Dementia Craft Activity

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Sorry for the weird title but I didn't know how else to word it. My mom's friend does a ton of activities with a local nursing home on their Dementia floor. She's looking for some new ideas for craft activities to do. Seasonal crafts appropriate for the month or any other ideas appreciated. It's a group of men and women. Open to any and all ideas. She's spending a ton of her own money buying craft kits so we are trying to help her with ideas and maybe some supplies if I know something would work. I will google as well of course but there is such a wide range of creative people on here I thought I would tap into this as well. Thanks in advance for any ideas you have.

ETA: One of this week's activity is making a valentine and then she is gluing a polaroid of the resident on it. So it really can be quite simple.

 

[NotUrsula]

Ask private high schools to help with supply drives. Most of them now require student service hours, so some kid will almost surely be happy to help organize a schoolwide supply drive and organize kit assembly, too.

 

[barkley]

it's an 'upcycle' idea that might take some time to aquire but can be used over and over-

put out a call for anyone who uses roll on deoderant to donate their empty containers (flip side is buy them at the dollar store and empty them). wash them out, fill with cheap (preschool type) paint. residents can use them to paint on paper with little to no mess/easy clean up (the round plastic ball can be popped out to clean/fill with paint).

more upcycling-

put out a call for old greeting cards (valentine's day is coming up-donate the kid's a week or so out). can be used for making new cards/collages/decorated boxes (shoe stores if asked will often hold boxes for collection-many if most customers don't want them so they have to pay to dispose of).

 

[mamabunny]

Coloring books + crayons (even the larger size crayons for littles are good for aging hands). Pages can be ripped out of the the books and photocopied again and again. Some residents might prefer “adult” coloring books and color pencils - you have to meet the patient where they are.

My Mom had stroke related dementia; she loved her flannel board that I made her. Instead of shapes, numbers or letters, I cut pieces of fabrics, and she would make “quilts”. I took a picture of each one, and she would start over, again and again.

Mom also loved sorting activities; these can be as simple as sorting color tokens, color ping pong balls, little foam blocks etc. Mom liked to sort into bowls, but little plastic baskets work well too. Buttons are a very popular item to sort as well.

With a paper punch and old magazines, a patient can make confetti; good for those who like repetitive tasks.

Some dementia folks can do simple tasks, like rolling silverware or folding napkins. Not all; but those who like to be busy, or have a “job” find great satisfaction from that.

What I found was that if I would sit with Mom at a table, and quietly color with her (her favorites were the adult coloring pages of flowers) others would gather round and try to color too. If we talked, they would talk. If we were quiet, they were quiet. If I played classical music softly, one lady would put her head on the table, and just listen.

There are typically local service organizations that might be able to give her small grants - enough to get some supplies. Ask local churches, Elk, Masons, etc. They might not give cash money, but possibly gift cards to buy supplies with.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Collage is great - all you need is old magazines or catalogs and some watered-down glue. You can make them on heavier paper, empty glass jars, whatever you can get people to donate.

Painting to music is is fun twist - you put on different styles of music and just let people paint how it makes them feel.

Maybe mobiles? - this one looks like it uses an embroidery hoop, but people cleaning out their closets might have extra hangers to donate. Then you'd just need string or yarn and paper shapes. - Hearts could be fun for February or shamrocks for March.

 

[jo-jo]

There are typically local service organizations that might be able to give her small grants - enough to get some supplies. Ask local churches, Elk, Masons, etc. They might not give cash money, but possibly gift cards to buy supplies with.

The churches etc. might be a great source of most of the stuff you are talking about. As a sunday school teacher for a hundred years for young kids, I had bits and pieces of crafts. Now as a grandma, the kids like diving in and finding stuff to do "projects". Like I made you a picture with bits of felt, buttons, shoelace and cut up straws. Isn't it beautiful and aren't you going to keep it forever????? Oh I forgot grandma, I used up 8 gluesticks making this, I think you need more.

My point is there may be a bunch of people that have a handful of stuff, thinking what can I do with a baby food jar of buttons I'll never use them...But if there are 8 people like that.......There's your sorting project.

I just thought , myself I have tons of coloring sheets aimed for pre-k kids, so large easy pictures. Again a few sheets of this and that. Not enough for a class. I've saved and handed out extra to kids that don't want to leave there parents in church, but how much can I save.

 

[mjkacmom]

it's an 'upcycle' idea that might take some time to aquire but can be used over and over-

put out a call for anyone who uses roll on deoderant to donate their empty containers (flip side is buy them at the dollar store and empty them). wash them out, fill with cheap (preschool type) paint. residents can use them to paint on paper with little to no mess/easy clean up (the round plastic ball can be popped out to clean/fill with paint).

more upcycling-

put out a call for old greeting cards (valentine's day is coming up-donate the kid's a week or so out). can be used for making new cards/collages/decorated boxes (shoe stores if asked will often hold boxes for collection-many if most customers don't want them so they have to pay to dispose of).

