Dementia Care (including Alzheimer’s Disease)

Summer offers wonderful opportunities to engage individuals living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia in joyful, calming, and memory-stimulating activities. Meaningful engagement doesn’t have to be complicated—it should be simple, sensory-friendly, and rooted in familiarity.

Here are some dementia-friendly summer activity ideas to enjoy safely:

1. Nature Walks & Garden Time

• Why: Gentle physical activity, fresh air, and sensory stimulation (smells, textures, colors).
• Tips: Choose flat, shaded paths or accessible gardens. Go early morning or late evening to avoid heat.
• Variation: Create a small herb garden together in containers—engages smell, memory, and touch.

2. Summer-Themed Arts & Crafts

• Why: Encourages creativity and fine motor skills without pressure.
• Ideas:
  • Watercolor painting of beach scenes or flowers
  • Shell or leaf collages
  • Decorate flower pots or paint rocks
• Pro tip: Use materials with bold colors and easy-to-grip tools.

3. Outdoor Music Sessions

• Why: Music often remains accessible even in later stages of dementia.
• Ideas:
• Play favorite summer songs from their youth
• Attend a local outdoor concert with a calm environment
• Bring out simple percussion instruments for engagement

4. Sensory Activities: Tastes & Smells of Summer

• Why: Stimulates appetite and memories through smell/taste.
• Ideas:
  • Ice cream social or popsicle party
  • Lemonade-making activity
  • Scent jars with mint, basil, or sunscreen scents to evoke memories

5. Memory Sharing with Family

• Why: Encourages emotional connection and reminiscence.
• Ideas:
  • Look through old summer vacation photos
  • Create a memory box with seashells, postcards, or summer items
  • Share simple stories about family traditions

6. Picnic or Porch Time

• Why: Change of scenery and fresh air can uplift mood.
• Ideas:
  • Set up a shaded porch or picnic blanket with easy finger foods
  • Include familiar music, fresh flowers, and a relaxed atmosphere

7. Gentle Games & Brain Activities

• Why: Encourages cognitive stimulation and fun.
• Ideas:
  • Summer-themed puzzles with larger pieces
  • Sorting colorful objects (like sea glass or buttons)
  • Matching games with pictures of fruits, flowers, or summer items

Caregiver Reminder:

The goal is to create moments of joy, connection, and comfort. Tailor activities to the person’s current abilities and past interests. Keep it low-stress, flexible, and most of all—fun!

Home based primary care uses an interdisciplinary treatment team model to include disciplines such as a Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Social Worker, Physical Therapist, Psychologist, Dietitian, Pharmacist, and a Nurse who provide primary care services in the home.

Adult Day Health Care is a program Veterans can go to during the day for social activities, cognitive stimulation, possible outings, companionship, exercise programs, and recreation.

VA Crisis Hotline:  1- 
Specific Organizations: 
Alzheimer’s:       
Parkinson’s:    
Huntington’s:   

ALS:    
Lewy Body:     
Alzheimer’s Association (Charleston)  

(National)
 

When it comes to physical activity, what’s good for your body is also good for your brain.

But it’s not just these indirect benefits. There’s evidence that exercise increases the activity of neurotransmitters (or chemical messengers) and trophic factors (substances that support cell growth and survival) in your brain that keep the mental operation humming along.

Research shows that the mental boost gained from regular exercise can reduce your risk of dementia or other conditions marked by cognitive decline. It can slow the progression of diseases affecting mental function, too.

The phrase “use it or lose it” applies to mental muscle.

Continually challenging your brain promotes new cell growth while decreasing the likelihood of regression. Essentially, your noggin is better able to thrive if you keep asking it to learn and adapt.

Food is fuel for your mind, and better fuel brings better results.

Filling your belly with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats (like fish) can improve mental performance and protect against decline. 

Friends and an active social life can help you maintain your upstairs function as you age.

That’s because when you communicate with others, you challenge your mind to interpret verbal and visual cues and respond accordingly. It’s like putting your mind through a cross-training workout.

Social isolation, on the other hand, can be a driving force behind cognitive decline. It’s considered one of the modifiable risk factors to reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Your brain doesn’t shut down while you sleep. In fact, in some ways it’s busier than during the day.

The “maintenance” that comes with sleep can help your brain fend off dementia and age-related decline. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to be at their best physically and mentally.

Research shows that consistently sleeping for fewer than five hours a night doubles your risk of dementia. Difficulty falling asleep when your head hits the pillow also elevates your risk.

Chronic health conditions aren’t just tough on your body. They can also be a drain on your brain.

Many common medical conditions left untreated can accelerate dementia and mental decline. That’s why it’s important to embrace preventive health measures to address potential issues.