by Deborah Mcswain

Created on: October 30, 2009

Simple Ways to Keep a Person With Dementia Entertained

Are you caring for a loved one with dementia and at a loss for how to keep the patient entertained besides setting them in front of the television for hours on end? Persons with dementia can become bored, restless and irritable because of their diminished ability to function. Knowing when to eat or drink or even assembling a simple sandwich can be beyond their capabilities. There are however, a few tasks that your loved one with dementia may be able to participate in. These tasks are eating, listening and singing along to music, enjoying animals, and performing some large motor functions such as sweeping, raking, hitting a golf ball or vacuuming

Because a person with dementia has short term memory impairment, repetition and routine become extremely important for their sense of confidence and well-being. Prepare simple healthy meals for them every two to three hours. Be sure to include a beverage so that the danger of dehydration is eliminated. Eating and drinking small amounts throughout the day keeps your loved one's blood sugar stable, provides a sense of routine and actually helps to entertain them.

You may have noticed that your loved one sings or whistles certain musical tunes or hymns either classics from their favorite era or church hymns. If you have noticed this, you're in luck. Simply sit down at the computer and through itunes, compile and purchase a play list consisting of tunes that you think your loved one will remember and enjoy. Burn a CD for them and play this CD during the morning hours between breakfast and lunch and watch them listen, sing and enjoy. Don't worry about playing it too often, you will find that dementia patients seem to thrive on repetition and they just might learn the words and sing along. You, however, may tire of the CD, so burn another one or purchase classics such as Frank Sinatra or Tommy Dorsey and alternate periodically.

A pet can provide hours of enjoyment and entertainment for persons with dementia. A small cat or dog will curl up on your loved one's lap and nap and submit to petting and attention for hours. It has been proven that the bond between people and animals relieves stress and having a dog around may encourage your loved one to venture out to the yard and watch the dog or throw a ball for him. Be sure to have a secure yard so that your patient can not wander off.

Finally, perhaps your dementia patient can still recall how to sweep or perform some other small physical task. Provide a broom and dust pan or rake and steer your dementia charge out to the patio or garage and see if they can be encouraged to sweep or rake. Perhaps your loved one once golfed. You might try to provide a golf ball and putting club and see if your loved one can hit the ball out on the lawn or on the carpet. Try plugging in the vacuum cleaner for your loved one and see if they don't still have the muscle memory for this task.

Set up a routine intermingled with eating, listening to music, cuddling with animals, and doing another small task and you will find that you can keep the TV off more and your loved one in better health and better humor.

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