Alzheimer's related - A big ask please.

[**forum-decorum**]

May I ask please, for your help. Especially those who have experience with alzheimers sufferers - either professional carers or carers of family members.

Sadly my aged father of 85 years has become bad enough to need the care of a residential home and we have now had to admit him into the care of a wonderful home. Wonderful facilities with lovely and very dedicated carers who Dad does seem to have taken to.

On one of his care reviews though we made a request that he gets more attention in the daily activities side of his needs as we observed that whenever we visited he did seem to be just sitting around most of the time with not much to stimulate him mentally. They of course made note of our concerns and understood what we were saying about Dad (and other residents), they did state however that it can very very difficult to find activities that are suitable for people like my Dad.

Today when we went to visit him I saw,  taped to the window of the entrance to the part of the home where he and a few other residents live, a note requesting visiters to submit any ideas they may have for new suitable activities for the residents, and possibly any fund raising ideas to help the home deliver a good activities programme.

Well, I myself have not had any previous experience with alzheimers sufferers and their needs and would like to ask for your help in coming up with good ideas for suitable activities for people like my Dad. Perhaps carers in other homes know of some good ones that they wouldn't mind passing on to me so, I in turn can pass them on to my Dad's carers and help the home and it's other residents.

I would be most grateful for any input anyone may be able to offer. many thanks on behalf of my Dad and his new found friends.:-)

[bankhaunter]

You might find this interesting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0367slj

[alisonsvintagechicboutique]

My opinion is that this illness is affected by sunlight.  Simple as that. 

Get people with this illness outside into the sunlight and put daylight bulbs into peoples houses.  SAD lamps are also fantastic as they replicate sunlight and are great on dull days. 

My friend said to me that her mother 'always improves so much in the Summer' of course she does that's the effect of vitamin D via sunlight on the skin!!!  

Maybe then developing a communal garden or maintaining it regularly would be the perfect activity.  

[****merlin*****]

i know when my grandpa was in the home (same reason) they all loved the old time music, some would get up and dance, some sang along, and some just sat and enjoyed the tunes, that wouldnt be costly and easy to implement. (this was the reason my then 4 year old could sing roll out the barrel :^O)

Bingo is another, a lot of the ladies liked it, but quite a few of the men did too, they did it after lunch in the dining room, so they didnt need to make them all move again, prizes were just sweeties and the like

[rhubarbcity]

I would say music as well. Also what about card games, snap! but i am sure you could make some, that are a little larger and easy to see.

Trying to think of games we played when i was a litle lass,  dominoes? but could you get the folk to make them, cut out pictures and stick onto something

[merly*28]

rhubarb has suggested my card game!  SNAP

I strongly suggest dancing to old time music.

Fund-raising activities:

- planting bulbs in pots (followed by watering and looking after)

- for those without hand arthritis, plants in hanging baskets

- gathering of wild fruit (blackberries, bilberries etc) to  make jams (KEEP THEM AWAY FROM BOILING PANS THOUGH) - but can you imagine the excitement of having afternoon tea with their own jam?

- tatting and rag or wool rug making (it will be their era) 

- photo collages 

[dairyview123]

" they did state however that it can very very difficult to find activities that are suitable for people like my Dad.

Today when we went to visit him I saw,  taped to the window of the entrance to the part of the home where he and a few other residents live, a note requesting visiters to submit any ideas they may have for new suitable activities for the residents, and possibly any fund raising ideas to help the home deliver a good activities programme."

If the care home have been used to residence 'like your Dad' they should be equipped to deal with his social needs. If there is not much to stimulate in the way of games/cards etc in the community area or it is all hidden away from view then they are lacking in social skills, I doubt this is the case though.

By reading your post it looks as if you touched a nerve there and they have cheekily stuck a message up where you can see it asking for help in that dept. (in other words isnt it good enough what we are doing)

The only thing I could think of to help your dad is take something in he used to have at home, was there something he used to pick up often, maybe a photo or a book, even an old ornament, an old cardi or lap rug.  It is very sad to see someone like your Dad with Alzheimers, sometimes they try to go back in their mind so he may be searching for the past more than the future, iykwim.

