7 Activities for Assisted Living Residents - Ways to Keep Seniors Active and Alert

Activities for assisted living residents are an integral part of every memory care home. Organized activities help the days go by quicker, and can help the elderly stay mentally and physically active. Caring for seniors with Alzheimer's and dementia differ from taking care of other elderly residents.

Your loved ones will have different levels of understanding, depending on the severity of the illness. You will also have to adjust to their temperament and still give them extra attention.  

 In this article, we will discuss how we provide activities for our residents at Applewood Our House, and we hope that this will also help those who are taking care of a loved one at home.    

Activities for Assisted Living Residents at Applewood Our House     

 When you provide interesting and slightly challenging activities for assisted living residents, it helps to keep their minds and bodies active. That way, it is much easier for them to relax during the rest of the day, because they are less stressed. In addition, when you give seniors various tasks, you are allowing them to feel a sense of achievement.  

 We consider all of our activities a part of an ongoing therapy for all of our residents. Here are seven types of therapy that we use for our Alzheimer's and dementia residents at our facilities:  

 • Music Therapy - Music brightens up the lives of nearly everyone on our planet. We might all be different, but music is something that brings us all together. We learn from family members what music each resident likes to hear the most, or, we ask our residents. Then, we try to set up time each day where they can hear their favorite songs.  

 • Plant Therapy - This is one of the activities for assisted living residents that most have practiced at one time during their lives. It gives them a chance to get in touch with nature, feeling the earth, while it provides some physical labor, and tests their motor skills. It also allows seniors to get some needed sunshine and work together.  

 • Animal Therapy - Pets are adorable. Many residents have had pets during their lifetime. They understand that pets were always there for them. Animals have a way of attaching themselves to people and people love animals, too. Although, our residents can no longer have pets of their own, we like to bring in puppies and other pets for them to hold and enjoy.  

 • Children Therapy - We always encourage family members to bring younger family members to see their loved ones, too. We often forget the elderly love kids. Just because they might have physical or mental disabilities, doesn't change that they still want to see kids, and they love it when the little ones give them a kiss or a hug. Those are moments that make life worth living, even when their health is declining.  

 • Baking Therapy - Seniors don't mind getting their hands dirty, especially when it is in a bowl of their favorite cake or muffin mix. Cakes, cupcakes, and muffins are easy to prepare, and it is another way to stimulate the residents' brains. They enjoy preparing, and of course, in tasting the product.  

 • Matching and Sorting Therapy - It's a great way to test and stimulate mental skills by using various items. Items are placed on a table and residents are asked to sort or match them by colors, or certain shapes, or sort them out by the same types.  

 • Grooming Therapy - Seniors like to groom themselves. The problem is that these tasks can become difficult with assisted living residents. Women, love to put on makeup, comb their hair, and paint their nails.

Our staff is always there to help. Even when some residents cannot do these tasks, they are happy when we can help them. These are suitable times to sit and chat with the residents while helping them with their appearance.    

 Activities for Assisted Living Residents- Conclusion     

 Applewood Our House works to bring out the full potential in each of our residents for as long as they are here. They are all part of our growing family. When you stop by for a visit and watch some of the activities for our residents, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between our older staff and volunteers, and our residents. That's because sometimes, when our residents get involved, it is easy to forget that many of them have various stages of Alzheimer's disease or dementia.  

 See what is happening at Applewood Our House today!

Aggressive Behaviors - How to Deal with Mood Changes in Alzheimer's and Dementia Patients

Treating aggressive behaviors in Alzheimer's and dementia patients is difficult. With all the research done in the past few decades, the cause of these illnesses is still not fully known.  

We understand the frail state of seniors suffering from brain disorders. They cannot take care of themselves, because they can no longer think clearly. They are forgetful; they sometimes cry and don't recognize family or friends. But what is also disturbing is that they can show signs of aggressive behaviors and rage.  

Let’s discuss the challenges that face caregivers when dealing with aggressive seniors, who are suffering from Alzheimer's disease or dementia. In the end, you should learn some new tips, and you should be able to respond to aggressive behaviors much easier.    

 Understanding Aggressive Behaviors in Alzheimer's and Dementia Patients

Aggressive behavior is a frequent behavioral symptom with Alzheimer's patients. Aggressive behavior is not an integral part of the disease. Therefore, some of the aggressive behavior cannot be prevented, but you must learn how to handle this.  

Medical professionals are also confused why seniors with Alzheimer's or dementia develop aggressive behavior. Yet, caregivers need to deal with angry outbursts and other aggressive acts of behavior. When a patient becomes combative, or explodes with aggression, it makes many caregivers want to give up. It's especially depressing when it is a loved one, who is acting in this manner.

It is necessary for caregivers to realize that it is the illness causing the hostility and temper, and should not reflect on the patient. It's tough and it takes a toll on many caregivers. This is also one of the biggest reasons some families choose to place their loved ones in assisted living. The emotional pain is often too much to bear for many families.    

 Methods to Deal with Aggressive Behaviors

• Search for Pain or Discomfort - Often, aggressive behavior is caused by pain and discomfort. Moving into an unknown environment can also cause them discomfort.  Seniors might want to be alone, and this can also cause them discomfort if they cannot express that.  

• Don't Make Tasks Too Complicated - Do you remember how you felt in school when a task was over your head? Seniors can feel frustrated if asked to do tasks that are too emotionally or physically difficult, too. You might want to try to make an activity easier to see if that helps reduce aggressive behaviors.  

• Check for Depression - According to the American Journal of Psychiatry, a senior diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or dementia could be suffering from depression. In these cases, you could use various medicines to control the behavior.  

• Hire Extra Help - If you find that taking care of your elderly loved one is taking a toll on you, then try to find someone else to help you. That could be other family members, or professional caregivers to reduce the load.   No one can handle a senior with Alzheimer's alone. It's regardless if the patient is suffering from aggressive behaviors or not. Many of these seniors need 24-hour surveillance to prevent wandering and other forms of safety issues.  

• Support Groups - You will find that many support groups can help. There are other caregivers in these groups, who have family members or residents showing the same symptoms as your loved one. Through experience and help from other medical professionals, you should be able to learn how to cope with these issues much easier.  

• Noise Control - There are times when excessive noise causes aggressive behaviors, or other environmental changes might be the culprit. Your loved one might be too hot or too cold, and that might be what is agitating them. As some Alzheimer's patients cannot express themselves, it is up to the caregiver to make the correct changes.    

Aggressive Behaviors- Conclusion

If you learn what might be causing aggressive behaviors, then half of the battle is over. If you are taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer's disease and they are displaying these types of behavior, make sure you discuss it with their doctor immediately. Also, if you find that you are suffering too much emotionally, find a support group or talk to a medical professional immediately.