Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of people worldwide, causing cognitive decline, memory loss, and communication problems. While there is no cure, the caregivers and loved ones of seniors receiving Alzheimer’s home care services can use various techniques to improve quality of life. One of those techniques includes incorporating sensory exercises, which stimulate the brain and allow them to engage with their surroundings in meaningful ways.
Why Sensory Activities are Important in Alzheimer’s Care
Alzheimer’s disease gradually affects regions of the brain, impairing memory, thinking, and perception. Sensory activities, such as music, aromatherapy, and tactile stimulation, help bypass damaged pathways by engaging the senses.
These activities can bring about positive emotions, memories, and interactions, which increase quality of life, as well as offer the following benefits.
Improved Cognitive Function: Sensory activities stimulate the brain, which helps seniors stay mentally engaged. Engaging the senses can trigger long-term memories, allowing them to recall prior events even when short-term memory diminishes. For example, smelling a familiar perfume or feeling a specific cloth can bring back memories.
Reduced Aggression and Anxiety: Alzheimer’s disease commonly causes emotional disruptions, such as worry, restlessness, and agitation. Sensory activities like listening to soothing music, feeling different textures, or practicing aromatherapy with calming aromas like lavender can help seniors relax and relieve tension.
Increased Communication and Socialization: Seniors may find it difficult to express themselves as their communication skills decrease. Sensory activities give them options for communication in a different way. A familiar song, for example, may cause them to hum along or smile, promoting nonverbal communication and establishing bonds with caregivers and family.
Enhancing Motor Skills and Physical Engagement: Many sensory activities include movement, such as kneading dough, sorting objects based on texture, or playing with sensory balls. These tasks help seniors strengthen their hand-eye coordination and fine motor abilities, allowing them to stay physically active for longer.
Providing Comfort and Security: Engaging in familiar and enjoyable sensory experiences can give seniors a sense of security. For example, a cherished blanket, plush animal, or well-loved book might provide comfort to seniors who are feeling confused or distressed.
Sensory Activities for Alzheimer’s Home Care
There are numerous ways to include sensory experiences in Alzheimer’s home care, including the following:
Music Therapy: Playing favorite songs from the past can bring back pleasant memories, while singing along can improve moods and encourage communication. Additionally, instrumental music helps create a calming atmosphere.
Aromatherapy: There are a few ways to incorporate aromatherapy, such as diffusing it throughout the home or adding essential oils to things like lotion. Some common oils include lavender and chamomile for relaxation or citrus fragrances, such as lemon and orange, which can increase alertness. Another thing to consider is that familiar smells like coffee or freshly baked bread can evoke memories that change from person to person.
Tactile Stimulation: Handling various textures can also bring about certain emotions and memories. For instance, touching dirt or weeding plants can remind seniors of how much they enjoy gardening. Other textures can soothe emotions, such as a soft blanket.
Visual Stimulation: Looking through photo albums to relive memories, watching colorful fish in an aquarium, bird watching, or enjoying a museum trip are all ways to visually stimulate seniors.
Sensory activities are effective tools to use in Alzheimer’s home care, providing emotional support, cognitive stimulation, and opportunities for meaningful interaction. These activities help seniors reconnect with their past, improving their quality of life and making each day more pleasurable.
Sources: https://www.alzheimers.net/2014-01-23-sensory-stimulation-alzheimers-patients
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5962307/
https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-sensory-stimulation#the-five-senses
https://www.experia-usa.com/blog/the-benefits-of-sensory-stimulation/
If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s Home Care Services in Manhattan Beach CA, please call the caring staff at Canaan Home Care today! 1-844-CANAAN-1 (1-844-226-2261)
Canaan Home Care – A Premier Provider of Senior Home Care in the La Jolla, Del Mar, San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Tustin, and Manhattan Beach areas.
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