Posts Tagged Chore
October 19, 2017 at 12:39 pm · Filed under Activities for Mild Dementia, Activities for Moderate Dementia ·Tagged activities for men with dementia, activities for reminiscing, Alzheimer, Alzheimer Disease, alzheimer s association, Alzheimer's, alzheimer's activities, alzheimer's association, alzheimer's care, alzheimer's chicken, alzheimer's disease, alzheimer's statistics, Brain, Caregiver, caregivers, caregiving, Chore, Conditions and Diseases, Cooking, cooking with dementia, definition of dementia, Dementia, dementia activities, dementia facts and figures, dementia in the elderly, dementia reminiscing, dementia statistics, dementia vs alzheimer's, Disease, elderly, geist, Health, mary ellen geist, measure of the heart, Mental health, United States, what is alzheimer's, what is dementia, woody geist
This activity idea comes from Measure of the Heart, a novel by Mary Ellen Geist, recounting her personal experience of returning home to Michigan to help care for her father who is diagnosed with dementia. Her father, Woody Geist, also appears in the HBO documentary “The Alzheimer’s Project”. The Geist’s resilience and candor in the face of this devastating disease is truly inspirational.
The following excerpt is taken directly from the book:
Alzheimer’s Chicken
- whole chicken, about 4 pounds
- 1 green apple, washed and cored
- 3 stalks of celery, rinsed
- 1 yellow or white onion, skin removed
- several sprigs of fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme, rinsed
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 3 tbs olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse a 4-pound roasting chicken, removing and discarding the giblets from the cavity.
Place the green apple, celery, onion, and herbs on a large chopping board. Hand a not-so-sharp knife to the Alzheimer’s patient, depending of course on how far the disease has progressed. It may not be wise to do this for Alzheimer’s patients who’ve been living with the disease for more than ten years, but my father can still safely use a knife if I stand next to him and make sure he isn’t holding it upside down.
Let the patient chop up the fruit, vegetables, and herbs however the hell he or she wants to, without hovering and explaining how to do it! Don’t say: “No! Do it like this!” Remember: It doesn’t matter what the chunks look like or how big or small they are. The process can be liberating not only for the patient but also for you.
Open the cavity of the chicken and have the Alzheimer’s patient help you stuff the bird with a big wooden spoon. Put the chicken in a 9×13 inch baking dish or pan. Pour the red wine, olive oil, and a little water over the stuffed bird. Cook it in the oven at 350 degrees F for at least two hours, until the temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F. Have the Alzheimer’s patient help you baste the bird often. Let it sit a bit after you’ve taken it out of the oven; then slice and serve.
Permalink
June 8, 2015 at 1:00 am · Filed under Activities for Mild Dementia, Activities for Moderate Dementia ·Tagged activities for men with dementia, activities for reminiscing, Alzheimer, Alzheimer Disease, alzheimer s association, Alzheimer's, alzheimer's activities, alzheimer's association, alzheimer's care, alzheimer's chicken, alzheimer's disease, alzheimer's statistics, Brain, Caregiver, caregivers, caregiving, Chore, Conditions and Diseases, Cooking, cooking with dementia, definition of dementia, Dementia, dementia activities, dementia facts and figures, dementia in the elderly, dementia reminiscing, dementia statistics, dementia vs alzheimer's, Disease, elderly, geist, Health, mary ellen geist, measure of the heart, Mental health, United States, what is alzheimer's, what is dementia, woody geist
This activity idea comes from Measure of the Heart, a novel by Mary Ellen Geist, recounting her personal experience of returning home to Michigan to help care for her father who is diagnosed with dementia. Her father, Woody Geist, also appears in the HBO documentary “The Alzheimer’s Project”. The Geist’s resilience and candor in the face of this devastating disease is truly inspirational.
The following excerpt is taken directly from the book:
Alzheimer’s Chicken
- whole chicken, about 4 pounds
- 1 green apple, washed and cored
- 3 stalks of celery, rinsed
- 1 yellow or white onion, skin removed
- several sprigs of fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme, rinsed
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 3 tbs olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse a 4-pound roasting chicken, removing and discarding the giblets from the cavity.
Place the green apple, celery, onion, and herbs on a large chopping board. Hand a not-so-sharp knife to the Alzheimer’s patient, depending of course on how far the disease has progressed. It may not be wise to do this for Alzheimer’s patients who’ve been living with the disease for more than ten years, but my father can still safely use a knife if I stand next to him and make sure he isn’t holding it upside down.
