Entertainment for people
with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia is not much
different than entertainment for the rest of us.
Entertainment
Choice
At Early
Stage of Alzheimer’s, you can often share in whatever fun activities
the person enjoyed before developing Alzheimer’s. Some games may need to be
adjusted, however, to accommodate your loved one’s diminishing mental capacity.
For example, you may need to play a child’s card game instead of bridge;
checkers instead of chess. Or, if the person previously enjoyed jigsaw puzzles,
you may need to find ones with fewer and larger pieces.
At Mid-Stage
Alzheimer’s stage, people with Alzheimer’s may have more or less the mental
and social skills of a toddler. While it’s excellent to do the standbys –
things like looking at old pictures or watching movies together, those are
still somewhat passive. With a little thought you can find more active ways to
spend time together, such as giving the person toys or other “props” that the
two of you play with together. The key words here are “play” and “together.”
Many people with Alzheimer’s enjoy stuffed animals,
doll babies and other “props.” If you find some item the person really likes,
you can use your imagination, again, to invent simple games to play together
with it. It goes without saying that some people with Alzheimer’s cannot be
reached by any means, but try experimenting with several of the ideas mentioned
here. You may be amazed to find your loved one can suddenly function at a
higher level and become happier when involved in these types of activities. And
that can bring joy to both of you.
While it can be
difficult to see an Alzheimer's patient struggle with activities he once
enjoyed, experts insist that it's very important for people afflicted with the
disease to stay in touch with their former selves. For example, a patient who
was a big basketball fan in his younger years can be entertained with a
televised basketball game. Even if the disease has progressed to the point
where the patient can no longer keep up mentally with the intricacies of the
unfolding match, he will still get a visceral thrill from watching, even if
clarity only comes in flashes.
Trial and error is
a good strategy to use here. Expose the patient to a variety of activities he
once enjoyed, see which ones he responds to best and make any necessary
adjustments to maximize his entertainment.
Whatever
entertainment format is chosen, be responsive to the needs of the patient.
Don't force things that aren't working and move on to something else if a
planned activity doesn't do the trick. Someone suffering from Alzheimer's will
usually have a short attention span and may be averse to large crowds and
public places. The best activities shouldn't take a long time to complete.
Choose stimulating activities that can command the patient's attention without
frustrating them.
Games
Simple games that
promote mental stimulation but don't frustrate the patient can be entertaining
and therapeutic. For example, play a name game or a word game with an
Alzheimer's patient. Begin by saying a female name and asking the patient to
respond with a male name. This structure could be repeated with any number of
subjects, including birds, animals, countries, languages, colors and movies.
Encouraging the patient to play with clay or paint can provide hours of
entertainment. However, experts caution that individuals who had highly
developed artistic skills in their younger years may have adverse emotional
reactions when trying to use those skills while afflicted with Alzheimer's.
Avoid activities that may remind the patients of their failing faculties.
For example, one study reported in the American
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementia found that playing Bingo
provides mental stimulation that is highly therapeutic to people with cognitive
disorders. Individuals participating in the study performed significantly
better on measures of cognition. Staff members reported increases in alertness
and in awareness in the test subjects for hours after testing.
Bingo has other advantages as a game for dementia
patients. It comes not only in the familiar "B-6, N-23" version, but
in a number of alternatives that are stimulating on different levels and for
different abilities. Players can identify anything from animals to items of
food, to body parts. This allows for the game to be played, in one version or
another, by patients at different stages of the disease, and to stimulate
memories, thought process, or other cognitive abilities.
And it's not just a game for large groups. Games for
Alzheimer's should be played for stimulation, not for competition, and can be
enjoyed by a group of two or three. Or even one (with a caregiver). Whenever
possible, have children play with the older adults. Both age groups enjoy this.
Physical Activities
Physical
activity promotes better health and slows the complications of Alzheimer's
disease, and it can provide an entertaining way to pass a morning or afternoon.
If the patient has someone to walk with, he or she will find it more enjoyable.
If possible, bring a pet with you, particularly if the patient likes animals.