I wish you luck with trying to help them if they are struggling to amuse him, do you have a few hours to spare to spend with him?  I do agree with a sing along too.

Best wishes GN.....x

[artisanone11]

I'm sorry your dad's got this, but good for you in trying to ensure he gets his needs met.

I don't know if this might be a good starting point: http://shop.alzheimers.org.uk/product/taking-part-activities-for-people-with-dementia/

You can ask your or their local library to get it in as a resource book btw.

[stan3502]

In the unit where my aunt was they had a dedicated activities co-ordinator.

the craft, painting and pottery classes always went down well as did the pet days where different animals were brought to the centre for the morning

see this link for local contacts

http://www.petsastherapy.org/

gardening also proved very popular wether out or indoors .

[guardpig]

Home my MIL was in had a room set out like a 1940's sitting room for residents to use as they felt like.  Mind you since it was more a fit but wobbly place they didn't have any Alzheimers sufferers.

Music - my children used to go in and play the piano for Grandma - many of the other residents would see us heading for the dayroom and follow.  Kids usually ended up with a few quid(in 10p and 20ps) and the piano practise used to get done. Maybe tie up with a local primary school to come in and sing/perform once or twice a term.  Costs nothing except maybe tea and cakes.

Gardens are wonderfully soothing but there's the escape factor.  Maybe they could make indoor gardens to put around the home?

[bankhaunter]

Home my MIL was in had a room set out like a 1940's sitting room for residents to use as they felt like.  Mind you since it was more a fit but wobbly place they didn't have any Alzheimers sufferers.

That was something discussed in the Radio 4 programme I linked to earlier.

[stampingpat]

I saw on the telly a news program about someone doing some poetry reading for some patients in a care home. Maybe that could be something that could be done. It helped them to remember things in their past and just about anyone can read the poetry.

[auntieannie44]

I suppose this is not a communal activity but a friend who is suffering from this horrible disease has been encouraged to make a memory book with photo's, special cards, children's drawings etc which, when she becomes less able and her memory has gone, can be looked at with her and should stimulate her.  So how about starting a scrap book, we used to do them when we were kids, buying coloured  pictures from the paper shop and cutting magazines up.  Did he have a special interest that could be ignited again by buying related mags and cutting pictures out.  A large kids scrap book and a prit stick might just give him something to do and even when not sticking, with assistance, he could look at the pictures.

[**forum-decorum**]

Thank you all for links and ideas.

I do appreciate it, some ideas I hadn't thought of, eg the gardening ones. It has actually given me some direction to go thinking up ideas myself. It is just really trying to understand how much these sufferes are able to cope with, and of course they are all individuals with different levels of lost ability etc.

I would like to give you a stroy about my Dad frome the other day, well 2 infact. Last week we were informed that Dad got quite upset with the treatment one male resident was dishing out to his wife when she came to visit. the husband gets very angry with her because he blames his wife for putting him in the home and sometimes he can get a bit unkind towards her verbally and a bit physically, this one day my Dad got between them both and told off the husband stating in no uncertain terms "you do not treat a women like that and you do not speak to a women like that" the husband now  has taken to my Dad and tries to stay with him and listens and takes notice of him.

My Dad also will help the carers with the washing up and house keeping bless him. Quite hapily telling the dishwasher machanic how to ment the dishwasher when he came in the other day.

But on another occasion (Dad is a very tidy person) the carers had moved a couple of the living room chairs around to make access to one lady easier, it must have bothered Dad, so her promptly moved the chairs back where they were, trouble was the lady was still in one of them lol. We had a good laugh about it.:^O

I have to say I didn't mean to make it look as the home was not involved at all at offering an activities programme, I just don't feel what is offered is enough. They do play skittles, have sing songs and have the memory scrap book, but we never seem to see these activities happening, I know they do accasionally because there are entrances of them in my Dad's care plan folder (which of course we are allowed to view at any time). I just feel there could be more to offer these very dear and important members of all our families. Tis not a place just to shut them away and forget them just because we can no longer care for their growing needs and offer them the quality of life they deserve, in their own homes.

