Memory-Boosting Activities for an Aging Loved One

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Many seniors experience memory loss due to dementia or general aging, which typically affects short-term memory first, but there are ways to keep the memory alive and well. Here are some simple activities to provide mental stimulation for your senior loved one. 

 

Scrapbooking

Sorting and organizing old pictures into albums can tap into your loved one’s recollection of family history and events. You can encourage your loved one to share stories associated with the pictures and include them in the album. A scrapbooking project gives you the opportunity to spend quality time with your loved one and create a family heirloom in the process. 

 

Cooking

Encourage your loved one to share a favorite recipe or help you with the family dinner. The act of cooking is one of the best ways to evoke memories, since it involves all five senses. By including your loved one in cooking, you’re providing mental stimulation and helping him or her feel like a vital member of the family. You also ensure traditional family recipes are preserved for future generations. 

A professional in-home caregiver can help your loved one safely prepare nutritious meals and maintain a high quality of life. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of elder care. Columbus families can rely on Assisting Hands Home Care to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our caregivers help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and we offer mentally stimulating activities that can boost cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia.

 

Playing Name Games

These types of games use both short-term and long-term memory and are especially helpful for seniors with Alzheimer’s. For instance, start by picking a category, such as animals, and take turns naming items in that category beginning with each letter of the alphabet. To make the game more challenging, you can encourage your loved one to try to name all of the previous items as well. Make sure to keep the categories relatively simple and broad to give your loved one the best chance of success. 

A professional caregiver can be a wonderful game-playing partner for your parent. If your elderly loved one is living with a serious medical condition and needs help managing the tasks of daily living, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, an in-home care agency you can trust. Our caregivers are available 24/7, there are no hidden fees in our contracts, and we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our in-home care services.

 

Discussing Current Events

If your loved one enjoys watching the evening news or reading a daily newspaper, take the time to discuss events with him or her. Encourage your loved one to offer opinions regarding the various stories and ask him or her to share memories of similar events he or she may have experienced. This process can help your loved one develop and maintain his or her short-term information retention. If your loved one is easily agitated, you should avoid letting him or her read or watch stories that are particularly disturbing or violent. 

If your loved one needs more mentally stimulating activities to keep his or her mind sharp, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care. Whether you need respite from your caregiving duties or your aging loved one needs 24/7 live-in care, Columbus, Ohio, Assisting Hands Home Care can meet your family’s care needs. Our dedicated caregivers are available around the clock to provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, ensure seniors take their prescribed medications, and help with a variety of tasks in and outside the home. To learn about our quality-assured services, give us a call today. 

   

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