Dementia is a chronic condition that progressively decreases cognition, leading to substantial declines in a person’s mental functioning and ability to care for themselves. As a result, people with dementia need increasing amounts of support as the condition progresses and can lose the ability to engage in many of their previous hobbies and passions. However, activities for people with dementia can help stimulate your loved one’s mind in a positive, productive way, allowing them to continue engaging in what interests them and brings them joy.

In this article, we’ll explore six categories of activities that can benefit people with dementia: memory-stimulating activities, creative arts and crafts, outdoor engagement, sensory stimulation techniques, exercise options, and social interaction opportunities. Each type offers unique benefits and can be adapted for different stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, helping maintain quality of life and cognitive function.

The importance of engagement for individuals with dementia

While dementia eventually leads to severe cognitive limitations, people at all stages of the condition are still able to enjoy activities and engage with the people around them to some degree. 

Regular engagement has been linked to many benefits for people with dementia, including improvements in quality of life and emotional state, plus decreases in problematic behaviors. Such benefits are related to the fact that people with dementia can experience boredom, loneliness, depression, and other undesirable states. Regular activities help to reduce the risk of such issues while providing meaning and social engagement.

In fact, research from the Alzheimer’s Association shows that meaningful activities can reduce agitation, improve mood, and potentially reduce reliance on certain medications for managing behavioral symptoms in people with dementia. Structured activities have been shown to improve quality of life and reduce anxiety in people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Regardless of the activity, your efforts can help your loved one.

Remember to adapt the activities as needed. What’s enjoyable will be different from one person to the next. It’s also important to tailor the activity to the person’s capabilities so it isn’t so simple that it’s boring but also isn’t difficult and frustrating. Other factors influence the best activities, including the time of day, the person’s energy levels, and the stage of dementia. Let’s explore various activities and their benefits below.

Memory-stimulating activities for people with dementia

While memory-based activities won’t reverse the symptoms of dementia, they often provide a sense of familiarity and identity while improving mood and offering cognitive stimulation.

There are two general approaches here. The first is to focus on the person’s memories with activities like looking through photo albums, discussing memories, and even making scrapbooks. The other approach is memory stimulation, which can include matching games, simple card games, and simple trivia quizzes. Here are some examples:

• Reminiscing: In the early stages of dementia, people may be able to discuss favorite memories. Looking through photo albums is a good idea, but digital memory tools, like photo slideshows, can make reminiscence more accessible, particularly when family members can contribute photos remotely. In later stages, conversations may be simpler and focus more on the emotions evoked rather than specific memories. 
• Card games: Simple card games, like Go Fish, can work well in the early stages of dementia, offering entertainment and helping stimulate memory. In middle stages, it may be more appropriate to focus on basic matching games that use simple images and don’t have too many cards. In later stages, the person with dementia may simply be shown images, with a focus on recognition rather than memory.
• Trivia: Playing trivia might seem counterintuitive because it focuses on memory recall. However, people with dementia may have an easier time remembering details from years ago rather than recent information. You might try to focus on long-term memories rather than recent events — topics like vintage advertisements, classic television shows, or historical events from the person’s young adulthood often resonate strongly. 
• Create and play a personalized music playlist: Music can be a powerful memory stimulant, especially when it is from a person’s formative years (ages 15 to 25). These tunes often trigger memory even in advanced stages of dementia. Creating personalized playlists of familiar music can trigger memories and emotional responses when other forms of communication become difficult. You can use a free music app on your phone, such as Spotify, to search for a musical artist from your loved one’s younger years and play their greatest hits or create your own playlist of songs by their favorite musicians.

Creative arts and crafts

Arts and crafts provide an outlet for thoughts and emotions while also providing a sense of fulfillment. Creative expression can be empowering and helps to reduce stress, especially when verbal communication is difficult. In all cases, it’s important to focus on the process rather than what the person manages to create. Activities include:

• Painting and drawing: This is most relevant in the early stages of dementia, when people retain fine motor skills. In the later stages, hand painting offers some of the same benefits as well as tactile engagement from the sensation of the paint.
• Making collages: These can be made using magazines or photos. Cutting the images beforehand can be helpful in allowing for creativity without requiring fine motor skills.
• Tearing paper: This simple activity can be satisfying and helps to release energy.
• Sorting fabric: If you have small pieces of various kinds of fabric, your loved one can sort them. This engages the mind and hands and offers a sensory experience in touching and handling a variety of textures. If you don’t have fabric on hand, ask a craft store if they have any remnants (you might need to purchase them).
• Working with clay or Play-Doh: The physical sensation of clay can be highly satisfying and engaging, even if the person is simply rolling the clay into a ball.
• Jewelry making: People in the early stages of dementia can create jewelry using elastic string and large beads. As the condition progresses, the activity could shift to simply stringing large beads onto thread.
• Coloring: Adult coloring books with simple, bold designs offer an accessible creative outlet, especially for those who might feel intimidated by a blank canvas. The repetitive nature of coloring can be both relaxing and engaging.