Let the patient chop up the fruit, vegetables, and herbs however the hell he or she wants to, without hovering and explaining how to do it! Don’t say: “No! Do it like this!” Remember: It doesn’t matter what the chunks look like or how big or small they are. The process can be liberating not only for the patient but also for you.
Open the cavity of the chicken and have the Alzheimer’s patient help you stuff the bird with a big wooden spoon. Put the chicken in a 9×13 inch baking dish or pan. Pour the red wine, olive oil, and a little water over the stuffed bird. Cook it in the oven at 350 degrees F for at least two hours, until the temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F. Have the Alzheimer’s patient help you baste the bird often. Let it sit a bit after you’ve taken it out of the oven; then slice and serve.
Permalink
May 11, 2015 at 1:00 am · Filed under Activities for Mild Dementia, Activities for Moderate Dementia ·Tagged activities for reminiscing, Alzheimer, Alzheimer Disease, alzheimer s association, Alzheimer's, alzheimer's activities, alzheimer's association, alzheimer's care, alzheimer's disease, alzheimer's statistics, Brain, Caregiver, caregivers, caregiving, Chore, Conditions and Diseases, cookies, Cooking, cooking with dementia, definition of dementia, Dementia, dementia activities, dementia facts and figures, dementia in the elderly, dementia reminiscing, dementia statistics, dementia vs alzheimer's, Disease, elderly, Health, Mental health, no bake cookies, United States, what is alzheimer's, what is dementia
No-bakes can be whipped up in less time and with fewer ingredients than most traditional cookies. In fact, you probably have everything you need right in your pantry. Low maintenance recipes (like this one) are ideal, as this may prevent confusion and frustration from occurring. Simple AND scrumptious? How deliciously perfect! 🙂
As the person’s dementia progresses, certain abilities will fade. Therefore, it is important to provide the right amount of supervision and hands on assistance in order for the person to be successful. For instance, someone who is in the early stages of dementia may be able to manage several steps of the recipe without a lot of help. However, someone else that has progressed to the middle stages of the disease, may do better with a 1-2 or single step task, such as dropping spoonfuls of the cookie mixture onto a prepared baking sheet.
Each person is different. Be observant to how YOUR person is reacting to what he/she is bring asked to do. If we notice confusion or anxiety, that may be our cue to simplify instructions and/or slow down the pace of the activity.
The recipe below was taken from a foodnetwork.com entry. I’ve seen other recipes that include shredded coconut, candy pieces, or other little surprises mixed in. You could also try ‘lightening up’ the recipe will fat free peanut butter or sugar alternatives. Hope you enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 stick (8 tbs) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 tbs pure vanilla extract
- Large pinch of kosher salt
Directions
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment.
Bring the sugar, milk, butter and cocoa to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then let boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add the oats, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt, and stir to combine.
Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and let sit at room temperature until cooled and hardened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/peanut-butter-chocolate-no-bake-cookies-recipe.html?vty=recipes/chocolate-peanut-butter-no-bake-cookies-recipe.html&oc=linkback
Permalink
October 20, 2014 at 1:00 am · Filed under Activities for Mild Dementia, Activities for Moderate Dementia, Activities for Severe Dementia ·Tagged activities for men with dementia, activities for reminiscing, Alzheimer, Alzheimer Disease, alzheimer s association, Alzheimer's, alzheimer's activities, alzheimer's association, alzheimer's care, alzheimer's disease, Caregiver, caregivers, caregiving, Chore, Cooking, cooking with dementia, Dementia, dementia activities, dementia in the elderly, dementia reminiscing
I was inspired by this idea when a friend of mine actually demoed a simple guacamole recipe for her mom. She thought it would be fun to pretend to be cooking show host while her mom was the ‘audience’. My friend went through the recipe step-by-step, provided tips on how to prepare the world’s best guac, and gave her mom a taste of the finished product at the end. It reminded me of Mario Batali’s cooking show (featured above) where he describes the ingredients, the process of putting it all together, and (best of all) gives the audience members sitting at the bar a taste of what he’s prepared.
