Creative Engagement: A Handbook of Activities for People with Dementia

Whether they are cared for at home or in an assisted living community, adults living with dementia should be offered a life that is interesting and fun. In Creative Engagement, dementia activity expert Rachael Wonderlin and developmental psychology professor Geri M. Lotze provide dozens of creative, hands-on ways to engage with people living with cognitive loss. This comprehensive, empathetic guide is aimed at both family members and professionals, offering proven strategies for interacting with people living with dementia.

Key Features

• Twelve chapters full of useful, tangible activities covering topics such as exercise, technology, cooking and baking, memory games, and arts and crafts.
• Detailed tips for building a dementia-friendly environment and creating a daily calendar.
• Suggestions for special activities geared toward people in hospice care.
• Targeted advice for dealing with caregiver stress.

Additional Information

Teaching caregivers how to find dementia-friendly daily activities and introduce them into a person's life, Wonderlin and Lotze focus on both group and individual dynamics, mundane activities and specially tailored pursuits. Drawing on Wonderlin's own practice while incorporating the latest scientific research on dementia and eldercare, Creative Engagement is unique in its dementia-positive approach. Anyone who cares for someone living with dementia will gain valuable knowledge from this compassionate book.

Specifications

• Authors: Rachael Wonderlin, Geri M. Lotze
• Topics Covered: Dementia-friendly activities, caregiver strategies, environmental adaptations
• Format: Comprehensive guide with practical tips and activities

Contents

• Introduction: What are Dementia-Friendly Activities?
• Part I: Background/Setting
  • 1. What is Dementia?
  • 2. Building a Dementia-Friendly Environment
  • 3. Caregiver Stress
• Part II: Tips
  • 4. Creating a Calendar
  • 5. Embracing Their Reality Daily
  • 6. Utilizing Autobiographical Memory in Dementia Care Activities
  • 7. Group Dynamics
  • 8. Asking for Help
  • 9. Activities of Daily Living
  • 10. Tailored Activities
• Part III: Activities
  • 11. Lifelike Dolls and Pets
  • 12. Exercise
  • 13. Music
  • 14. Technology
  • 15. Holidays
  • 16. Hospice Activities
  • 17. Meals and Baking
  • 18. Brain Exercise
  • 19. Artwork and Creativity
  • 20. Outings
  • 21. Entertainment and Home Visitors in a Community
  • 22. Sensory Rooms and Activity Boxes
• Bibliography
• Index