How do I make my mother feel like she is contributing?

I just want to say that all the answers and suggestions are so spot-on. I started "liking" them but after a while they were all so helpful that I had to post this. Good luck to all on this board - I lost my husband almost a year ago to dementia and wish I had had some of these good ideas to follow.

Thank all of you for your wonderful suggestions! I'll take any and all ideas. I just found this site and while I'm sorry that others are also dealing with these things, it does help to know that others understand and offer support. Thanks!

You have so many good ideas here. The next time you are about to do a task, ask her to do it. If it takes her longer, so what. You probably know what she is capable of doing, so create her tasks from her abilities and be sure to day...I need some help with this to make her feel useful. Don't do everything for her. Keeping her up, moving, active is much better for her health and yours as well

Right now, she may have very good memory in identifying old pictures. Dementia usually works in reverse - current things come and go, the really old stuff is still pretty sharp! Tape a bunch of old pictures on a paper and tell her to write the names of people in the picture.

Invite her friends to visit..any relatives. Keeping her connected to her intact memories will help.

I empower my mother to do as much as she can by herself. I might guide her in her wheelchair but she does the movements on her own. When she lived at home I'd ask her what she wanted and make it for her in the microwave but she bathed and clothed herself. Little things like that helped her have a purpose.