I think this activity can be readily adapted for someone with dementia with a little bit of creativity. For example, you could hand the person the garlic or cilantro to smell the aroma. Have them taste just the plain mashed avocado before other ingredients are added. Ask the person to help stir the ingredients together in the bowl. Or ask them to lay out tortilla chips on a plate for dipping. Say you are trying our a new recipe and it would really help if they could be your taste-tester. Be flexible and find what works for you and your person!
I like that it gives the ‘audience member’ the option to interject comments or otherwise add to the interaction, but they are not pressured to do so. Depending on the person, they might be involved more passively, however, they are still being engaged throughout the entire process. But be ready in case your person would like to jump in and have a suitable activity in mind (such as the suggestions above). Do most of the prep work in advance before getting the person involved, so it is mostly a matter of assembling things together (e.g. chop garlic beforehand, open and scoop out avocado) — make sure your mise en place up to par! It is also best if you can use a clean and clutter-free counter space for this activity. Set out only the items that you will be using, and remove anything that will just get in the way or create clutter. Simplify, simplify!
Permalink
October 13, 2014 at 1:00 am · Filed under Activities for Mild Dementia, Activities for Moderate Dementia ·Tagged activities for men with dementia, activities for reminiscing, Alzheimer, Alzheimer Disease, alzheimer s association, Alzheimer's, alzheimer's activities, alzheimer's association, alzheimer's care, alzheimer's disease, Caregiver, caregivers, caregiving, Chore, Conditions and Diseases, cooking with dementia, Dementia, dementia activities, dementia in the elderly, dementia reminiscing, dementia vs alzheimer's, what is alzheimer's, what is dementia
I am the type of person that does not like other people cleaning my dishes. When I do receive help, I am often thinking about how wrong the placement of the dishes in the dishwasher is, or how the helper is certainly not scrubbing quite as thoroughly as I would be. OK, so maybe I’m a little bit of a dirty dish control freak! The point being, when someone does everything for the person with memory loss, it does not necessarily make the person feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It might cause them some anxiety or agitation because they’d rather be the person scrubbing away. Likewise, the caregiver may have a difficult time receiving help from the person with dementia because perhaps they believe the person will not clean the dishes as immaculately as they could. The solution? Relinquish some control and solicit the person’s help to wash those dishes (jeez!). Even if the dishes are not washed exactly as you would have done them or in the same amount of time, it is good for the person with dementia to feel purposeful and engaged in daily activities. Still concerned that the person may miss some stuck on grime? Offer the person a batch of already cleaned dishes that they can wash and dry. Be sure to remove hazardous items, such as knives and heavy skillets. Plastic cups and plates are a good choice because there is virtually no risk of dropping and breaking them. Monitor the person to ensure they are deriving enjoyment throughout the process. This activity can be very open-ended, and he/she can be involved for as long as they desire. Also, be sure to praise the person’s efforts!
Permalink
September 15, 2014 at 1:00 am · Filed under Activities for Mild Dementia, Activities for Moderate Dementia, Activities for Severe Dementia ·Tagged activities for reminiscing, Alzheimer, Alzheimer's, alzheimer's activities, alzheimer's association, alzheimer's care, alzheimer's disease, caregiving, Chore, Cooking, cooking with dementia, Dementia, dementia activities
Fall is in the air! Temperatures are dropping and days are becoming shorter. What better way to welcome in the season than with a delicious Fall cooking staple? The wonderful, nutrient packed apple! Baked apple desserts are undeniably yummy, and they require relatively little prep work. This is a great choice of activity for individuals who have cooking experience, as it may conjure up fond memories of being in the kitchen. Make an effort to reminisce with the person throughout the task. Even individuals without a cooking background will surely enjoy the enticing smells of apples baking alongside aromatic cinnamon and vanilla (these recipes will make your whole house smell amazing).
Try this recipe or make modifications to suit your tastes.
- Choose a variety of apple that is ideal for baking, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Fuji. Any firm, non-mealy apple will do.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel, core, and slice 6 apples. This process can be simplified and expedited with an inexpensive apple peeler.
- Grease a baking dish with butter.
- Mix 2 tbs brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1tsp nutmeg, and 3 tsp ground cinnamon in a bowl.
- Layer 1/3 apple slices in greased baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the sugar mixture. Repeat twice.
- Bake apples uncovered for 30 minutes, then add 3 1/2 tbs water to the dish. Bake 15 minutes more or until tender.
Or, try the less prep intensive microwaved version
- Peel (or don’t), core, and slice 1 apple.
