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Edie
Recreation Aide
Linda Henry
Activities Coordinator
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What a blessing to have found the Golden Carers website, our residents love the activities, particularly fond of visual and musical quizzes. Oh, what fun!! Thanks to all to those at Golden Carers and everyone who contributes to making this website an invaluable tool in ones' toolkit.
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Hi, there I'm a recreation aide, and I am looking for advice on finding programs for my memory care residents. it's been hard because a lot of them their dementia is declining. I'm trying to find activities that will be meaningful for them. They love music and sing-alongs. I want to do a Name that Tune and I have tried different music. A lot of them love country music but when I put it on a lot of them don't recognize the song. would anyone have any suggestions on crafts or songs I can put on my list for a Name that Tune can use? thank you very much in advance
Hi, my memory care population is mostly mid/late and late stage. It's a challenge to find activities, but I agree that music is a great way to engage. I've asked family members and looked on their charts for favorite genres and songs and have used these in sing-a-longs/name that tune. Even if they can't participate, I notice that they enjoy the music. Spotify has some playlists that are free.
I also do hand massages with lotion, we smell different scents with essential oils and guess the scent (careful with these as some need to be mixed with a carrier oil if there is skin contact). I like to play Pictionary where I draw on the white board and they guess the picture (I tend to poke fun at my drawings if they don't know the answer and help them with this.
If they are able we stuff holiday cards/birthday cards/ get well cards and use stickers to put stamps on.
Read alouds are enjoyable- I keep it short with a short reminiscent story or poems that are themed to the month.
H
Hope this helps!
I use a whole lot of music but never ask them to Name That Tune when working with late dementia people. We just sit around, sing along if they are able (and it's surprising how many of them are still able to do that!) and move to the music. Maybe clapping, tapping toes, or I pat their hand in rhythm to the music. Move their w/c in time to the music/do w/c dancing. I don't ask a lot from my memory care people as far as giving a response that they have to think about. We just do, and I take what they are able to give.
Hi Jan and Rose
Thank you for your great and helpful feedback
Here are some more ideas
https://www.goldencarers.com/red-or-black-card-game/7051/
https://www.goldencarers.com/games-for-people-living-with-dementia/4779/
Make sure to read all the comments because there are some great ideas there too
No matter, what do you do think of yourself as a performer
You need to be excited, enthusiastic and engaging
Make sure to involve everyone in some way
I used to play name that tune but instead of playing that the music, I would use a familiar song,title
Then I would give the first word of the title, and see if anyone could name this song, then the second word and so on until The whole title was named
Then we would sing that song
i appreciate the help. thank so much