St. Patrick’s Day Craft: Activities for Dementia Patients

Irish or not, it can be lots of fun to get into the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day by planning activities for someone with dementia.

Crafts are an excellent way to engage a loved one with dementia by providing tactile stimulation. Running fingers over different items like wood, tape, and felt encourage brain activity. The increased brain stimulation provides opportunities for communication.

In addition, providing controlled engagement and activities for someone with dementia during the day can help to use up energy, leading to more peaceful sleep at night.

In this month’s craft, caregivers, family members, and their loved ones with dementia will work with several different textures while creating a delightful wall sign for St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick’s Day Wall Sign

What You’ll Need:

• Flat wood board
• Wood letters
• Shamrock decorations
• An assortment of green patterned masking tape
• Clear glue
• Twine

Steps:

1. Wrap each letter with green masking tape.
2. Glue the letters to the board.
3. Glue shamrock decorations.
4. Tie decorative twine on one end of the board.

Caregiver Tips:

1. While doing activities with a loved one with dementia, play their favorite songs softly in the background.
2. Get the patient involved by starting the activity oneself and then asking them to join in.
3. Activities for people with dementia have the best chance of success in the morning between breakfast and lunch when this loved one is well rested. If they don’t want to participate or get frustrated, don’t force it. Try again another time.
4. If a person has dementia, a hospice program and hospice care team can provide support for both the patient and family. This added assistance can be key in avoidingcaregiver burnout.

Get more ideas foractivities for dementia patients.

If you have questions about how Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care unique care programs supports patients with dementia and their families, please call us at 1-888-564-3405.

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