People with Alzheimer’s disease need to be active and do things they enjoy. Plan activities that the person with Alzheimer’s enjoys in your daily routine, and try to do them at a similar time each day. He or she can be a part of the activity or just watch. Here are some daily activities that people with Alzheimer’s may enjoy:
- Exercising: Take a walk together, watch exercise videos or TV programs made for older adults, use a stationary bike, use stretching bands, throw a soft ball or balloon back and forth, lift weights or household items such as soup cans.
- Cooking and baking: Decide what is needed to prepare the dish; measure, mix, and pour; tell someone else how to prepare a recipe; watch others prepare food.
- Household chores: Wash dishes, set the table, prepare food, sweep the floor, dust, clip coupons, sort socks and fold laundry, sort recycling materials or other things.
- Music and dancing: Play music, talk about the music and the singer, ask what the person with Alzheimer’s was doing when the song was popular, sing or dance to well-known songs.
- Taking care of a pet: Feed, groom, walk, sit with, and hold a pet.
Learn more about adapting activities for people with Alzheimer’s disease on NIA’s website.
