Activities for Seniors › Activities for Seniors with Dementia
Activities for Seniors with Dementia
Activities for people living with dementia work best when they are familiar, sensory, and free of pressure to get things right. These ideas were written for memory care: simple steps, plenty of reminiscence, and room for each person to join in their own way. Each one includes tips for adapting to different stages and abilities.
71 activities, most loved first.
Social
"Picture It: Sicily... Or Miami!" Storytelling & Sketching
Residents are encouraged to "picture it" and either write a short, humorous story inspired by a Golden…
Physical
Around the World Chair Dance
A lively chair dance routine incorporating movements inspired by various cultures. Staff will lead a simple…
Vocational
Cork Boats Craft
Build cork sailboats and float them in water! These cork sailboats are enjoyable to assemble and launch on…
Vocational
Floating Flower Bowls
Residents will design and assemble small floating flower arrangements using shallow bowls or saucers filled…
Intellectual
Floating Paperclip Fun
Residents will carefully place paperclips on the surface of water, observing how some float while others…
Social
Karaoke for senior living communities from Coro Health
The Coro Health "Sing-Along" product offers over 1000 custom-curated karaoke songs, specifically designed for…
Vocational
Let's go back to the year....
In this activity, residents who are living with mid to late stage dementia can engage with images and sounds…
Social
Say Cheese: A National Cheese Day Tasting
A fun, lighthearted senior living activity celebrating National Cheese Day (June 4). The activity combines a…
Intellectual
Summer Travel Stories
Invite residents to share photos and tales from past summer vacations.
Intellectual
"From Bean to Bar: A Chocolate Journey"
Residents will embark on an educational journey exploring the history and production of chocolate, from its…
Intellectual
"Giants of the Serengeti" Virtual Safari & Q&A
After watching the documentary, residents participate in a guided discussion focused on the elephant…
Social
"Grand Slam Stories": A Baseball Reminiscing Session
Residents share their favorite baseball memories – from attending games to playing the sport themselves…
Emotional
"Guess the Ingredient" Cookie Mixer
Staff will slowly introduce and describe a few key ingredients for peanut butter cookies (e.g., flour, sugar…
Emotional
"Happy Memory Mosaic"
Using pre-cut squares of colorful paper (yellows, oranges, light blues), residents will create a simple…
Physical
"Home Run" Balloon Batting
Residents sit in a circle or at tables and use pool noodles (or rolled-up newspapers) as bats to gently hit…
Intellectual
"Man Cave Manifestos" Personal Reflection Writing
Provide each gentleman with a decorative piece of cardstock or a small journal and prompts related to the…
Vocational
"Office Pro" Organizer Box
This self-directed task box allows residents to sort office supplies such as large paper clips, colorful…
Social
"Stories of Service" Veterans' Day Roundtable
Residents share personal anecdotes and experiences from their military service. Staff facilitates…
Intellectual
1950s Diner Day
Reminiscence afternoon with malts, jukeboxes, and diner footage.
Emotional
A Celebration of Dolly Parton
A warm, celebratory reminiscence activity honoring the life and music of Dolly Parton for senior living…
Intellectual
A Gondola Through History: A Venetian Voyage
The group watches a YouTube video featuring a virtual gondola ride through Venice, pausing at key landmarks…
Intellectual
Armchair Travel - Paris
Explore the romantic City of Light from your armchair! This multi-sensory journey to Paris features sights…
Intellectual
Balloon & Popsicle Stick Structures
Challenge residents to create intricate and imaginative structures using only balloons and popsicle sticks…
Intellectual
Balloon-Stick Balancing Act
Challenge residents to create intricate structures using only balloons and popsicle sticks. This activity…
Physical
Building the Great Pyramids
Gaze upon the wonders of the pyramids and the Sphinx through large, clear pictures. We will discuss their…
Vocational
Chocolate Chemistry & Cake Construction
This activity will delve into the science behind baking Devil's Food Cake. Through a gentle presentation and…
Social
Coffee Time
A casual meet up with residents to talk about current events over coffee (and sometimes dognuts)
Social
Creative Canvas Creations
Using large sheets of paper and various art supplies (paints, markers, fabric scraps), residents collectively…
Intellectual
Cultured Concoctions: Yogurt & Probiotic Science
This activity involves residents learning about fermentation by making simple homemade yogurt from milk and a…
Intellectual
Dancing Pepper & Soap Surprise
Residents will observe and then replicate a simple experiment using a shallow dish of water, a sprinkle of…
Social
Doggy Story Time & Tail Wags
Children will read dog-themed books aloud to residents, incorporating interactive elements like puppets or…
Social
Father's Day BBQ
This activity is designed to honor and celebrate the fathers, grandfathers, and father figures within the…
Vocational
Floating Jellyfish Mobile
Using paper plates, tissue paper strips (blue, purple, clear), yarn, and markers, residents can decorate the…
Social
Follow the Yellow Brick Road Game
I would like to create a game for 25 people based on the Wizard of Oz. i want one winner each game and i want…
Intellectual
Fourth of July Discussion
History of fourth of July followed by discussion prompts and trivia questions.
