There is no doubt that mental and physical activity is crucial for improving the quality of life of Lehigh Valley seniors with dementia. It can be difficult to be certain that what you are doing for your loved one is appreciated by them or is in their best interest. Happily, there are several proven activities that you can engage in that will very likely help your loved one.
Keeping dementia patients engaged in physical and cognitive activities can benefit them. In some cases, it may even help slow the progression of their disease. Consider the following activities as ways to enhance your loved one’s life and happiness.
Go for a walk
Take a walk in the park or around the neighborhood with your loved one. Go somewhere with beautiful sights so they may take in the scenery and enjoy themselves. Walking is an excellent way to exercise with little stress on the body. Find places where they can sit down and rest if they need to.
Feed the birds
Feeding birds allows seniors with dementia to stay engaged with nature. Sit together at a park or pond, and chat with them while bird-feeding. Sunflower seeds, nuts, fruits, and dry cereal are safe for most birds to eat. Encourage your loved one to engage in talking with the birds. You will be surprised how that can bring out their personalities and their engagement.
Start a garden
Gardening is another way for seniors to connect with nature. It provides physical activity, and they may grow their own fruits and vegetables. Using raised beds is best, so seniors don’t have to get on their knees or bend over. Be careful that they do not overdo it.
Go on a picnic
Picnics are opportunities to socialize over a nice meal with your loved one. Take them to a park on a nice day and prepare a healthy lunch to enjoy together. Bring along friends, games, and music.
Photography
Take your loved ones to a pleasant outdoor location and take photos together. Photos can help seniors with dementia strengthen their memory and establish mental connections. Decorate their room with pictures so they can enjoy them at any time.
South Mountain Memory Care focuses on high-quality, personalized care, and the safest possible environment for your loved one. South Mountain Memory Care is proud to offer our residents a wide range of resident-focused daily activity programming. Each neighborhood offers activity space for group and one-on-one activities.
The brand-new building is a stand-alone memory care community, meaning that the entire building, staff, and programs, are designed to serve residents with cognitive issues. To ensure person-centered care and attention, we have accommodations for up to 28 residents. The building is divided into two neighborhoods (wings), each offering 10 private suites and 2 semi-private suites. South Mountain Memory Care is located in the Allentown suburb of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and is easily accessible from the Lehigh Valley, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. For more information, go to southmountainmemorycare.com.
