People who are battling memory challenges, such as people who live with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, often need additional types of care. Memory care is a specific type of care that can help people with memory difficulties to feel calmer and to engage more fully in what’s happening around them. Trying out memory care services at adult day health care centers offers seniors other types of help at the same time, but the mindfulness techniques they experience can greatly improve well-being.
Mindfulness in Memory Care
Mindfulness is about helping people to be more present and fully engaged in the moment. For seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other cognitive illnesses, memory issues can bring a lot of anxiety and negative feelings. These issues can also have a significant impact on focus, causing seniors to be even more distracted than they otherwise might be. Memory care services help seniors to use mindfulness techniques and connect with what is happening around them.
Sensory Stimulation
Memory and senses are often connected. People talk often about smelling a specific scent or seeing a particular picture and being taken right back to a memory like it was happening right then. This is part of why sensory stimulation is so important for people with memory issues. Tactile stimulation, visual stimulation, and even aromatherapy or scent stimulation could all be part of the plan. Touching objects with different textures, smelling different smells, and looking through photo albums are all examples of sensory stimulation that seniors might try.
Music Therapy
Music is powerful in so many ways for all sorts of people. It has a unique ability to touch people emotionally and to evoke memories. Incorporating music therapy into memory care routines can help to reduce stress, improve well-being, and help seniors tap into memories. This might look like seniors developing personalized playlists of favorite songs or it could look like playing with instruments. Sing-alongs, life music experience, and taking part in karaoke could also be effective ways to tap into musical memories. These activities are also a lot of fun for people of all ages.
Reminiscence Activities
Some seniors may also benefit from reminiscence activities, which involve sharing past experiences and memories. There are a few ways to do this. Storytelling sessions, memory boxes, and even themed activities connected to holidays or cultural events can all be powerful activities. Engaging in these activities at an adult day health care center is so powerful because seniors are around other people who are also in need of memory care. They’re socializing and sharing their experiences with others, while being helped by what others share with them.
Mindfulness is a big part of memory care activities for seniors. Spending time at adult day health care centers gives seniors hands-on help with a variety of different needs. It also gives them a chance to spend time with other people and learn different ways to help themselves stay connected, centered, and calm no matter what challenges they face elsewhere in their lives.
Oxnard Family Circle: Safe, Reliable, Social and Fun!
If you need respite and/or help with caring for your loved one in any corner of Ventura County, CA (Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura, Camarillo, etc.), talk to the caring staff at Oxnard Family Circle, Inc. today. 1-805-385-4180
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