Try: #provide chances for the cr to make choices in food drink clothing and activity offer simple and reasonable choices and honor the choice the cr makes #don’t keep trying to re-engage the cr in activities the cr is setting aside offer them once in a while to see if interest returns but accept that a cr’s indifference to some activities may be permanent #look for activities that match the cr’s current interest ability or level of emotional and physical energy if a cr leaves home less find ways to bring some activities from the community to the house for example a study group or visit from a clergy person could take the place of going to worship services card games could take the place of bingo etc #create interesting scenes or sounds for the cr to enjoy passively hang bird feeders to attract special birds plant flowers that attract butterflies put a bird bath where it is visible to the cr or hang prisms in a window to catch light and create rainbows take the cr outside to enjoy the feel of sun or light wind on skin #while the cr is losing interest in activities keep explanations and choices clear and simple emotionally or cognitively the cr may not be able to focus clearly on too many things at a time #when possible give the cr an activity that feels useful for example ask the cr to fold napkins before a meal or to help fold washcloths #finally accept that there are stages sometimes permanent where a cr’s focus and abilities have utterly changed and your roles in each others’ lives have changed too sometimes it has to be enough just to be there for the cr in the way you are needed if the cr in this stage is someone very dear to you you may wish to find a source of emotional support outside the relationship

Materials: Caregiver with a relaxed manner choices simple 1- or 2-step directions caregiver knowledge of the care recipient’s cr’s likes dislikes and preferences caregiver willingness to let go of who the cr was and accept who the cr is today

Categories: Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological, Social, Spiritual, Cognitive Awareness, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, Long-Term Memory, Good L T Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, Good S T Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed