Loving-Kindness Meditation, also known as Metta Meditation, is a practice designed to cultivate feelings of compassion and well-wishing towards oneself and others. This activity involves residents sitting comfortably, closing their eyes, and silently repeating phrases that express wishes for happiness, health, ease, and peace. The meditation gradually extends these wishes from oneself to loved ones, acquaintances, and even those with whom there may be conflicts, fostering a sense of universal compassion.
Glow-in-the-Dark Bingo is a fun and engaging activity designed specifically for seniors. This unique twist on the classic game of bingo adds an element of excitement by incorporating glow-in-the-dark elements, creating a visually stimulating and memorable experience for participants.
Along with dance, anything creative can help with brain health, including creative art. A great opportunity for residents with any cognitive impairment is to have them create paintings or drawings and hold an Art Show for families and the community in your residence. It’s a great way to get those creative and mental benefits as well as engage your community. You could even host this event in your community during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and feature artwork by residents who have an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Dance has shown incredible cognitive benefits, and it’s also a great way to get your body moving! Finding a way for your residents to memorize a dance routine or create a music video would give them the mental benefits and will for sure be a laugh. It can also provide great content to share with families and on social media. Here’s some inspiration to get you started!
A great activity for all residents, but particularly those with early cognitive impairments, is a serving tray game that works to enhance short-term memory! This can be done in small groups or one-on-one with a resident. All you have to do is choose a few random objects to lay out on the tray. Give the resident 30 seconds to peek at the tray and then cover it. Have them try to recall as much as they can.
For Alzheimer's Month, download a blank, editable bingo sheet where you can add various cognitive activities for your residents to complete in the month. For example, you could add some of the following to your squares: read a book, attend brain yoga once a week, finish this week’s word search, etc. Every time your resident completes an activity, staff can cross it off on their card and prizes can be handed out for lines or full cards! A fun way to switch up that traditional bingo game your residents are used to!
Even though it’s not an Olympic year, you can host your own “brain” olympics in your community! This could be a one day event or span a week or month. Host various cognitive brain games for a little friendly competition between your residents. Here are some ideas:
You can wrap up your events with an awards ceremony with podiums and medals!
You probably already run a version of yoga in your community. But, have you ever tried brain yoga? It’s a great way to challenge your residents to move their body while stimulating their brain to help improve their motor abilities and hand-eye coordination. You can do it anywhere and no equipment is needed! Lead your residents through different movements with their bodies that make them think. Here’s an example of what you might like to try:
Get your purple on and blow up those purple balloons! Encourage your staff, residents, and their families to sign up for a memory walk to honour those who have been diagnosed with dementia and raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease. You can ask family members to pledge money for each lap that their loved one completes and encourage them to create signs and make noise to cheer their loved ones on! You can utilize the outdoors or your community’s hallways and donate the proceeds to your local Alzheimer’s Society’s chapter.
Residents can work together to plant and care for a community garden! This activity provides opportunities for physical activity, social interaction, and sensory stimulation through working with the soil, planting seeds, and watching the plants grow. Additionally, the garden can serve as a beautiful and colorful addition to the community's outdoor spaces. As a bonus, this could be a way to involve family members, as well.
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