
4. Solving Puzzles
Memory loss doesn’t prevent seniors from solving puzzles and participating in other brain-boosting activities. Working on puzzles requires using creativity and focusing abilities. Each time your loved one tries to solve a problem, the right side of the brain concentrates on intuitive thought while the left side focuses on order and logic. Working out the mind is just as vital to your loved one’s health as physical exercise. Therefore, he or she should complete activities like puzzle-solving at least two or three times each week to slow the progression of dementia and boost memory.
5. Listening to Music
Music memories generally outlast other memories for seniors with dementia. Merely listening to a song could enhance your loved one’s verbal memory. Your parent can connect a song to people, places, and situations from the past and enhance his or her language skills. To help your loved one recall memories, encourage him or her to listen to favorite songs throughout the week. Music therapy can also help older adults with dementia stave off depression, boost cognition, and reduce combative behavior.
Aging in place can present a few challenges for seniors living with dementia. However, they can still live independently at home with the help of professional dementia care. Rhode Island families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide their elderly loved ones with mental and social stimulation, timely medication reminders, assistance with meal prep, and much more. Our caregivers are available around the clock to help your loved one live a happier and healthier life. If your loved one needs assistance with the challenges of aging, reach out to one of our knowledgeable, compassionate Care Managers today at (401) 284-0979.