Engaging activities for a loved one living with dementia

March 29, 2021 Dementia care

Engaging activities for a loved one living with dementia

Living with dementia doesn’t mean your loved one has to stop doing the things they enjoy. There are all sorts of activities – physical, mental, social and creative – that help your loved one live well with dementia and improve wellbeing. Furthermore, if you care for someone who has dementia, a shared activity can make both of you happier and able to enjoy quality time together.

Staying socially active

Keeping in touch with people is good for one’s confidence and mental wellbeing. As well as meeting up with friends and family, when permitted, try these activities:

  • dance, tai chi, yoga, swimming, or joining a walking group will help keep one active as well as sociable – lookout for local dementia-friendly swimming, gym and walking sessions
  • arts-based activities – drawing/painting classes, drama groups and book clubs can all help one stay involved
  • reminiscence work-sharing– sharing one’s life experiences and stories from the past with photos, objects, video and music clips, either as a book or on a tablet or other digital device
  • find a local memory or dementia café– meet other people with dementia and their carers in an informal drop-in setting to share advice, tips and support
  • Singing for the Brain groups run by Alzheimer’s Society– singing is known to improve mood and wellbeing and is also great fun

Both Alzheimer’s Society and Age UK can provide details of these and other activities available in your area.

Tablets and smartphones

Digital devices can be very useful for a loved one living with dementia. From online games, puzzles and dedicated dementia apps, to Skype and YouTube, they provide a way to stay engaged with others and enjoy a range of activities.

Out and about

Many communities are working to become dementia-friendly. This means that organisations and venues may have special events and activities for your loved one living with dementia, such as:

  • dementia-friendly cinema screenings and streaming of live theatre productions
  • sensory gardens – a garden or plot designed to provide different sensory experiences, including scented plants, sculptures, textured touchpads and water features
  • woodland walks

Activities for the later stages of dementia

It’s often assumed that people in the later stages of dementia are unable to engage in activities, but this isn’t true. Activities will often need to be simplified and are more likely to focus on the senses:

  • sight
  • hearing
  • touch
  • taste
  • smell

Playing music objects to touch and interact with, and hand massage can all help your loved one living with dementia in the later stages.

Active Minds research and develop a range of activities for people affected by dementia.

How can Cavendish Homecare Help?

At Cavendish Homecare we can help support you and your loved ones with our expertise in delivering dementia homecare. We know that being diagnosed with Dementia can have a huge emotional, social, and psychological effect on both the person living with dementia and their family. Therefore we ensure specialist care in the comfort of one’s own home.

If you would like to enquire about our dementia care and other services, contact us on, 0203 008 5210 or email us at info@cavendishhomecare.com.