Can someone with dementia live a full and happy life? With the evolution of medicine and care, people with disabilities are living longer lives than ever before. Although many people with a learning disability may develop early-onset dementia before the age of 65, this doesn’t mean they can’t live full lives by participating in activities they enjoy and being around people who love and care for them. Here are some tips to stop dementia and disability from putting a halt on you and your loved ones’ lives.
How to Live Full Lives with Dementia
No matter the type of dementia your loved one has, he or she does not have to change their lifestyle due to the disease. They may have more challenges in daily tasks or routines, but they don’t have to give up on their favorite activities.
Find activities with a focus on mental improvement
Many activities you already do with your loved one suffering from dementia may have a focus on improving their brain health. Crosswords and puzzles are just some examples of activities everyone can play that can help keep the mind active.
Getting your elderly loved one to play with the grandkids is also a great activity for those with dementia. Elders who play with children can keep their mind active and become inspired by the children’s creativity.
You don’t have to keep your loved one inside for activities. As a way to get them outside more, gardening is another way for seniors to live full lives with dementia. Horticultural therapy gives seniors living with dementia a rewarding and fun hobby. Building a garden bed specifically for your loved one to tend to gives them a daily routine to look forward to. If your loved one is disabled, raised garden beds are great for those in wheelchairs. Now, every has a chance to garden.
Adult day care for social activities
Options like adult daycare facilities can be great for individuals with disability and dementia because they can continue living at home with people they love in an environment they are comfortable in. For individuals who can’t care for their senior with dementia full time, adult day care gives seniors the opportunity to socialize with other seniors. Social activities at an adult day care ups the spirits of seniors and gives them something to look forward to every day.
Before adult day healthcare services, many adults with disability and dementia had no other options but to move into nursing homes, which generally led to a lower quality of life and sometimes earlier death. Now that these adult daycare facilities are available for adults with disability and dementia, these individuals are getting more care and living better lives than ever before.
Adult day care also has activities focusing on dementia and brain health, so seniors are keeping their brains stimulated. Adult day cares understand the difficulty of seniors in the severe stages of dementia but know specific activities which will help them keep their minds active.
Helping Our Seniors Live with Dementia and Disabilities
At Nevada Adult Day Healthcare Centers, we want seniors with dementia and disabilities to have fun. With our Expressions Program, our seniors enhance their daily functional skills and boost their self-esteem all while having FUN. Stop by one of our locations to see our dementia care and other programs in action.