I thank you all for your kind words and caring, it is a horrendous thing to have to witness someone like my Dad who was too clever and active, who could put his hand to absolutely everything and be the one who every one turns tofor help and advice, to be reduced to not being able to remember his own name and how to perform the simplest of tasks and to talk a load of gobbledygook. I have tremendous admiration for the carering profession and the family members who give up everything and care for these wonderful people, they have much patience and dedication.

[myraandjim]

I found that my Mum used to respond to anything from times past, photographs, war time songs, tales of when she was young etc. and on good days when we could get a discussion going she would manage to shout down most people!! She also liked to get involved in simple cooking although the results were hilarious. Would your Dad get involved in simple model making? Those who are able could grow simple vegetables and the less able could come up with ideas for using the veg and put a booklet together. Simple quizzes on times past used to get everybody talking and if songs were involved they would end up singing them and forgetting about the quiz.

So sorry to hear that your Father has this awful condition, I know how hard it is for you to have to watch it progressing, but I found Mum was happy in her own muddled world and I think we suffered more than she did.

[dairyview123]

I spoke to my sister today who has served in the community and in care homes with Alzheimer's residence, she suggested the scrap book and photo album, when the memory finally fades anyones family pictures will be of interest. Also a scrap book of picture postcards and birthday & xmas cards, it will trigger a memory somewhere.

[**streety**]

My Mum has been in a home for 17 months now - she is now 71.

Unfortunately she cannot communicate clearly or hold a conversation and as for things from the past, all we have is a blank expression.
Today Wimbledon was on, but my Mum who was the biggest fan of it in the family is completely unable to understand what it is or remember what to her it used to be.
Activities are extremely hard for someone like my mum, so she tends to get a pampering from time to time, or goes outside for a wander.  They do have pets as therapy which Mum responds to.

For your dad I would start with things related to what his interests were at home.  Care homes usually ask these things anyway.
Also visit TP (Talking point) the Alzheimer's chat room.  It's like us on here but for carers and relatives facing this awful reality.  Good luck and I hope your dad is very happy.

http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/login.php?do=logout&logouthash=1300128707-be16b9b03c55ea3f84d1611e5cd3f7916caa6115

[merc1_clocks]

Hi streety...have you got all your decorating finished :-x

[splodgums]

I'm another music suggester! My dad sings with an amateur group, they sing '60's stuff and are very popular at residential homes. They don't charge much (in fact they donate any profits to a local charity) and people can sing along if they want to. Maybe there's a similar group in your area. (If you happen to live in North Wiltshire send me a message!)

Pets are another idea I'll echo, I used to take my most placid dog to visit my gran and the other residents would light up when they saw her, it always took us ages to leave!

Anything 'nostalgic' because people with memory loss are often more comfortable in the past and memories are clearer. My mum had a little case full of stuff that she would go through with her mum and again, other residents would enjoy sharing the memories.

Maybe a local school or college has a club or group of students (eg doing a vocational carer course) who could do something with residents - it might be worth approaching them.

It is important that visiting entertainers & activity providers understand the needs of residents. In particular, there is no point 'correcting' someone with memory loss, it will just upset them. If a stranger is greeted as if they are an old friend it's best just to go along with it. (If they think you are someone they don't like, don't take it personally! I was regularly scolded by one lady who objected to my hair, from what I could gather)

[**forum-decorum**]

Just wanted to give an update on my Dad, a year on now and my poor Dad has got much worse very quickly.

We tried many of the suggestions mad in this thread and I thank you all for your input when we needed it.

Aprox 2 months ago Dad had 2 bad falls in the home he was in which took him into Hospital with head injuries, they investigated but found nothing serious apart from a very small bleed on the brain which they said would disperse on it's own. Dad now, about 5 weeks afterward has had to be transfered to a Nursing home not residential. He can't or won't eat as his swallowing is poor, he can't drink runny liquid so they have to put thickeners in it, he now doesn't respond to us very much, he is incontinent both ways and bed bound. I just find it so hard to watch him as all we are doing is waiting for him to die.

It is soooo heart breaking and I don't think I know how to deal with it.

I am feeling pretty helpless to say the least.