Dementia suffers often become confused, even in familiar home surroundings and this can lead to accidents. Engaging in dementia activities can help to combat feelings of confusion and make living at home safer.
If you are a home carer, looking after someone who suffers from dementia, you may be interested to learn more about reminiscence activities and how they can help the person you are caring for.
The benefits of reminiscence
Looking back at past memories (reminiscing) can help dementia sufferers in a number of ways including:
- bringing back happy feelings
- providing mental stimulation
- starting meaningful conversations
- increasing feelings of belonging and familiarity
- calming and engaging sufferers
Reminiscence activities
Beginnings
Start by chatting to the person about the past. Try to find out as much about their life as you can, making notes as you go along
Music
Music can be very evocative of different eras and of individual occasions. Try to find out what type of musical genres the person likes and build a conversation around it. Find out what they were doing when this kind of music was in the charts; did they enjoy dancing or singing, did they go to clubs or concerts, etc.
If there are any particular songs or artists that bring back particularly good memories, you could try to obtain copies for your charge.
Imagery
The more you learn about the person, the easier it will be to spark conversations. Creating a digital memory book or scrapbook is a nice way of presenting someone with their memories. Add a few personal photos too if possible.
The internet is a great place to source images. Other ideas for reminiscence items could include:
- vintage magazines
- old newspapers
Cherished Items
Tactile items can also be extremely good reminiscence tools. They can provide a comforting experience for the dementia sufferer too. For example, if the person remembers a particular style of crockery from happier days when they were younger and first married, you could try to obtain some examples that they can use each day.
Usable items that can aid with reminiscence include:
- kitchen utensils
- old radios
- vinyl record turntable
- old-style blankets
- hob kettles
All these items not only trigger discussions, but they can also be used around the home, providing the person with a comforting familiarity in their daily living. Good places to source vintage items are; charity shops, vintage market stalls, and online.
In conclusion
Reminiscence activities can be a great way to engage a dementia sufferer in conversation, providing them with a ‘happy place’ to go, and generally increasing their sense of wellbeing. Follow the tips above to start the reminiscence process and improve the present day life of the dementia sufferer that you care for.