Month: July 2019

When you’re caring for someone who has dementia, one helpful way to manage their symptoms and progression can be to keep their mind engaged. Keeping their brain active in this way is thought to slow down degeneration, and can even be an important part of preventing conditions like dementia in the first place.

Here are a few ideas for engaging activities you can take part in with someone living with dementia.

Physical activity

Exercise is good for everyone. Not only does it keep our bodies in good shape, but it also releases endorphins, which help to lift our mood. So, it’s good for battling depression and keeping the mind and body active. Going for walks outdoors is especially a good activity because being in nature is also highly engaging and stimulating.

Arts and crafts

Creative pursuits have been found to be especially good for engaging dementia patients and stimulating different parts of their brain. You could try drawing, painting, knitting, or making something with them. If they’re not particularly arty, then one good option is to buy adult coloring books for them to color in.

Making music

A similarly creative active to try is listening to and making music. Simply listening to music can lift our moods and make us think back to past memories we associate with certain songs. You can also try playing musical instruments together or singing, especially if these are things that they used to enjoy doing.

Puzzles

Activities like brain training are thought to combat the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s by keeping the brain active. Crossword puzzles, wordsearches, and other mentally stimulating puzzles are great for the brain. Jigsaw puzzles are another good option, and they’re fun to do together.

Cooking and baking

Cooking and baking are great hobbies at any stage in life. They’re stimulating and engaging, and you have something tasty to show for it at the end. This could also help to keep patients’ appetites up and keep them eating healthily. The progression of their symptoms will determine how involved they can get in these activities, so be sure to adjust accordingly.

Looking at old photos

Reminiscing is another good way to stimulate the mind. Try looking through an old photo album or home videos and getting them to talk about the people in them or what they remember about the day they were taken. You might want to let them take the lead with activities like this as it can be frustrating to be asked lots of questions if they don’t know the answers to them.

If you need additional support as a carer for someone living with dementia, then contact Bermuda Run to see if our independent living and assisted living communities are suitable for them.

They say that friends are the family that you choose, and they’re a really important part of our lives and our mental health. They provide companionship, fun, and someone to talk to when you’re facing tough times. This applies just as much, if not more, to seniors as it does when we’re younger.

Why friendships are important for healthy aging

Loneliness and depression are serious problems at any stage of our lives, but they can become more common as we age. Visiting and staying in touch with friends can help to combat these feelings of loneliness and give us more of a sense of purpose. We think about our role in their lives and how important we are to our friends, making us feel valued. This has many positive knock-on effects for both our mental and physical health.

A social senior is also more likely to be an active senior. You might go out for a walk with your friends or take part in a class or activity with them. This gets you out of the house and keeps your brain and body active, which is also an important factor for healthy aging. Research has even found that staying connected to friends and family increases our chances of living longer, and even improves the outcome of those suffering from health conditions.

Making and maintaining friendships in our senior years

It was always so easy making friends as kids. You just start talking to another kid and, hey presto, you’re best friends. But it becomes a lot more difficult in adulthood. If you move to a new city or lose touch with your old friends, you find yourself with the challenge of making new friends. So, what can seniors do to make new friends or stay in touch with their old ones?

Local classes and groups are always a good place to look. Maybe there’s an exercise class designed for seniors, more creative activities like an art class, or groups like book clubs that meet on a regular basis. Seniors who live in assisted living or independent living communities often find it easy to make friends because there are so many organized events and activities to take part in.

When it comes to staying in touch with old friends, technology makes it a lot easier these days. Even if your friends have moved to different cities or countries, you can call them up on Skype or Facetime and have a face-to-face conversation with them. Here are some tips on how to use Facetime.

If you’re interested in the social environment of independent living in Bermuda Run, NC, then get in touch with us here at Bermuda Village.