Valentine's Day Activities for Those Suffering from Dementia

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a great Valentine's Day Activity for those suffering from dementia

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With more than 5.1 Americans living with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia, loved ones and healthcare professionals need to take every chance to make the lives of those stricken better and happier.

It is also important that while doing this, you stimulate a dementia sufferer's mind to make his or her decline slower.

What can you do this Valentine's Day that will be engaging, fun and exciting for someone with dementia?

What you do depends a lot on the likes, dislikes and interests of the person with dementia. Make sure you do something fun together, no matter what it is.
First before the holiday even begins, you and persons with dementia can create and send valentines.

If you decide to make the valentines, you can use construction paper, stickers, or doilies. You can precut hearts out of paper if necessary. Then ask the dementia person to place the stickers on the hearts. You may have to hand those with Alzheimer's disease, one sticker at a time. If this is too difficult, just ask the dementia person where the sticker should be placed. You can have fun with the stickers also. Stick one on your nose. Then laugh. As you know laughter is the best medicine.

Use your imagination to come up with other materials you can use to create a valentine such as: magic markers, lace, ribbon, or photographs

Remember even if the valentines do not look that good, it is the process not the product that counts.

In addition, you do not have to make the valentines. You can buy an inexpensive box of valentines. There are many that are appropriate for adults. Encourage those with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia to sign the cards. Often a person with mid stage dementia can still sign his name. If not, have him just look at the valentines. You can comment on the colors and objects on the valentines. Ask the dementia person what these things remind him of. If he needs help tell him what the objects remind you of

You can use the.......read all of Valentine's Day Activities for Those Suffering from Dementia

Music and rhythms connect people to the past, to each other and to their souls (part 2)

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Alzheimer's Products

Sounds for the mind and the brain
Natural sounds are probably the best for mood and meditation. A gentle rain, or the wind blowing through pine trees, can work magic. To stimulate cognition, a Mozart symphony is probably better. And the music that the Alzheimer's patient enjoyed when he or she was younger is best to stimulate reminiscence. Therefore, a variety of sound stimulation is important.

Sound doesn't have to be pleasing or melodic to be effective. Rattles and other percussion musical instruments are also good, especially if the Alzheimer's patient is playing them. The physical activity and the stimulation of listening to and following a rhythm both add to the benefits of the passive auditory stimulation. Even "white noise" has been shown to improve memory in Alzheimer's patients.

Here is a dementia music activity

Music and rhythms connect people to the past, to each other and to their souls

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity

Music is everywhere!
Alzheimer's Products



Auditory Stimulation – Our ears probably provides us with our second most vibrant source of sensory stimulation. Our eyes allow us to enjoy the paintings of Rembrandt and the sculpture of Michelangelo. Our ears allow us to share in the genius of Mozart and Beethoven; to wake up to a symphony of birds on a spring morning.

Auditory stimulation for people with Alzheimer's and dementia is as effective for mood enhancement, relaxation, and cognition as it is for everyone else. The calming effects of music are well known. Farmers play music to their cows and the cows produce more and better milk. Music makes plants grow larger and healthier. Music is good for living things including people.

And it's not just music that benefits dementia patients (and everyone else, as well). The sound of water, from a babbling brook or from an artificial waterfall, is to the ear what a camp fire is to the eye. Both are mesmerizing and calming, as is the sound of a well tuned bell or wind chime.

National Activity Professionals Week

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity

How did things go for you during National Activity Professionals Week?

Our residents really enjoyed the activities I planned
You can see them by clicking here

However the administrator and other managers were oblivious as to the significance of the week.

I guess sometimes Activities Directors and the Activities Department get ignored especially if you run a quality program that the Department of Public Health finds adequete or better

Anyway onto more activities for the end of January and February

Happy Activity Professionals Week

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity

For the next week I am going to focus on activities.
First of all, it is National Activity Professionals Week.
Second activities improve the quality of life of those with Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias, those with physical disabilities, those with developmental disabilities, all those living in long term care and actually for anyone.

Here are

Top Ten Reasons For Residents to Attend Activities

click here to read what they are

The utensils keeping frail people eating independently (part 4)

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity



By Jane Elliott
Health reporter, BBC News



Mealtimes are such an important part of the day and eating well is crucial for people with dementia who may otherwise deteriorate more quickly."

Mr Timlin said food was such an important part of his family's life that he wanted others to enjoy it for as long as possible. He said this had been the driving force behind his designs.

"In my house the kitchen was the centre of the home and dinner was the place where we touched base as a family.

