Activities
Alzheimer's Friendly
We understand that depending on how severe your grandparent's Alzheimer's disease is, activities can look very different. In each activity we suggest, we supply additional information on how to modify the activity and make it work for your grandparent's condition. You can also show your parents or a trusted adult our list of activities and ask which activities would work best for your grandparent.
Ways to Engage
A variety of activities to engage with your Alzheimer's grandparent, ranging from rainy day to outdoor summer activities
Art Class
Listening Party
The Great Outdoors
Cozy Up
Show and Tell
Pampering
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Arts and crafts are a great way to spend time with your grandparent.
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Grab a coloring book and color in a page together.
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Stay away from paint; Alzheimer's patients tend to think paint is frosting and will try to eat it!
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Make your crafts themed if a holiday is coming up and ask your grandparent about their holiday memories.
Art Class
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Go on a walk down your street.
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Try and collect a basket of leaves, flowers, or rocks on your journey.
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If your grandparent is in a wheelchair or walking is difficult, pull up chairs and sit outside and listen to the birds and the trees.
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If it's cold, don't forget to bundle yourself and your grandparent up!
The Great Outdoors
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Any recent school project you've done, dance or song you've learned, or new toy you got, show it to your grandparent!
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Alzheimer's patients love having things in their hands, or watching people perform for them.
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Talk about why it's important to you and let them experience it too.
Show and Tell
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Music is something that never leaves the memory even with Alzheimer's.
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Put on your favorite songs and dance around!
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Dancing can be dangerous for Alzheimer's patients, so make sure your grandparent stays seated and dances in their chair.
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Give them a scarf to shake around and move it to the beat.
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Play your grandparents favorite songs and watch them remember all the lyrics!
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You can also make your own music: take out drums, shakers and bells.
Listening Party
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Put on a movie and snuggle up with your grandparent. Bonus points if it is a movie they love!
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Putting on closed captions is a good way to keep your grandparent engaged with the movie.
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Don't be annoyed if they start talking over the movie- find humor in it!
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Pick out a book and have story time. You may have to read the book to your grandparent as reading can be difficult with Alzheimer's
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Story time doesn't have to be with a book. Flip through a magazine and ask their opinions on the clothing, toys, or trucks.
Cozy Up
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Self-care is a great way to relax your grandparent
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Paint your grandma's nails, or comb your grandpa's hair
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They may not be able to reciprocate, but that is okay!
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Even just holding their hand is a great way to connect and calm your grandparent down
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Sit next to them and make funny faces. See who can make the weirdest face!
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If you have a dog or cat, pet your animal with your grandparent. Ask them if they had any pets when they were growing up.