3 Vital Considerations for Engaging Dementia Care Activities
I need to get to work! What do I do next?
If you are hearing these words, what might the person for whom you care be telling you? How about – I need to feel valued. I need to do something that makes a difference.
Why is productive activity important?
There are so many reasons why productive activity is important in all our lives. It provides a sense of purpose and value. It gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning. It sets the stage for working together with others and provides the opportunity to give and receive praise and positive feedback, just to name a few.
Why does this become more difficult when dementia is in the picture?
Abilities are changing, so determining what activities are possible requires some thought. Some (or all) of the following may be different than they used to be:
Ability to initiate, sequence, and terminate a step or task
Fine motor skill
Making sense of the big picture
Comprehension
As a result, it’s easy to fall into the mode of focusing on what your person can’t do versus what he/she can. Shifting your focus to how to make things possible considering the person’s existing abilities and interests is the key to success for both of you.
To help you look at things from the other perspective, here are three considerations when determining how to infuse productive activity into the life of a person living with dementia:
1. The person’s history
What did he/she like to do before dementia was present? What types of activities helped her feel useful throughout her life?
Example 1 – Most of Pat’s adult life revolved around raising five children, while also working occasional part time jobs and doing volunteer work. Also, one of her key roles in her family was paying the bills and managing the associated paperwork. So, the task of shredding paper was perfect for her.
Example 2 – Pat loves flowers and was always interested in making her front yard look nice. Making a flower arrangement to go in the outside flower boxes could be an ideal activity.
Example 3 – Lastly, she volunteered for a soup kitchen for 30+ years and raised children who loved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Combining the two made making brown bag lunches for a local homeless organization a win-win.
2. The person’s ability level
What is he/she able to do either independently, or with some level of guidance and support? Perhaps this might be an opportunity to sit side-by-side to do something together, or maybe just be in the same space to provide encouragement.
Productive activity doesn’t have to be complicated. It could be as simple as participating in chores, helping with meal prep, or working on a project (as in the pictures above).
3. The person’s motivation/ Your approach
Oftentimes, a person may initially hesitate (or even flat out refuse) to engage in a particular activity. There are many possible reasons for this – perhaps a lack of confidence in one’s own abilities, or it could be that there are several steps in the process that make it overwhelming.
Or, for those who may not be actively looking for something to do, it could be inertia (a body at rest tends to stay at rest). So, the way we ask can make a big difference. As an example, instead of saying: Do you want to shred some papers? How about trying: I could use your help. You are really good at this. Come with me. We call these Positive Action Starters.
Conclusion:
Whether or not your loved one is actively seeking something to do, productive activity is a way to help him/her achieve a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
Written by Carolyn Luker, Positive Approach To Care Blog, March 14, 2022
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay