The Coronavirus in 2020 has proved devastating to the world and to the UK and has led to measures to protect our well-being, the like of which have previously been unknown. With this has come the need for households to go into “lock-down”, to self-isolate apart from an hour of daily exercise and necessary visits to shop for food, medicine or hospital/doctor visits.
Many of the daily routines that have formed our lives have gone – there are no schools open, no sports matches, no pubs and restaurants. Daily routine can be a significant part in the care of those living as well as they can with dementia and the loss of what is known and comforting can bring distress, all the more so if the ability to reason and understand has been removed, whether partially or completely.
Hi Friends Wellbeing Team recognises the difficult situation many of our families are facing, where they are caring for a relative who has dementia. This short guide is therefore here to give you some contacts for national organisations who are there to give additional help if needed and also some ideas of more locally-based activities you could consider to help you as you move through each day.
If you want to know more, please contact our Dementia Support Co-ordinator
National Organisations offering help
Resources
Apps
7 Apps for People Living With Dementia
BBC Music Memories & Memory Radio
There are a lot of different types of music here to listen to.
The radio site has downloadable sheets with activities to complete
Faith Resources
For those raised in the Christian faith, you might like to consider purchasing the book, Worshipping with Dementia which comes with prayers, readings and reflections that could be shared. It’s available for £8.50 from pilgrimsfriend.org.uk/resources/worshipping-with-dementia
The internet has many faith resources and suggestions for those living with dementia, most in the Christian tradition.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our local churches are also putting services and other resources online. St Andrew’s Histon and Impington have a YouTube channel where you can access their weekly services and other material youtube.com/channel/UCKj_7Ir0JBE476srP7xewFA
If you like hymn singing, the Royal School of Church Music is making a hymn a day available online for you to join in with youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn-vhbQASCJhW_Gz8Fww32Nmy_XuCQmNl
Activities
These activities are a few suggestions of some things you might like to do at home, or whilst out taking some exercise. Not all may be suitable (or relevant) to your situation. However, if they are, do consider giving some a try. We are hoping to send out new ideas on an occasional basis. Do let us know if you have good ideas of your own – they might work for someone else too.
Outside
If the weather is fine, go for a gentle walk (as far as you can manage) with the aim of looking out for something specific eg how many flowers can you see, of what colour etc
Sit in the garden and listen for any birds singing – can you hear different sounds or are they all the same?
Engage in some light gardening – are there any new plants you could put into their final position, or maybe sow some seeds and watch them grow.
If you have a camera, take some photos on your walk and get them printed up so you can talk about them and what you actually saw whilst you were out
If you can get as far as the village green, observe the ducks and look at the different types, are there still any ducklings around?
Indoors
Music is very good for people living with dementia, though everyone will have their own favourite style and era.
Explore the BBC Music archive musicmemories.bbcrewind.co.uk
Explore playlistforlife.org.uk and create a list of music you might remember from a special time in life. There is a special section for those with dementia.
Perhaps you like arts and crafts or drama and dance more than music?
Invest in a colouring book and some crayons/felt-tip pens and complete some pictures or, if you can get online, you might enjoy this website thecolor.com
If art is your skill, perhaps paint and/or draw places that have happy memories
YouTube is showing (free) performances from the National Theatre and some of Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s musicals. If you don’t have internet access, do you have any CDs or DVDs you could watch and talk about?
The BBC is showing a wide range of programmes during the Coronavirus. There are some re-runs of classic series that might stir memories and provide tools for discussion.
You could create a tree of memories – either get a small branch, perhaps paint it or decorate it and hang memories from it. You can talk about those memories, however far back they go.
Memory archives are also available here:
houseofmemories.co.uk/things-to-do/my-house-of-memories-app/
YouTube also has a lot of historical footage available if you want to watch it.
There are a lot of puzzle books available to buy each month. They might be something to try to do if the dementia is not too advanced.
You might consider taking on a jigsaw—the number of pieces as appropriate to the person living with dementia. There are various sites online which allow you to complete jigsaws on your computer. This is one of them thejigsawpuzzles.com