Memory Care and the Arts

There’s a reason arts and crafts are so popular in assisted living communities: art provides a great opportunity for us to express ourselves outside of normal conversation, and in many cases, art can provide an ice breaker that starts stimulating conversations. Everyone can (and should) take advantage of the opportunity art provides, but it can be especially beneficial for patients suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s.

One of the most frustrating aspects of dementia (for both patients and their loved ones) is the loss of their ability to remember words and use language to communicate what they’re thinking and how they’re feeling. Art can provide a much-needed release for patients who are struggling to express themselves in other ways.

Crafts are a great option for assisted living communities because they’re fairly inexpensive and can be done in groups, either with instructions to create something specific, or with room for each participant to make something entirely their own. But crafts aren’t the only form of art available to those in need of memory care – painting, music, interior decorating, even cooking and baking can be forms of art with an immense amount of potential for helping patients suffering from memory loss.

Cooking

Our sense of taste and smell (especially smell) are closely connected to memory. Have you ever smelled something you ate regularly when you were a kid and the scent immediately brought back memories of your childhood?

It can have the same effect on those suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s – they might not be 100% sure where they are or who they’re with right now, but help them whip up a batch of their favorite dish and they can tell you all about how they learned to make it, who taught them, what season it was, how they perfected the recipe over the years, etc. Food is a great way to bring back to life memory care residents who might otherwise appear listless and uninterested in the things going on around them.

Music

Music can provide another great opportunity for memory care residents to express themselves, regardless of their abilities. Whether they prefer to sing, dance, or just tap out a beat on a tabletop, there’s almost always an opportunity for them to participate in whatever way they feel comfortable.

Like food, music is also closely tied with memory. Have you ever heard a song you listened to over and over when you were in high school and the opening notes immediately brought you back to high school dances, road trips, whatever you were doing when you listened to that song growing up?

It often works the same way for residents of memory care, and just like food can prompt specific memories, music can also provide an opportunity for you to ask your loved one about the first time they heard that song – what they were doing, what they were feeling, and whom they were with.

At Stillwater Senior Living, we strive to make every resident’s time here as comfortable and stress free as possible, regardless of their abilities. Reach out now to ask us how we keep our residents engaged through every stage of the aging process. Watch this video to get a sneak peak of our Memory Care Neighborhood!