"My grandmother was a very strong woman who hated the idea of being dependent, refused to sit in a wheelchair and remained as someone I would seek counsel from until the very end of her days.

"She has shaped my view of older people in a way that will never leave me."

The utensils keeping frail people eating independently (part 3)

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity



By Jane Elliott
Health reporter, BBC News

the food cools and becomes unappetising.


Gregor Timlin says he believes food should be a pleasure
"Gregor has taken into consideration these challenges and come up with designs that do not look out of place in a normal dining room.

"They look stylish while being practical. He has thought about simple but important issues, such as how the plate looks, right through to the issue of how long it may take someone to eat and how the food can be kept warm for longer.

"He has also ensured that the design of each utensil allows the resident to retain their independence for as long as possible. This ultimately allows the dignity of the resident to be maintained."

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said there was certainly a gap in the market and that Mr Timlin's work could even keep people independent longer.

"This initiative could be of great benefit to people with dementia living in care homes, helping them to maintain eating skills for longer and enjoy their food more," she said.
More tomorrow

The utensils keeping frail people eating independently (part 2)

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity



By Jane Elliott
Health reporter, BBC News

"Care homes are the place design forgot," he said.

"There is a double standard, older people in care have no choice but to use designs most carers would be embarrassed to use."

So, working closely with Bupa and the Helen Hamlyn Centre, Mr Timlin visited numerous care homes, spending time with staff and residents to see how he could improve their eating experiences.

He designed:


a cup and plate to help those with poor vision, by using colour to ensure the food contrasts with the plate, and make the plate edge visible against the table
a high-lipped plate to help people with limited dexterity to keep food on their plate, and a removable microwavable outer layer to keep their food warm for longer
a cup with an insulating layer of neoprene to replace childlike double-handled cups by removing the handles and allowing the resident to grab it like a glass
a plate shaped so care workers can hold it close to residents unable to feed themselves, meaning they can still see and smell what they are eating
a table designed to accommodate wheelchairs so all residents can get close enough to their food to eat, with lights that can be adjusted to compensate for different visual difficulties
Michalae Thompson, home manager at Bupa's Meadbank Nursing Centre in London, which Mr Timlin visited, said she had been very impressed by the designs, which she feels are much needed.

"The problems associated with dementia in relation to eating and drinking result in food being 'chased' around normal plates and the options that are available are quite childlike, such as plate guards and split plates," she said.

"The drinking cups can look like enlarged babies' cups. Also someone with dementia may taker longer to eat and this can cause issues as the food cools.......more tomorrow

The utensils keeping frail people eating independently

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity



By Jane Elliott
Health reporter, BBC News

Designer Gregor Timlin's maternal grandmother was the backbone of her family.

For her, cooking was a pleasure and a joy and she kept her independence as long as possible.

But sadly this is not the case for some of the UK's elderly and frail.

About 700,000 people in the UK have dementia, and more than a third of these live in care homes.

Crockery, tableware and even the tables themselves are in most cases not designed for the less able.

Visiting relatives over the years, Mr Timlin saw staff were often having to "infantilise" residents, feeding and mopping up after them.

So he came up with a range of plates, tablecloths, lighting and tables, which should be available from November, designed to make independent eating possible.......more tomorrow

January is hot tea month

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity

To all the readers of this blog who are eager to learn more about dementia, I want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very happy new year

Have a tea party and use these tea facts for a discussion

January is hot tea month. There is no question about the popularity of tea as it is the most consumed liquid in the world after water. There are many varieties as herbal, green, black, white, red, oolong…, but which ones offer the most benefit and nutrition?

Teas such as black, white, green and oolong come from a plant called Camellia sinensis. The leaves, used for tea, contain polyphenols which are a anti-cancer antioxidants. The way you can tell if a tea is processes is that it will become very dark. The white and green teas are the least processed. The white tea comes from the very young spring leaves that are steamed very quickly. Still all the teas mentioned at the first part of this paragraph contain polyphenols. Many people don’t realize that these teas rank as high (sometimes higher) than fresh fruits and vegetables in antioxidant potential.

Many teas that we refer to as herbal teas are not even teas, but plant infusions made from herbs, flowers, roots and spices. The “herbal teas” do not generally contain caffeine. However, the other teas do. Yet, it is less cup for cup of coffee. 40 mg of caffeine is contained in the average cup of tea as opposed to coffee which has 85 mg. If you must have sweetener in your tea, try raw honey which will give you many health benefits as opposed to white sugar or even processed honey.

