101 Things to Do With a Person With Alzheimer’s Disease

Here’s a list of 101 things you can do with someone who has a cognitive impairment, dementia or Alzheimer’s type dementia. It has a lot of great ideas. I received this listing from the Alzheimer’s Society. My notes are in italics.

101 Things to Do With a Person With Alzheimer’s Disease

1. Clip coupons

2. Sort poker chips

3. Count tickets

4. Rake leaves

5. Use the carpet sweeper

6. Read out loud

7. Bake cookies

8. Look up names in the phone book

9. Read the daily paper out loud

10. Ask someone with a child to visit

11. Listen to Polka music

12. Plant seeds indoors or out

13. Look at family photographs

14. Toss a ball

15. Color pictures

16. Make homemade lemonade

17. Wipe off the table

18. Weed the flower bed

19. Make cream cheese mints

20. Have a spelling bee

21. Read from the Reader’s Digest

22. Fold clothes

23. Have a friend visit with a calm pet

24. Cut pictures out of greeting cards

25. Wash silverware

26. Bake homemade bread

27. Sort objects by shape or color

28. Sing old songs

29. “Tell me more” when they talk about a memory

30. Put silverware away

31. Make a Valentine collage

32. Play favorite songs and sing

33. Take a ride

34. Make a cherry pie

35. Read aloud from Ideals magazine (no longer in print)

36. Play dreidels (a four-sided spinning top played with during Hanukkah)

37. Make a basket of socks (I am not sure what that is)

38. Take a walk

39. Reminisce about 1st day of school

40. String Cheerios to hang outside for birds

41. Make a fresh fruit salad

42. Sweep the patio

43. Color paper shamrocks green

44. Fold towels

45. Have afternoon tea

46. Remember great inventions

47. Play Pictionary

48. Paint a sheet

49. Cut out paper dolls

50. Identify states and capitals (provinces and capitals)

51. Make a family tree poster

52. Color a picture of our flag

53. Cook hot dogs outside

54. Grow magic rocks

55. Water house plants

56. Reminisce about the first kiss

57. Play horse shoes

58. Dance

59. Sing favorite hymns

60. Make homemade ice cream

61. Force bulbs for winter blooming

62. Make Christmas cards

63. Sort playing cards by their color

64. Write a letter to a family member

65. Dress in your favorite football team’s color

66. Pop popcorn

67. Name the presidents (or Prime Ministers)

68. Give a manicure

69. Make paper butterflies

70. Plant a tree

71. Make a May basket

72. Make homemade applesauce

73. Finish famous sayings

74. Feed the ducks

75. Mold with play dough

76. Look at pictures in National Geographic

77. Put a puzzle together

78. Sand wood

79. Rub in hand lotion

80. Decorate paper placemats

81. Arrange fresh flowers

82. Remember famous people

83. Straighten out underwear drawer

84. Finish Nursery Rhymes

85. Make peanut butter sandwiches

86. Wipe off patio furniture

87. Cut up used paper for scratch paper

88. Take care of fish tank

89. Trace and cut out leaves

90. Ask simple trivia questions

91. Finish Bible quotes

92. Paint with string

93. Cut out pictures from magazines

94. Read classic short stories

95. Put coins in a jar

96. Sew sewing cards

97. Put bird feed out for the birds

98. Clean out a pumpkin

99. Reminisce about a favorite summer

100. Roll yarn into a ball

101. Make a birthday cake

Make sure to Have Fun!

Angela Gentile