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

With more than 5.5 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