My aunt with advanced dementia, and who can no longer follow dialogue and plots of movies, LOVES watching funny animal videos on YouTube. Because she has short-term memory loss, she can re-watch the same video over and over. She also loves looking at animal magazines, like Cat Fancier. Also, folding laundry or sorting things. If he has any card games in his long-term memory I'm sure he'd love to play those. My aunt plays the card game GOLF and kills at it.
Reminisce. Do you have any family photo albums or pictures he may remember? Are there some picture books he may enjoy? If he's mid or later stage dementia and doesn't recall looking at them, you can do this repeatedly. He might enjoy coloring or maybe he would sit through a Netflix movie. If your cable channel has a retro channel, (e.g., MeTv), he may recall and enjoy some of the old (1950,1960) sitcoms or variety shows.
With dementia, a puzzle or wordsearch that once was a piece of cake, now becomes impossible, and somewhere in that sad, broken brain, is the memory of when they COULD do those things.
Mom got daddy these puzzles that and 18 month old could do--little pegs on the puzzle pics and he sit and try to fit the cow into the 'cow' slot. I was there one day and he chucked the 'puzzle' across the room. He was humiliated and angry that mother had gone and bought several of these.
Your post should say 'CANNOT' do puzzles or wordsearches. It's going to take some doing to find what DOES interest them, and often, that's the TV going all day and night. Dad loved the history channels and funny enough, Wile E Coyote cartoons, a joy which the both of us shared.
Some people find their skills at knitting, crocheting or even simple 'spool weaving' to be calming and they have a project to work on.
Every person is different. Takes time to find the niche for them, but just because one thing is not enjoyed, doesn't mean you can't find others.
Mother has never bothered in 41 years to learn my phone number, but she wins at Bingo every single week. Go figure.
3 Answers
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
ADVERTISEMENT
Mom got daddy these puzzles that and 18 month old could do--little pegs on the puzzle pics and he sit and try to fit the cow into the 'cow' slot. I was there one day and he chucked the 'puzzle' across the room. He was humiliated and angry that mother had gone and bought several of these.
Your post should say 'CANNOT' do puzzles or wordsearches. It's going to take some doing to find what DOES interest them, and often, that's the TV going all day and night. Dad loved the history channels and funny enough, Wile E Coyote cartoons, a joy which the both of us shared.
Some people find their skills at knitting, crocheting or even simple 'spool weaving' to be calming and they have a project to work on.
Every person is different. Takes time to find the niche for them, but just because one thing is not enjoyed, doesn't mean you can't find others.
Mother has never bothered in 41 years to learn my phone number, but she wins at Bingo every single week. Go figure.