Slideshow: 10 Innovative Memory Care Activities That Engage Residents

When memory care programs and communities were first conceptualized decades ago, the focus was primarily on safety. There were secured doors and other devices to protect residents, and staff spent much of their days redirecting residents and managing behaviors.

Today’s leading memory care communities are much different.

“The entire environment and program of memory care is specifically geared toward keeping a senior with memory impairment or dementia as independent and successful as possible while living a social, fun, happy life day in and day out,” says Carrie Wilson, who is director of the Reflections Memory Program at the Ivy at Ellington.

One of the best ways to do that is through a rich and vibrant calendar of programs and activities.

The Yes, You Can, Approach

Staying active and engaged is critical to quality of life. Activities facilitate socialization, an important aspect of mental health. They can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. They engage the brain and improve cognitive functioning for a time.

For people with dementia, a “Yes, you can” approach is critical when planning activities. Also known as the failure-free approach to memory care, this approach emphasizes assets rather than deficits. Activities are adapted to suit the needs and capacity of the person with memory loss and are to be used in a way that will enable the person to succeed.

“Even though a person is affected by their dementia, there is still a human being there — a person looking for and needing love, compassion, connection, joy, intellectual stimulation, physical movement, and spiritual fulfillment,” Wilson says. “Different stages of the disease allow individuals to process, communicate, and participate differently, but every single person can still process their surroundings in some way, communicate in some way, and participate in some way. The key to a great memory care program is staff who take the time to engage residents within their own capabilities to make each moment and each day enjoyable and successful.”

Here’s a look at 10 innovative memory care activities that empower residents to truly feel engaged, uplifted, and purposeful.

For more information about how family caregivers can make sure a memory care community is the right fit for their loved one with dementia, download our eBook “What to Look for in a Memory Care Community”.