The activities seniors with dementia participate in should boost quality of life and slow the progression of the disease. Participating in gardening activities can reduce stress for older adults with this condition, help them sleep better at night, enhance their nutrition habits, and prevent behavioral challenges. Here are some of the best gardening activities for seniors with dementia.
1. Make a Sensory Bin
Although this activity is easy for older adults with dementia, it can be a fun and brain-boosting project. For this activity, your senior loved one will need plant pots, a bin, soil, and flowers. Creating a sensory bin can keep your loved one engaged and provide a sense of accomplishment. While making the sensory bin, your loved one can enhance his or her fine motor skills and explore his or her senses. Sensory stimulation can strengthen connections in the brain and boost cognitive health for aging adults with dementia.
Seniors with dementia often need assistance with everyday activities so they can age in place in safety and comfort. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of home care service families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
2. Create a Snack Garden
The foods seniors with dementia eat can play a vital role in their mental and physical health. Fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and other plant-based foods can help them maintain good brain health and lower their blood pressure levels. Most of the foods your loved one plants will be packed with the fiber and vitamins he or she needs. Green leafy vegetables and berries are the best snacks to plant in the garden because these foods are full of antioxidants that help the body fight inflammation and free radicals.
3. Design Garden Markers
Instead of buying garden markers from a local retailer, your loved one can make some with the grandchildren. Together they can design rocks to represent various sections of the garden, helping your loved one remember where individual plants are. For example, your loved one can color a rock red and put different designs on the rock to represent strawberries, apples, cherries, and other fruits. Making garden markers can boost critical thinking skills and possibly trigger memories from the past.
Seniors with dementia can optimize their quality of life with the help of highly trained, experienced professional caregivers. If your senior loved one needs professional dementia care, Auburn caregivers are available around the clock to provide the high-quality care he or she needs. Using the revolutionary Cognitive Therapeutics Method, dementia caregivers can help your loved one stay mentally engaged and delay the progression of the disease.
4. Make Plant & Leaf Crafts
While working on crafts, seniors can learn about the different leaves and plants, which could stimulate the brain and slow the effects of dementia. Your loved one can use dried plant leaves to make picture art, such as animal faces, flower headbands, and leaf bouquets. Your parent can also exercise his or her creativity by painting the leaves different colors and cutting them into various shapes and sizes. Creative crafts like these can enhance thinking skills, prevent boredom, and encourage self-expression.
5. Start a Garden Club
Your parent can get together with other seniors and start a community garden club. The members can meet once a week or chat throughout the week via the internet. When meeting in person, they can go to a different member’s garden each week, giving them the ability to get out and about.
Socialization can boost mood and strengthen communication skills. Social bonds are essential for seniors with dementia because they lower the risk of depression, chronic stress, and inactivity.
If your loved one is living with dementia, having a trained professional caregiver close by can provide you and your family with much-needed peace of mind. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of elder care. Auburn families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. Call one of our friendly Care Managers at (334) 744-7100 to schedule a free consultation.