Planned activities do not happen all day long. Individuals with the ability to think through how to spend their time can initiate being with others or spending time alone. Persons with dementia often cannot do this. They need help—not only in structured activity—but also in relational interactions throughout the day.
These 30 simple, unstructured interactions are not on the activity calendar, but they are probably the most important of the ways that we interact with persons with dementia.
- Greet the person by name
- Make eye contact and smile
- Shake hands
- Ask someone to “show me” an object
- Gently tease: “Mr. Smith, I just saw you eat dessert first!”
- Tell someone he or she is loved
- Give a sustained bear hug
- Give a compliment: “Wow! You’re looking pretty spiffy today, Margie.”
- Ask an open-ended questions: “How are you feeling today, Mike?”
- Ask an opinion: “What do you think of my new necktie? Does it match my shirt?”
- Play a quick game of catch
- Notice an unusual bird out the window
- Evoke a memory from the Life Story of the person: “Tell me more about that grandfather of yours who was a country doctor. Did he really make house calls?”
- Give a hand massage
- Share a new lotion and talk about its pleasant scent
- Blow bubbles
- Slip a little treat to someone (being certain it’s dietetically okay)
- Share a magic trick
- Show off family photos of a new grandchild
- Blow up a balloon and bat it around
- Look at a flower arrangement and compare colors, textures, and scents
- Ask for advice on a recipe
- Tell a funny story or joke
- Do a quick dance to some fun music playing in the background
- Notice vivid colors in an unusual dress or shirt
- Ask for help with a chore, such as folding a towel, helping make a bed, or squirting some wax onto a piece of furniture about to be polished
- Try on a hat or hats
- Try on a new shade of lipstick
- Clown around for a moment, making funny faces, or throwing your hands in the air and spinning around once or twice in a silly dance
- Step outdoors for some fresh air
For more activity ideas and info on Best Friends™, visit our Best Friends Portal.