Improving Communication Between Nursing Assistants and Nursing Home Residents During Care Routines

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity

Louis D. Burgioa,b, Rebecca Allen-Burgea,b, David L. Rothc, Michelle S. Bourgeoisd, Katinka Dijkstrad, John Gerstlea, Erik Jacksona and Leanna Bankestera
a Applied Gerontology Program, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
b Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
c Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
d Department of Communication Disorders, Florida State University, Tallahassee

Correspondence: Louis D. Burgio, The University of Alabama, Department of Psychology and The Applied Gerontology Program, Box 870315, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0315. E-mail: lburgio@sw.ua.edu.

Decision Editor: Laurence G. Branch, PhD

Purpose: We examined the effects of communication skills training and the use of memory books by certified nursing assistants (CNAs) on verbal interactions between CNAs (n = 64) and nursing home residents (n = 67) during care routines. Design and Methods: CNAs were taught to use communication skills and memory books during their interactions with residents with moderate cognitive impairments and intact communication abilities. A staff motivational system was used to encourage performance and maintenance of these skills. Formal measures of treatment implementation were included. Results:Results were compared with those for participants on no-treatment control units. Trained CNAs talked more, used positive statements more frequently, and tended to increase the number of specific instructions given to residents. Changes in staff behavior did not result in an increase in total time giving care to residents. Maintenance of CNA behavior change was found 2 months after research staff exited the facility. Although an increase was found in positive verbal interactions between CNAs and residents on intervention units, other changes in resident communication were absent. Implications: Nursing staff can be trained to improve and maintain communication skills during care without increasing the amount of time delivering care. The methodological advantages of including measures to assess treatment implementation are discussed

Mind Building Games for Seniors

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity

eHow

Memory is one of the most difficult problems associated with aging. Seniors are more susceptible to degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and related dementias. One way to lower your risk of developing one of these mind-robbing diseases is to engage in mind-building games that force you to solve problems in a fun way. Find challenging games (like the ones listed below) that keep the brain active.

Computer Games

Technology allows us to use our brain in more ways than ever before. We can advance skill levels, save our results and refer back to them to follow our progress. Below are two computer games that are mind-building for seniors.

Posit Science -- Brain Fitness Program 2.0: This program ($395) has shown improvement in the memory of those who used it in the prescribed way.

MindFit: This game provides an Individualized system of mind-building games.
According to a March 2009 study at the International Alzheimer's conference in Salzburg, Austria, this game provides short-term memory improvement of 18 percent among participants age 50 and over. The price of this game ranges from $129 to $149.

Online Games

Just the act of surfing the Internet is good for seniors looking to keep their minds active. According to an article in the October 19, 2009 issue of Science Daily, "First-time Internet users find an increase in brain building after just one week."
A good online resource is Brain Games, which is a program created by Prevention Magazine (see References). The site includes links to a variety of mind-building games for seniors.

Board and Card Games

Board and card games that use strategy are also a great tool to help build the mind. Not only do the games....read all of Mind Building Games for Seniors

Want to get leid?

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity


I bet this title got your attention. Well May 1 is May Day but in Hawaii it is Lei Day.

Lei Day has an easy to do craft for those with dementia. The craft is making leis.

There is something for someone with almost every level of dementia, to do.

First you need to have strips of approximately 1×10 inches of paper. However the demensions are far from exact. I like to use tissue paper, but any thin paper or material will do.

Therefore, you can have one group making long strips of paper. This is a good activity for a lower functioning group. If group members have trouble making the strips then…..

Come back tomorrow to find out this and more

Think spring, think baseball

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Here is a dementia music activity

Are you stuck in the winter doldrums

Then think spring, think baseball



Here is a nice baseball poem

Casey at the Bat
By Ernest Lawrence Thayer Taken From the San Francisco Examiner - June 3, 1888

The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play,
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,

A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game. A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, “If only Casey could but get a whack at that —
We’d put up even money now, with Casey at the bat.”But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,

And the former was a hoodoo, while the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat;
For there seemed but little chance of Casey getting to the bat.But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It pounded on the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey’s manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey’s bearing and a smile lit Casey’s face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt ’twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt.
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance flashed in Casey’s eye, a sneer curled Casey’s lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped —
“That ain’t my style,” said Casey. “Strike one!” the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore;
“Kill him! Kill the umpire!” shouted some one on the stand;
And it’s likely they’d have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey’s visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the dun sphere flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said “Strike two!”

“Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered “Fraud!”
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn’t let that ball go by again.

The sneer has fled from Casey’s lip, the teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey’s blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.