Daniel has always been an avid reader. Newspapers. Magazines. Fictional stories rich with adventure and discovery. That hasn’t changed as Daniel’s dementia progresses — at least not in the ways his family expected.
“My dad thinks he’s living inside the stories he reads,” explains Patrick. The oldest of Daniel’s four children, he’s now chiefly responsible for liaising with his father’s assisted-living facility. “We’re so happy he still likes to read. But when we sit down and chat with him now, he tells us about the books as though the characters are right down the hall.”
The line between reality and fantasy has become difficult for Daniel to navigate. Doctors suggest Patrick meets his father where he is in the moment, unless there’s imminent danger involved. That said, doing so is sometimes easier said than done.
“Part of me wants to say Dad, come back. I miss him. But there’s no coming back from dementia. Instead, we’re focused on embracing his love of reading as a way to keep him cognitively stimulated,” says Patrick. “The residence is helping us with that, too.”
This fall, Daniel’s caregivers initiated a newspaper-focused circle time. Those living at the facility come together and browse sections of a local paper. A facilitator then guides them through questions about what they saw or observed. So far, the activity is capturing Daniel’s attention. Still, his family worries about how to keep him engaged all the remaining hours of the day.
Winnipeg seniors with dementia may benefit from engaging activities
Daniel often complains of boredom. He’s also restless and often agitated — symptoms of his dementia. Even with full-time staff leading a group activity every day, Patrick is struggling to find ways to help his dad feel connected, flex his cognitive muscles and at a minimum: have some fun. He’s not alone in this journey. According to the latest national data, some 477,000 people aged 65 and over have been diagnosed with dementia in Canada. In some cases, keeping active can be helpful. Research shows singing, theatre and visual arts activities may improve health, wellbeing and independence among older adults in general. For those with dementia, the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada suggests finding ways to adapt activities to someone’s changing capabilities and moods to help them stay engaged.
“Our caregivers work with seniors who want to age in place, at home. But we also have a number of clients who live in retirement homes or assisted-living facilities,” explains Dennis Fancy, General Manager of senior care group TheKey Winnipeg. “Families may be happy with the care their loved one is receiving overall, but they’re still looking for additional cognitive simulation and activities on a more personal level.”
In these cases, Fancy’s team might introduce simple crafts, puzzles or a sing-along to engage someone at the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Among those with more advanced dementia, working together to gently bat a balloon back and forth, chat over a cup of coffee or listen to music might be just the thing.
“When someone is living with dementia, activities have to be feasible and interesting,” Fancy explains. “If we really want to get someone talking, laughing or moving around a bit, we need to find activities that tie back to their personal interests and passions.”
He also underlines the importance of communal activities. For instance, if someone has a favourite Winnipeg coffee shop, a short visit might make for a great change of scenery. If a person has always been an avid Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ fan, watching a game and talking about the outcome might be an easy way to connect.
“Here in Manitoba, nearly 20,000 people have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. Over the next 15 years, we expect that number to hit 34,000,” Fancy says. “We know that this will reflect a bigger proportion of the seniors we serve with every year that goes by. Our Balanced Care MethodTM can help. We look at the person’s wellbeing overall, and find ways to customize our care plans to individual needs, likes, dislikes and interests.”
Fancy says this has made a meaningful difference for seniors and families TheKey Winnipeg serves. In Patrick’s case, he’s applying similar principles to keep his dad engaged. Building on Daniel’s love of reading — and ability to read independently — Patrick makes sure the shelves are stocked with his favourite titles. He also spends time talking to his dad about what he’s read lately, even if the tales sometimes veer into the imaginary.
“Some day it goes better than other days,” Daniel says. “But between the activities the residence offers and our ad hoc book club, I think my dad feels connected a bit. That’s all we want.”