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Doll Therapy
The dolls should be dementia specific (and look like newborn babies). Buy a bassinet, a baby bath, a cot and lots of baby clothes. Many love to change clothes, wash, and put baby down for a nap.
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Display of Insects
A display of worms or ants in a large glass container (placed in a secure place) is a good subject for conversation.
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Fabric box
Get a large cardboard box with dozens of pieces of fabric of all sorts; silk, lace, felt, velvet, acrylic and wool. Place the fabric in the middle, in reach of all. Touch, feel and fold.
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Beach ball
Buy a large beach ball and your mom or dad can roll or kick it to you from their chair.
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Fish tank
Visual stimulation and good topic for conversation.
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Matching shapes
Matching shapes or pictures is a fun game combining sensory stimulation and thinking skills.
Matching shapes -
Pairing
Similar to the above; match pictures/shapes together.
Pairing Activity -
Pom-Poms
Give your spouse coloured pom-poms and provide containers of the same colour. He or she can place pom-poms in the corresponding colour container. Learn how to make pom-poms on website.
How to make pom-poms -
Golf Balls
Another inexpensive "sorting by colour" activity. Buy second-hand golf balls and paint or spray in different colours. Give the one you are caring for an ice cream scoop to scoop the golf balls into containers of the same colour.
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Picture Puzzle
Enlarge a photo of mom or dad or one of his or her close relatives. Laminate it and cut into four odd pieces to put together. Alternatively: a colorful picture of a car, fruit or landscape also works well.
Picture puzzle activity
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