Facilitating opportunities for home memory care patients to be engaged and connected through activities that interest and bring joy to them is always important. Doing so improves quality of life and supports emotional and mental well-being and a sense of purpose. This brings a sense of fulfillment to both the patient and the caregiver.
Identifying enjoyable activities that caregivers and clients can engage in together during the holiday season does all this while building trusting relationships and authentic companionship. Take the time to explore opportunities for special holiday activities that your client can enjoy and participate in. This will create memorable experiences and bring joy to your client. Be creative; find achievable ideas that fit your client’s ability level.
Here are Some Uplifting Activities to Consider:
Create a Thanksgiving Gratitude Tree: Create a decorative tree using a cardboard base and branches. Clients can decorate the leaves with things they are thankful for by writing items on colorful notepaper, drawing or painting pictures, or attaching photos.
Turkey Handprints:
- Use colorful paint to make handprint turkeys. It’s a fun and engaging activity that will entertain your clients and keep them actively involved. Have your client place their hand on a piece of paper and draw an outline around their hand and fingers.
- Use the outline of the four fingers for the turkey feathers and the thumb as the head.
- Decorate the turkeys by coloring in the feathers or glue on feathers that can be purchased online or at your local craft store.
Gratitude Garland: Cut out leaf shapes from colored paper. Have the patient write or draw something they are grateful for on each leaf, which they then string together to create a holiday garland.
Pumpkin Decorating: Provide small pumpkins and various craft supplies (paint, stickers, markers) for easy and fun pumpkin decorating.
Thanksgiving Cards: Supply blank cards and art materials to create Thanksgiving cards expressing gratitude for family members or friends.
Other ways to foster meaningfulness and engagement during the holidays include reaching out to others. Identify a local charity or community need and send a special note, card, or craft to that cause. Giving to others can instill a sense of purpose and bring joy.
Cornucopia Collage: Do a fun activity by cutting out and pasting colorful pictures from magazines or printed images of fruits and vegetables to create a cornucopia collage on a large piece of paper.
Fall Wreaths: Provide a foam or paper plate as a base and let patients decorate it with autumn leaves, pinecones, and other fall-themed decorations to create a festive wreath.
Wall Hangings: Paint some paper plates for Thanksgiving or other holidays this season. Display the finished works for your client and others to enjoy.
Holiday Fun Cupcakes: Baking holiday-themed cupcakes or other treats is fun and can engage memory care patients in multiple ways. Prompt discussions of what you will make, engage your client in preparing the recipe, and share the excitement and delicious smells of your creation while cooking. Then, enjoy together or with family and friends!
At Perfect Care Match, our dedicated care staff is specially trained to incorporate meaningful engagement and authentic companionship as part of our integrated, holistic approach. Our care staff takes time to learn about our client’s personal and professional backgrounds, interests, hobbies, and desires to identify and develop activities that will provide true value, enjoyment, stimulation, and meaningfulness.
Contact us at 833-726-2824 or visit our website, www.perfectcarematch.com, to learn more about our expert, holistic approach and flexible caregiving options.
References:
Supporting loved ones living with dementia at Christmas – Radfield Home Care. https://www.radfieldhomecare.co.uk/news/supporting-loved-ones-living-with-dementia-at-christmas
Duplantier, S., Duplantier, S., & Williamson, F. (2023). Barriers and Facilitators of Health and Well-Being in Informal Caregivers of Dementia Patients: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4328.