Old memory of my dad just popped up, he used to save the front of greeting cards to donate for this reason.

 

[Imzadi]

Editted: If some of them still have the hand dexterity, how about making "mug rugs"? Also known as coasters, using the method to weave potholders. Looms can be made out of cardboard, with slots cut along each side for the loops (or yarn) to fit around. It may be a craft they remember doing back in childhood.

Photo of Mug Rug on the right, in comparison to size on the left of a traditional potholder, along with a lot less loops used:

Loom with slots/notches cut out:

Instead of yarn, as in the photo above, potholder loops can be cut from old T-shirts. So much cheaper than buying pre-made loops.

https://doityourselfskills.com/how-to-make-potholders-from-upcycled-t-shirts/

Make the loops extra wide and long, so they end up rather loose on the cardboard looms, (instead of stretched tight,) and can be woven a lot easier. Wider loops would also mean less loops to weave to finish an potholder. Of curse you can cut the cardboard loom to be any size you want. You'd also cut slots on all 4 sides for the loops be stretched across, not just the top and bottom.

Here is a mug rug, woven loosely, using only every other notch on a traditional potholder loom:

https://littlelooms.com/3-step-mug-rugs-on-a-potholder-loom/

 

[TwoMisfits]

I think the folding wouldn't be too complicated, and this is great for winter/spring...and pretty cheap, since it's glue and 8 pieces of kite paper per resident...and it looks adult, and not 3 year old...

https://www.marinwaldorf.org/blog/2023/light-catcher

 

[TwoMisfits]

2nd activity I have for spring is painted rock Easter eggs, which could be laid outside in a garden, laid in a circle in a pot with a flower, or stacked inside in an Easter basket...pretty much wouldn't matter how good or bad they end up when they are all combined. Rocks are free, so you'd only need paint and brushes...

But this one is only if they are non-aggressive. Not sure how severe the health in the unit is.

 

[bjscheel]

Back in the late 90's I led crafts at the nursing home every week. I just recently threw away the folder of ideas I will try to think.

Right now the only one I can remember was a big one, we painted thin wood shapes (mostly diamonds) that I then arranged in a quilt star pattern on a large sheet of wood and we hung it in the activity room. Probably not practical for your purposes. We definitely did lots of small crafts, normally.

This fall, I did this with my mom:
https://frugalfun4boys.com/make-3d-paper-pumpkins/

 

[jo-jo]

I think the folding wouldn't be too complicated, and this is great for winter/spring...and pretty cheap, since it's glue and 8 pieces of kite paper per resident...and it looks adult, and not 3 year old...

https://www.marinwaldorf.org/blog/2023/light-catcher

That's looks pretty. Is kite paper the same as tissue paper?

I did a craft with my DGD years ago. Take torn pieces of tissue paper and glue them together overlapping a bit. Using wax paper or release foil as a backing. When dry, peel off the backing and sandwich the tissue paper between a "frame" of construction paper in the shape of butterflies.

 

[TwoMisfits]

That's looks pretty. Is kite paper the same as tissue paper?

I did a craft with my DGD years ago. Take torn pieces of tissue paper and glue them together overlapping a bit. Using wax paper or release foil as a backing. When dry, peel off the backing and sandwich the tissue paper between a "frame" of construction paper in the shape of butterflies.

No - it doesn't tear as easy, but it is as translucent...it's more a waxy paper...

https://shop.oakmeadow.com/individu...z8Wz7t4v-Hhl1qw5Gy3bidnxNpB1PMGYaArWrEALw_wcB

 

[QueenIsabella]

A couple thoughts...

Put out the word that you're looking for supplies, maybe through your church or your book club or whoever. If you have specific craft ideas, you can ask for fabric remnants or feathers or whatever. But even if you don't have a specific activity in mind, see what you get. Then, you can go to Pinterest or wherever and figure out what you can do with your new stash of yarn or beads.

There are many organizations that have kids looking for service hours--Honor Society, Scouting, church groups--that could help you get materials.

I wish you lived by me--I'm a crafter, I could set you up with all sorts of stuff.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I used to work with special needs preschool kids and one of our favorite activities was making "scrunchies." You just cut tissue paper into squares and have them scrunch them up and glue them onto paper. We would usually give the kids an outline or simple drawing like a tree. They would fill the top with green scrunchies and the trunk with brown (or whatever colors they choose). It's a great activity to help strengthen fingers and promote manual dexterity. Our only rule was no scrunching with your fist. You have to use your fingers.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Thank you everyone for such great and creative ideas! I knew I would get some great suggestions here. I'm passing them all along. Your input is very much appreciated!