Seniors with Alzheimer’s disease need constant engagement. Social and cognitive engagement can help slow the progression of the disease, and it helps keep them oriented. But during the winter when it gets dark early and seniors can’t go outside to enjoy activities like going for walks it can be tough to keep them engaged. Some things that family caregivers can to keep a senior parent with Alzheimer’s engaged during the cold weather are:
Get Alzheimer’s Care
Alzheimer’s care is specialized care tailored to the needs of people with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s care will help take care of the unique physical needs that seniors with Alzheimer’s have but it also is designed to provide support for their emotional and cognitive needs too. People who offer Alzheimer’s care are trained to know how to keep seniors with Alzheimer’s socially and intellectually engaged as well as knowing how to keep them safe at home. Alzheimer’s care will give family caregivers a break without sacrificing the care that the senior is receiving.
Do Crafts
Alzheimer’s Care Ridgefield, CT: Seniors With Alzheimer’s
Crafts are a fantastic way to keep a senior with Alzheimer’s engaged. Depending on their level of cognitive ability some good crafts to try are knitting or crocheting, painting, coloring, and children’s crafts. If you’re not sure where to start or what level of crafts your senior loved one is able to do pick up some craft kits from the local art supply store, fabric and craft store, or art shop and let your senior loved one tell you which ones they want to try. You also can bring them to the store and let them pick out a craft kit that looks interesting to them.
Play Memory Games
Memory games are a fantastic way to keep seniors engaged throughout the winter. You can even make your own matching games and memory games. They don’t have to be fancy. But the repetitive nature of the matching games will help seniors hang onto the cognitive ability they currently have and can slow down the progression of their decline. You can also try playing regular board games if your senior loved one prefers though, but matching games and memory games are better. You can start with some homemade games to see what type of games your senior parent prefers before buying any formal games.
Do Physical Fitness Games Indoors
Physical fitness is still important too. And when your senior loved one can’t go outdoors they need to get some physical activity any way they can. You can lead workouts indoors that include things like tossing bean bags, tossing balls gently, walking around the house, doing situps or other exercises like that, and walking in place. Just moving is enough to get seniors feeling better and being healthier. It doesn’t really matter what the exercise is.
If your senior loved one has Alzheimer’s care you can also as the caregiver for recommendations for physical activities that will help your senior loved one stay fit when then can’t go outdoors to exercise.
