Looking for suggestions on activities for dementia patients?

chicagojitterbugclub might help you, not sure where you are.

If you call the local Harley Owner's Group (HOG) they will send out a bunch of scary looking bikers with big hearts that will take her for a ride. We did this for an old neighbor with Alzheimer's. We got him on the back of an Electra-Glide with a good passenger seat, strapped a helmet on him and off they went. He could no longer speak, but he grinned for a week. Never told the wife.

ya asking her about when she was young gets em going really good.. i found out that before mom met dad she dated and afghani prince... and when mom was 15 [1945] she went on a ride on the back of some guys motorcycle.... that came out watching the insurance motorcycle commercial ' i have been on that motorcycle, it is NOT fun!!'... mom were you on that motorcycle?.... OMG

If she was raised on a farm, she must remember square dancing. Find a caller who will come out as a goodwill gesture.

Get 4 handsome men to come and dance with her. Or do it yourself, with some Big Band in the background. Just gyrate around a bit and get her to laugh and grab her hand. Ask her about the dance contests of the 40's.

ya just getting her to go outside to sit on the porch is dificult now she has trouble getting up its like a value judgement for her where she weighs is it really worth it for her to get off the sofa

How about playing some old music (something meaningful she and your dad may have played from the past....you can find all kinds of music on Pandora Radio for free. And then dance with her? Maybe just walk around the yard and look at flowers or trees birds.

Have you tried just giving her simple tasks while you are doing a task like standing at the table and folding towels or underwear (even if it's nor perfect and you have to resold later...).

Maybe lay out old tablecloth and a couple pots or seed trays and have her plant seeds, then care for?

Can she stir batter for a cake or cookie mix? Peel potatoes or carrots, or set the table (keep it simple where you just give her plates, once she lays out plates, then you hand her forks, then she comes back and gets napkins).

Maybe give her a book or coat, sweater and tell her " can you help by putting this in sissy's bed?" Can you put this pair of socks on Ted's dresser? Mom can you help me by bringing me my bath towel from the hall bath?

Do you have a local senior center she can attend and maybe they can engage her or would she be interested in silver sneakers where they can be a mall walker a couple times a week and partner with someone? That way she has some independence away from you.