- Web site
- Table of contents
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- the role of the informal carrers
- Keywords
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- burnout and carers
- Informal carers
- Dementia care
- Creative activities
Show-casing meaningful activities in care for people with dementia
Caring for a person with dementia can quickly become a day-to-day challenging routine for both, the person providing and the person receiving care. It is important that informal carers learn and know about different creative and meaningful activities.
When choosing an activity, it is important to consider the routine of the person with dementia, there preferences, hobbies and abilities. Based on this, an enjoyable activity can be set up. As dementia progresses, carers will be struggling with maintaining conversation with people with dementia and their withdrawal from activities. That’s why carers need knowledge about meaningful sensory activities they could try out.
Here is one example: a sensory pouch, an engaging sensory activity for people living with dementia.
A sensory pouch is basically a bag you can touch and feel and is used to explore the senses. It is easy to make. Interesting textures and materials, important to the person with dementia, are used to fill up the bag. It has to be stimulating to look at and touch. The sensory pouches can reduce anxiety and produce relaxing, calm feelings.
Caring for a person with dementia can quickly become a day-to-day challenging routine for both, the person providing and the person receiving care. It is important that informal carers learn and know about different creative and meaningful activities.
When choosing an activity, it is important to consider the routine of the person with dementia, there preferences, hobbies and abilities. Based on this, an enjoyable activity can be set up. As dementia progresses, carers will be struggling with maintaining conversation with people with dementia and their withdrawal from activities. That’s why carers need knowledge about meaningful sensory activities they could try out.
Here is one example: a sensory pouch, an engaging sensory activity for people living with dementia.
A sensory pouch is basically a bag you can touch and feel and is used to explore the senses. It is easy to make. Interesting textures and materials, important to the person with dementia, are used to fill up the bag. It has to be stimulating to look at and touch. The sensory pouches can reduce anxiety and produce relaxing, calm feelings.
Show-casing meaningful activities in care for people with dementia
When a carer takes on the role of prvoding care for a person with dementia, he or she builds a routine, that in time can become challenging for both, the person providing and the person receiving care. The care relationships depends on the well-being of both persons involved and changes while dementia progresses.
That is why it’s important that informal carers learn about varieties of creative and meaningful activities that can be done to maintain the overall well-being of both persons involved.
Whenever choosing an activity, it is important to consider the routine of the person with dementia, there preferences, hobbies and abilities, because based on this knowledge you can choose or set up an activity they will most likely enjoy. You also have to bare in mind that while dementia progresses, carers are struggling with maintaining conversation with people with dementia and their withdrawal from activities. That’s why they should have knowledge about meaningful activities they could try out.
Your role as and adult educator is to highlight the importance and role of informal carers, but also to provide or indicate to examples of how carers can plan and try different tools and activities in their daily care for people with dementia. The best way is to show-case a meaningful and creative activity. Here is one example: a sensory pouch for people with dementia. Show to your learners how easy it is to make one and how carers can use it to stimulate and relax a person with dementia.
That is why it’s important that informal carers learn about varieties of creative and meaningful activities that can be done to maintain the overall well-being of both persons involved.
Whenever choosing an activity, it is important to consider the routine of the person with dementia, there preferences, hobbies and abilities, because based on this knowledge you can choose or set up an activity they will most likely enjoy. You also have to bare in mind that while dementia progresses, carers are struggling with maintaining conversation with people with dementia and their withdrawal from activities. That’s why they should have knowledge about meaningful activities they could try out.
Your role as and adult educator is to highlight the importance and role of informal carers, but also to provide or indicate to examples of how carers can plan and try different tools and activities in their daily care for people with dementia. The best way is to show-case a meaningful and creative activity. Here is one example: a sensory pouch for people with dementia. Show to your learners how easy it is to make one and how carers can use it to stimulate and relax a person with dementia.
A sensory pouch is basically an easy to make bag you can touch and feel and is used to explore the senses. It can be made together, using interesting textures and materials, important to the person, to fill up the bag. It has to be stimulating to look at and touch. The sensory pouches are an engaging sensory activity for people living with dementia and can reduce anxiety and produce relaxing, calm feelings.
Here are video instructions on how to make one:
For more ideas on meaningful activities to present to your learners, you can refer to the MYH4D “Be connected” MOOC: Module 3 – Communicating in daily and community life with people with dementia.
Have your say:
- Have you ever show-cased a meaningful care activity as part of your teaching?
- Do you know any other meaningful activity you could recommend to your learners?
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