Reminiscence
Therapy
Entertainment media provide us with one of our
biggest sources of reminiscence therapy. Old movies and television shows,
recordings of old radio programs, live performances and recordings of songs and
music from the 30s and 40s; any of these could inspire a memory.
Movies and Documentaries
Feature movies are a first choice for many when it
comes to distracting us from the routine of our daily life. Older movies are
especially good as someone moves into the middle or later stages of dementia.
Musicals, comedies, and movies that feature dancing can provide entertainment
without the need to follow a complex plot.
Nature documentaries are another option. Many rely
heavily on the visual grandeur of their subject to tell the story. In most
cases, people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia respond very well to these.
One of the favorites could be Winged Migration. It contains very little
narration; the birds hold the audiences. You will enjoy watching this with your
loved ones or the people in your care. It is as if you are flying with the
birds.
Other Video Entertainment
There is a category of movie that is made to bring
the world into your home. An undersea reef, the Amazon Jungle, majestic
mountains, a Caribbean island; all can be enjoyed in the comfort of your living
room. These can be thought of as music for the eyes, and provide a relaxing
ambiance whenever they are playing. They are accompanied by relaxing or
energizing music, natural sounds, or both.
Old Radio
We've seen nostalgic pictures of families sitting
around the radio listening intently. They may have been laughing to an episode
of Jack Benny or Fibber McGee and Molly. They may be thrilling to the
adventures of The Shadow or riding with The Lone Ranger. To you this may be a
quaint image of Americana, but the majority of people who have Alzheimer's
disease experienced this first hand. They grew up before television. Radio was
for them what TV was for us.
So, many of those classic radio shows are lost, but
not all of them. Unfortunately, the quality of these recordings is not always
what it could be. For people who likely don't hear as well as they did when the
shows were first broadcast, listening to these less than perfect restorations
might be more frustrating than anything.
Books
Novels, biographies, and all the other books that we
read for our entertainment will eventually lose their appeal to the person with
dementia. There are other books, however, that will retain their appeal. The
so-called coffee table books fit this bill nicely, especially those that have a
nostalgic, geographic, or natural theme. These can usually be found on the
sales tables of the larger bookstores, and appeal to many interests.
Another option is illustrated stories. These don't
have to be children's books. Stories written or adapted for juvenile readers
can be as engrossing as adult novels, and the illustrations that they often
contain make them visually stimulating as well.
Music
Music
provides wonderful reminiscences, and is an indispensable part of a program of
reminiscence therapy. It's something everyone has a deep connection to.
Everyone has a favorite song, or several. Everyone has memories that are
connected to one piece of music or another, some going back to childhood. More
than that, music has the ability, like nothing else, to transport us to a
different time or place, to brighten our mood, to relax or stimulate us. Many
experts contend that music even has the power to heal.
But music isn't just for listening: Encourage
participation. People in later stages of dementia often remember the lyrics of
songs that they may not have heard for years. An Alzheimer's patient who has
trouble putting a sentence together, who stumbles over words, might sing along
with a familiar old song without hesitation or mistake. Not only is this
enjoyable, it stimulates the memory. He doesn't like to sing? Maybe he plays
piano or another musical instrument: Maybe not well, but that doesn't matter.
Or hand him a tambourine or a pair of maracas, and let him keep the beat to
recorded music. This can all be done in groups. In residential situations,
bring in a leader who has a selection of rhythm and percussion instruments, and
experience in encouraging participation.
Humor
Experts state the humor and laughter therapy is very
helpful in preserving positive emotional state and boosting your loved one
cognitive processes. Several examples of the recommended activities:
- Watch or listen to comedy TV shows, movies and old
radio shows like “Who’s on first” (Abbott and Costello) and “I Love Lucy.”
- Start a humor notebook or scrapbook.
- Laugh over funny family memories (like the time Mom
put frozen rolls on the Thanksgiving table).
Sources
and Additional Information:
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Co-Author: Tanya Pekker, Licensed
Marriage and Family Therapist in San Mateo, California
Website: http://www.bayareatherapypro.com
Email: bayareatherapypro@gmail.com
