Activities for Alzheimer’s Patients

Suitable Alzheimer's Activities

• Sorting: Organizing items by color, size and shape, such as buttons, beans, socks, poker chips, bottle caps, etc.
• Molding: Using clay or Play-Doh to make anything; good hand exercise
• Cooking: Baking cookies, making a fruit salad, tossing a vegetable salad, making simple sandwiches, ice cream sundaes, smoothies, etc.
• Stringing: Using string to loop with dry cereal (Cheerios, Fruit Loops, etc) to make a bird feeder or decoration
• Book making: Finding specific images in magazines and cutting and pasting them into a notebook; this can be done with old photographs too
• Tossing: Lightly throwing or kicking a ball to each other; tossing beanbags to one another
• Sewing: Beanbags, small pillows, mending buttons or ripped seams
• Crocheting/knitting: For residents already skilled in this craft, this is a great way to spend an afternoon
• Coloring: Printables are available online; just print and color; helps with fine motor skills
• Life skills: Folding clothes, sweeping, dusting and setting dining room tables are great ways to help a patient boost his or her confidence
• Pet therapy: Residents bond with animals such as dogs, cats, birds, fish, rabbits, etc.; the residents can help feed and care for the pets too
• Music therapy: A good song soothes the soul; playing a variety of songs, especially oldies, is a great leisurely activity
• Exercise: Walking is usually the best exercise for Alzheimer's patients, although on some occasions dancing is great too