Outdoor activities for people with dementia

Being in nature offers a host of benefits, including sensory stimulation, improved mood, and lowered anxiety. Some of the benefits come from nature itself, while others are linked to being in a different environment. Activities include:

• Supervised nature walks: These walks could be with another person or in a group, offering social connection and safety in addition to the benefits of walking outside.
• Sitting on a porch or bench: Even just watching nature has benefits. This activity can be done at any stage of dementia. Seniors who can’t go outside can watch through an open window, which still provides visual stimulation.
• Gardening: Seniors who gardened in the past may be able to do tasks like watering and planting seeds in the early stage of dementia. Simpler and more repetitive tasks may be more appropriate later on. 
• Birdwatching: Birdwatching or wildlife observation is an accessible outdoor activity that can be adjusted depending on the stage of dementia. In early stages, keeping a simple bird log might add purpose, while later stages might focus simply on the visual stimulation of colorful birds at a feeder outside a window.

Sensory stimulation techniques for people with dementia

Sensory stimulation is especially relevant in the later stages of dementia, as people in these stages are less responsive to other types of activities. Engaging the senses often provides comfort, improved mood, decreased stress, and fewer behavioral issues. Activities include:

• Taste-based sensory activities: Foods can have strong emotional connections. Simple cooking tasks like stirring batter or sampling familiar holiday treats can trigger memories and provide enjoyment even when other forms of engagement become difficult. Make sure you supervise your loved one as needed so they stay safe in the kitchen.
• Aromatherapy: This is helpful in all stages of dementia, often having a gentle, calming impact. Familiar scents like lavender and citrus can be especially helpful.
• Sensory boxes, blankets, and boards: These often contain a variety of objects and textures that people can engage with. You can even make your own, using a combination of items that the senior is likely to enjoy.
• Color therapy: Even a simple kaleidoscope can provide visual stimulation through color therapy. Light displays can be calming, particularly in the evening hours when sundowning symptoms might increase. If you choose an electronic option, avoid strobe lights or anything too jarring. 

Exercise and physical activity options

Remaining active is important for physical and mental health, helping with sleep, mood, energy levels, muscle strength, flexibility, and more. This is true even when activities need to be modified considerably to accommodate dementia symptoms. Activities include:

• Dancing: Dancing is an easy and fun form of exercise, especially when the music is familiar. People in the early stages of dementia may be able to follow simple steps or simply make up their own moves. In the later stages, rhythmic movements become more relevant.
• Stretching: Simple stretching exercises can be helpful when people can follow instructions or mirror an instructor’s movements.
• Chair-based exercises: These, too, are most relevant when the person with dementia can follow instructions. The complexity also needs to be adapted to the individual’s abilities.
• Helping with chores: People with dementia can often help with chores, especially because they may be familiar activities. Choose chores they can do safely and that aren’t too complex, then adapt as needed.
• Walking: Walking, particularly in nature, is an easy and beneficial form of exercise. People in the later stages may need assistance and may be unable to walk far, but even a little walking can have benefits.
• Sitting with a weighted blanket: Weighted blankets or lap pads can reduce anxiety and provide comfort, especially during times of agitation. Try adding one to a seated activity to maximize comfort and calmness.
• Movement classes at your local senior center: Many senior centers now offer specialized exercise programs for people with dementia. They combine physical activity with cognitive stimulation, often using music from the past.

Social interaction opportunities

Social engagement is crucial for decreasing a sense of loneliness and isolation while also lowering the risk of depression. It can help with mood, emotional support, and cognitive stimulation, especially when combined with some of the other activities we’ve discussed. Activities include:

• One-on-one conversations: In the early stage, people with dementia can often talk about shared interests and other topics without much problem. Later, the conversation partner will need to guide the conversation more, using simple language and focusing on connection.
• Group activities: Any group-based activity can be helpful, including clubs, exercise classes, group sing-alongs, and games. Once again, the complexity will vary based on the stage of dementia.
• Pet therapy: Being around animals provides meaningful social interaction that doesn’t require complex communication. Regular visits with therapy animals or even robotic companion pets designed for seniors with dementia can reduce feelings of isolation while providing sensory stimulation through petting and interaction. 
• Spending time with others: Being around familiar people can be helpful at all stages of dementia, even when the senior can’t engage much or doesn’t recognize the people around them. Intergenerational activities, such as visits with grandchildren or structured programs that connect seniors with schoolchildren, offer mutual benefits. These interactions often produce spontaneous engagement, as the presence of children can trigger parenting instincts and memories.

Finding the right activities for someone with dementia requires patience, creativity, and a willingness to adapt as abilities change. The most successful approaches focus on the person’s interests, abilities, and life history rather than the limitations imposed by their condition.

Remember that the goal of these activities isn’t productivity or achievement but engagement, enjoyment, and connection. Even brief moments of joy or recognition are meaningful successes that contribute to overall quality of life.

For caregivers, maintaining a flexible approach and realistic expectations is essential for reducing stress. Building a diverse “toolbox” of activities across these six categories ensures that options are available regardless of energy levels, mood, or progression of symptoms.

With thoughtful adaptation, people with dementia can continue to find meaning, purpose, and joy in activities throughout their journey.