Activities & Aging

It may have been fate that I started my aging services career at the very first Eden Alternative nursing home. At age 13, I went to spend the Summer with my aunt in New York and she surprised me with a volunteer position at the local nursing home. I ended up loving this opportunity and it set me up for a career of working to improve the quality of life of elders.

So, what does Eden Alternative mean? This is a concept of putting emphasis on meaningful activities, incorporating nature, including animals, and trying to focus on these holistic ways of living while working to reduce medication as a first resort. This really resonates with me because I truly believe in healing the whole person on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. Through my later work as an activity professional, I always treated each resident as an individual with unique preferences, passions, and interests. Some residents benefited from teaching exercise classes if their career life involved being a yoga teacher and other residents may have been a house wife and enjoyed helping me to bake and clean. It is human nature to want to feel needed and to want to contribute. This is why activities and aging go hand in hand.

As a care manager for elders, I've had people ask me how they can still engage their older loved ones with activities that bring them daily joy. I like to mention that meaningful activities go beyond joy and can even contribute towards improving sleep quality, helping the person to focus less on pain and discomfort, creating a sense of purpose and accomplishment, and can create stronger bonds amongst family. I especially have loved ones reach out to me when this pertains to their loved one living with dementia. You can help your loved one with dementia to enjoy meaningful activities no matter how far along they are in their dementia journey.

I was always in conflict with facility sales and marketing team members who wanted me to put on loud and exciting group activities to try and impress a family that was having a tour through the building. A lot of what's happening here is that the sales and marketing team doesn't want the family to think their loved one will be bored and lonely if they become a resident. My point though is that there needs to be education on the fact that an activity may have just happened and the "loud and exciting" route isn't always the best option. Older residents, who are living with disabilities such as dementia and physical conditions, need time to rest and enjoy activities that focus more on purpose and sometimes create a sense of calm.

For example, a resident who is nearing the end of life may benefit from playing some of their favorite relaxing music and a hand massage with lotion. This is not where a parade through the common area is appropriate. Residents also don't need to be herded up like cattle in a circle around the common area when some of them need to lie down and rest in a bed. Sometimes the reasoning behind this is short staffing. Facilities need to create a culture where team members thrive, want to stay, turnover is reduced, and therefore meaningful activities can happen throughout the community. The garden, in small groups, one on one, and in the cafe are all great places to change the scenery.

As a caregiver, you may be wondering about how to create meaningful activities for your loved one living with dementia. I invite you to explore my expertly created Dementia Caregiver Activity Guide by clicking the button below.

Dementia Caregiver Activity Guide

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If you need guidance in caring for your older loved one, call AgeWell Advocacy at 803.486.5322.