Choosing activities to do with somebody living with dementia

Having meaningful things to do is important for all of us, but it can be a challenge to find the best activities for a person as their dementia progresses. 

When thinking of ideas, keep the person’s individual likes, preferences and interests at the forefront of your mind.

Get their involvement in choosing and preparing for activities where possible. When suggesting ideas, remember that some people may feel overwhelmed by too many options.

What are the person’s strengths and abilities? An activity based on these will be far more enjoyable than one that highlights what they can’t do. 

An activity that was great to do one afternoon might not work so well the next morning, or even another afternoon.

It helps to have a flexible approach as a person’s abilities and moods change. 

Give the person the support they need to do an activity, but be careful not to take over. Be prepared to finish or do something else if it looks like they’re losing interest. 

Over time, what we think of as an ‘activity’ often needs to adapt and change.

In the later stages of dementia, this could be things that stimulate the person’s senses and help them to interact with others, such as handling familiar objects, listening to their favourite music or using aromatherapy.