2 replies to this topic

[Pennie]

You can just about call everything on an Alzheimer's unit an activity.
Try having various activities going on at one time. Depending on the size of your area you can have a activity called "Busy Hands" - 5 residents folding towels, 2 sorting socks, 1 painting, 3 just sitting there listening to music, and if you can get plastic utensils you can mix them up and have them sort them and fold them in a napkin. The towels and socks you can take away and mess them up so they can keep folding and sorting.
How about a "Walking Club" - The wanders you can just walk with and talk with. Get some of the other residents to walk with them. If you know at sundown they start wanting to wander then get them to walk because no matter what they won't keep still.
Get some purses, old suitcases or even a dresser & fill them with various items. Let the residents dig through them. They will pull items out & them put them back in & in just a few mins. they start all over again, forgetting they have just done this. It keeps them busy!

[Flgirl]

Hi Leslye,
I use the Montessori program at the Alzheimer's day center I work at. It really does work. Have you read Dr. Cameron's book on Montessori? You can put together a nice inservice for your staff from its material or just do an activity with them so they can model it and get an "alzheimer's perspective". I would be happy to share information with you. You can email me. Good Luck.
Barbara