- Place apple slices in a freezer bag with 1 tsb sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cornstarch, and 1tbs water. Shake the freezer bag to coat apple slices with mixture.
- Open the freezer bag just slightly to vent. Microwave for 2 minutes or until apple is tender.
- CAREFULLY remove apple slices from microwaved bag. Enjoy plain or over vanilla ice cream.
Want to mix it up? Opt for baked apple chips. These could not be simpler to make.
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
- Remove apple core from 2 apples.
- Thinly slice apples (Be mindful of safety and consider who is best to do this).
- Place apple slices on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle apples with cinnamon and bake for 2 hours. Flip slices over after 1 hour of baking.
Permalink
January 15, 2013 at 12:13 pm · Filed under Activities for Mild Dementia, Activities for Moderate Dementia ·Tagged Alzheimer's, alzheimer's activities, Chore, Dementia, dementia activities
photo courtesy of totalperfectioncleaning.com
Washing windows is a great activity because it taps into long-term memory and gives the person with memory loss a sense of helping others. Particularly for those in the moderate stages of the disease, this task is very easy to break down into simple steps e.g. spray the window, wipe the glass, etc. For those in the earlier stages of the disease, handing them a roll of paper towel and your favorite cleaning spray and pointing them towards the grime might be all the oversight you need. Either way, cleaning is actually a great topic of reminiscence. YOu can ask if they used chemicals or “hone remedies” like vinegar and baking power (which are currently enjoying a comeback) to clean; if they had a certain cleaning “schedule” (such as Monday was laundry, Tuesday was mopping, etc); etc.
Permalink
December 11, 2012 at 10:53 am · Filed under Activities for Moderate Dementia, Activities for Severe Dementia ·Tagged Alzheimer's, alzheimer's activities, Chore, Dementia, dementia activities
Just like the previously mentioned activity of sorting socks, sorting mittens is a nice way for those in the later stages of the disease to “help” around the house. So pile up all of your hats, gloves, and scarves, throw them in a laundry basket, and have the person with dementia pair it all up. Once it’s done, you can always un-match it all and do it again the next day!
Permalink
December 4, 2012 at 3:27 pm · Filed under Activities for Mild Dementia, Activities for Moderate Dementia ·Tagged Alzheimer's, alzheimer's activities, Chore, Dementia, dementia activities, dementia crafts
Decorating a tree for the holidays is a long-term memory, so it should be well preserved late into the disease. Therefore, it’s a great activity for those with dementia. Do it together and reminisce about each ornament as you pull it from the box, or let those in the early stages fly solo, giving them a sense of accomplishment and purpose while freeing you up to do other things. Those in the moderate stages will probably need a helper to make sure the tree is evenly decorated/they stay on task. And depending on the height of your tree, be sure to have someone with good balance and good eyesight to help with the high branches (in general, older adults and standing on chairs are a bad idea. That being said, my grandma was climbing ladders into her 80s, much to my family’s horror. Oh, grandma….).
Permalink
November 26, 2012 at 2:59 pm · Filed under Activities for Mild Dementia, Activities for Moderate Dementia ·Tagged activities for men with dementia, Alzheimer's, alzheimer's activities, Chore, cooking with dementia, Dementia, dementia activities
Confession time. This weekend was the first time in my life I have ever used a nut cracker. I feel like I’ve been deprived my whole life. It’s was amazingly fun. So much so that even when I was tired of eating nuts, I kept cracking them and feeding them to my amused, then annoyed, then angry relatives. So, with that disclosure in place, here comes the rest of this post.
Cracking nuts may be a long-term memory for those with memory loss, which is perfect. Or, it might be a new skill/hobby, but it’s ease makes it a snap to do, even with no previous experience. Either way, you can’t lose. It’s repetitive, which is great for those who get lost with multi-step tasks. It’s delicious (just make sure the person with memory loss is stable able to tell shells from nuts). It’s useful (if you make cookies with nuts, why not let the person with memory loss help by shelling them by hand rather than buying them pre-shelled?). In short, cracking nuts/using a nut cracker is a pretty ideal activity for those with memory loss. It’s even seasonal, so that’s a bonus.
Using a traditional cracker may be hard for those with arthritis/a weak grip, but there are lots of different version you could try. Just type “nut cracker” into google and you’ll be amazed and all the different ways to get the meat out of the hull!
Permalink
alzheimersactivitiesPLUS 