Physical
Halloween Memory Care
make a matching game for memory care that is Halloween theme
Social
Hydration Day activity
For National Hydration Day. Including fun activities involving water games, facts and trivia, and some drink…
Emotional
Journey Down the River Nile
We will begin our adventure by exploring the life-giving Nile River. Residents will listen to gentle sounds…
Physical
Journey Walk
Each month, based on the theme, there will be 10 different posters around the community with theme based…
Social
Made in Minnesota: Boom Chicka Pop
A Minnesota made product and/or brand. Include history, how it came about, facts, flavors, and any youtube…
Emotional
Memorial Day Service
A complete facilitator guide for an Activity Director leading a Memorial Day service in a senior living…
Emotional
Memory Lane Mixtape
Residents collaboratively create a playlist of songs significant to their lives, sharing stories and memories…
Creative
Mother's Day Tea
Mother’s Day Tea on May 8th featuring tea service with harp music, a flower bar, and a mimosa bar. Location…
Physical
Musical Balance Challenge
Play upbeat music and have residents perform simple movements like stepping side-to-side, marching in place…
Spiritual
Musical Memories & Movement
Using CoroHealth's music library, select familiar songs from residents' younger years. Encourage gentle…
Spiritual
Nature's Palette
An outdoor nature walk followed by a nature-inspired art project using collected leaves, flowers, or other…
Social
Nature's Sunshine Collages
Residents will use pre-cut pictures of flowers, sunny landscapes, butterflies, and other cheerful nature…
Intellectual
Pasta From Scratch: A Culinary Adventure
Residents will learn to make fresh pasta from scratch, guided by staff. This hands-on activity encourages…
Social
Peachy Keen Ice Cream Social & Story Swap
Residents gather outdoors to enjoy freshly scooped peach ice cream while sharing personal stories related to…
Intellectual
Plant seeds and watch them grow
Planting seeds invites quiet reflection and gentle anticipation. As shoots emerge and grow, they offer a…
Vocational
Reminiscing Through Recipes
Residents share favorite recipes from their past, creating a community cookbook. This activity encourages…
Emotional
Reminiscing with Swan Lake
A gentle, multi-sensory reminiscence activity for memory care residents centered on Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake…
Vocational
Rock Snake
Creating a collaborative piece of art for the community garden, residents gain a sense of accomplishment and…
Social
Roll for a Rhyme
Residents take turns rolling a die and moving their marker on a game board that features spaces with simple…
Spiritual
Sacred Cats and Scarab Beetles
Explore the important role animals played in ancient Egypt, especially the revered cat. We'll look at…
Emotional
Scented Pom-Pom Play
Soft, oversized pom-poms (some lightly scented with essential oils like lavender or citrus, safely diluted…
Social
Scents of the Egyptian Bazaar
Prepare for our grand celebration by exploring the aromatic spices and foods of Egypt. Residents will be…
Intellectual
Secrets of the Scribe's Scroll
Uncover the beauty of hieroglyphs, the picture-writing of ancient Egypt. Residents will look at examples of…
Emotional
Sensory Story Time
Residents gather to touch and feel a variety of soft, textured items (fabric swatches, pom-poms, smooth…
Intellectual
Skies Remembered: A Pilot's Journey
Activity for a memory care resident who used to be a pilot
Spiritual
Spiritual Travelogue: Around the World in 25 Prayers
Residents will take a guided "journey" through different countries, with each stop featuring a brief…
Social
Spooky Story Swap & Treats
Residents share their favorite (or scariest!) Halloween-themed stories, memories, or even spooky jokes. Staff…
Intellectual
Storytelling Circle with a Twist
Residents take turns sharing a personal story, but each story is prompted by a randomly selected object or…
Social
Storytelling Under the Sun
Residents gather comfortably outdoors, sharing personal stories or favorite tales while enjoying the fresh…
Emotional
Summer Scrapbooking
Host a creative session for residents to create memory pages of their summer adventures or past vacations…
Intellectual
The Pharaoh's Golden Wonders
Journey into the pharaoh's realm to discover dazzling treasures. We will gaze upon golden masks, precious…
Intellectual
The Science of the Cookie: Why Does it Crumble?
Delve into the fascinating chemistry behind baking, specifically focusing on how ingredients in a peanut…
Intellectual
Venetian Voyage
The group watches a YouTube video featuring a virtual gondola ride through Venice, pausing at key landmarks…
Social
Watermelon Social
Cool off with a refreshing watermelon party. Include fun games like watermelon seed spitting (with paper…
Social
Watermelon Social
Cool off with a refreshing watermelon party. Include fun games like watermelon seed spitting (with paper…
Intellectual
World Traveler Trivia
A lively trivia game focusing on different countries and cultures. Residents can work in teams to answer…
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