Games:
- Cards - most seniors have played cards in their time. A deck of cards doesn't take up much room in your activity box and they're inexpensive, so be sure you always have a "large print" deck on hand. You can play a card game of their choice or in the case of a confused client, have them match the colors or numbers. Have them add the cards together or tell you which is higher or what number would come next. You'd be surprised at all you can do with a deck of cards ... right down to building a house of cards! If you're reading this now, you have access to the Internet which means you have an unending resource for card games and their rules in case you aren't sure how to play "Hearts" or "Whist". A lot of the folks used to love playing Cribbage, which is another inexpensive, easy to transport game that will motivate fine motor skills, cognitive skills, problem solving skills, math skills .... you get the idea.
- Board Games: I include dice games in this category as well.... Scrabble, Blockus, Checkers, Chess, Memory, Connect Four, Backgammon, Mancala, Domino's, BINGO, Dice, Yahtzee, Boggle ... the list is endless. Look in your closets and under your beds. Look under the living room chairs and couches ... look under your neighbors couches. Hit the yard sales or ask relatives for games they no longer use. Anything is fair game, even games with missing pieces. These don't need to cost much or anything at all. Games can be played traditionally or non-traditionally according to your clients abilities and attention span. I had one of the best evenings playing Blockus with a dementia client. We played for over an hour using our own rules. She beat me ... 3 out of 4 games ... it must have been beginners luck, there's no other explanation :o) She talked about it to her family the next day and the family was amazed that she played the game, stayed focused and remembered playing it. Be creative. When my kids were very young I used to swear that their aunt, my sister, could find 10 different ways to play with one toy. She's amazing. She inspired me to give this a try. You don't need a lot of games or gadgets, just have a few ways to use the ones you do have.
Gadgets: A whole lot of items can fall into this category ... anything that doesn't fit into any of the others. I'd re-label this the "Free Style" category of activities but it wouldn't fit in with my "G" words title :o) I'll be adding to this list over time as I remember the activities I used to do with my clients.
- Dixie Cups - Are there any Dixie cups in the house? Check your car for empty coffee cups (I probably have enough for all of us). Take three. Take a balled up tissue (preferably clean) and put it on the table. Do you know where I'm going with this? It's the old "Cups and Ball" game. Find the tissue ball! If you practice this at home, you can get pretty good at it. Let your client give it a try. This is also a great activity for Alzheimer's clients who have progressed a little further into the disease. When you're done, see if the client can balance one cup on top of the other two. Make a game of it. Use your imagination.
- Pick-Up Sticks - Create your own or pick up an inexpensive set. Think back to when you were a kid ... remember how it goes? If not, you can make up your own rules. It's a fun, non-threatening game that will stimulate problem solving skills, eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills. It's also a lot of fun!
- Lacing Cards - These would be for the more advanced Alzheimer's or Dementia client. You can pick lacing cards up in any toy store but the themes are usually very childish. Remember you want your activities to be as age appropriate as possible. You can make your own Lacing cards with cardboard, fabric and a hole puncher or better yet, use old greeting cards. Quick instrux: Glue greeting card closed to increase durability. Mark your design with a pen. Using a small hole paper punch, punch out the holes. Make sure they aren't too close that the holes will rip. Using a shoe lace (sparkly ones are great on Christmas cards) let the client "lace" the card. If you don't have a lace, use yarn that has one end dipped in wax.
- Manicure Kit - This is another great idea from my Visiting Angel's BFF M.M. Thanks MM! It's an inexpensive way to pamper your client while engaging in a 0ne-on-one activity that will stimulate a few senses (especially the sense of touch, site and smell) . It opens up the dialog for reminiscing as well. All you need is a NEW nail file (for each client - never use a used one), a bottle of acetone free polish remover and a couple bottles of pretty nail polish (it's always nice to offer up a choice). You could also throw in a nice scented hand lotion as well if you really want to pamper your clients. Just remember to make sure all the lotion is off the nails before you polish or the polish won't dry properly.
- Create a Memory Book: I started helping an Alzheimer's client create a scrapbook using photos of herself and her family. As it turned out the client didn't enjoy this activity and actually had a considerable increase in agitation whenever we tried to work on it. I decided, with her family's permission, to finish the scrapbook on my own. I presented it to her this past Christmas. She cried tears of joy. She keeps this scrapbook on her dining room table and looks through it almost daily. Although she didn't enjoy working on it, she absolutely loves having it. The photos and journaling are a pleasant reminder of who's who in her family.
Gabbing: One of the best ways to get to know your client is by chatting, socializing, reminiscing, having a face-to-face, a sit-down, a jaw session ... whatever you want to call it. It's also a great stimulant. Talking about the weather is nice ... boring ... but nice. Talking about something the client used to do is even better. What hobbies did your client used to enjoy? Not a topic you know anything about? Research it! Be informed so you can have a meaningful conversation. Help them reach down and grab those forgotten memories and bring them to the surface. Put a little effort into your conversations. Motivate your clients' minds!
- I have a client who, in the past, made her own braided rugs. I knew nothing about braided rugs. I knew more than nothing about braiding rugs. I couldn't even tell you what kind of material was used. So, I went here ... and here ... and researched this topic so I had something to prompt her with as well as have some sort of information to contribute to the conversation. I'll never braid my own rug. I have no desire to but I do have a new found appreciation for the braided rugs I walk on each time I visit this client. I also have a new found appreciation for the woman who meticulously made these braided rugs.
While gabbing can be a bit boring, monotonous or repetitive or all the above, it's up to you to make it stimulating. I've mentioned previously about the magazine called Reminisce. It's a great convo starter. It's a great stimulant. It's a great magazine. You can pick up a bi-monthly subscription or find a used copy on Ebay for cheap.
If you wanted, you can also make your own conversation cards. Just print off old photos from Google Images and paste onto cardboard. This is inexpensive (paper, ink, glue and last nights pizza box) and can be a great memory jogger for your clients. Better yet, have them help you adhere the photos to the cardboard. Cover the cards in Hodge Podge, applied using a sponge brush, to make them long lasting. It's a wonderful, meaningful, task-oriented, goal-attaining activity. Sometimes a simple photo will open up a whole lot of wonderful memories.
So, while you gab, use visual cues, it can make a world of difference.
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