How to Provide Sensory Stimulation for Older Adults with Dementia

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month

Sensory stimulation provides many health benefits for adults with dementia, including decreased agitation, better sleeping patterns, and less restlessness. It is important for caregivers to do everything possible to boost quality of life for aging adults living with this disease. This June, try our favorite ways to provide sensory stimulation for your elderly loved one if he or she has dementia.

Please note that while sensory stimulation is beneficial for adults with dementia, it is more important that the activity you choose is safe and enjoyable for your loved one. Activities that are too difficult or too overstimulating can have the opposite effect and cause more stress. Consider the progression of your loved one’s disease when planning activities, and be mindful of their reactions as you go. 

If you’re unsure of what sensory stimulation is right for your loved one, consider consulting the experts: our carefully selected caregivers receive specialized training to provide aging adults with person-centered dementia care. 

Start a Sensory Garden

Anything people touch can stimulate their senses. Working in the garden is a safe activity for adults with dementia that allows them to touch different tools, plants, and other gardening objects. Every object has a temperature, shape, and texture. Gardening is considered tactile stimulation that can boost short and long-term memory. In addition to touch, gardening can stimulate other senses such as sight, hearing, and smelling. 

You can easily modify this activity for different capability levels. Try raised beds for adults who can’t bend down easily, or bring small planters inside to garden in severe weather conditions or for adults with limited mobility. Flower arranging is another popular activity with much of the same benefits without being too difficult or stressful. 

Encourage Dancing

Many aspects of daily living provide adults with socialization and sensory stimulation, such as doing exercises, walking through the neighborhood, and dancing. Family caregivers should encourage their loved ones to take up dancing, regardless if it is inside of the home or in a program with others. Dancing is an activity that can be tailored to meet the needs and abilities of people with dementia, and it can also boost their mood and decrease many behavioral issues. Dancing stimulates multiple senses, including touch, sight, and hearing. 

If dancing is difficult or overstimulating, a stroll outside can stimulate the same senses on a calmer level. Try a park or garden where you might encounter flowers or birds to pause and enjoy. Let your loved one take the lead and stop often.

Organize a Meal Prep Party

Meal prep parties are a fun way to create healthy meals while stimulating the senses. Keep in mind the sense of taste is one of a senior’s most pleasurable senses. This activity is particularly helpful for adults who have cooked or enjoyed cooking for much of their life. Ask what their favorite recipe to make is. You can invite other loved ones to help cook and socialize, or keep the activity one-on-one, depending on the comfort level of the adult with dementia.

While working in the kitchen, you can stir up memories of the past. This process is known as gustatory stimulation, and the more emphasis family caregivers put on tasting and smelling the food, the better it is for seniors with dementia. 

The foods seniors with dementia eat play an important role in their treatment process. It can be challenging preparing food for seniors with dementia, but a professional caregiver can help your loved one maintain a nutritious diet. With the help of the caregivers at Home Care Assistance, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. We offer a revolutionary program called the Balanced Care Method, which encourages seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy.

Host a Movie Marathon

Hosting a movie marathon in the home is a great way to stimulate your loved one’s sense of sight. Visual stimulation is how seniors with dementia gain most of their information, and sight also offers the broadest possibilities for stimulation. Watching movies could entertain your loved one and trigger memories. However, it may be difficult for seniors with dementia to follow plot lines, so family caregivers should choose older films that have less complex storylines.

Explore Other Activities

There are plenty of resources to get more ideas for sensory stimulation activities, but the best activities are tailored to your loved one. The simplest things can provide all the benefits of sensory stimulation. Try 

• Listening to music, especially familiar songs
• Folding laundry
• Smoothing crumpled paper
• Tying and untying knots
• Kneading or sculpting Play-Doh

Consider External Help

Apart from regular sensory stimulation, older adults with dementia may need assistance with day-to-day tasks. Performing daily tasks while simultaneously managing the symptoms of a serious illness can be challenging. The live-in care experts at Home Care Assistance are available 24/7 to make sure your loved one has the care he or she needs to remain safe and comfortable while aging in place. To learn about our revolutionary home care methods, give us a call at (937) 353-7997 today.