Nov. 4, 2025
Keeping Active At Home with Jodi Kolada
Send us a text In this episode of the Ask Dr. Mia podcast, Dr. Mia speaks with Jodi Colada, a director of caregiver outreach, about engaging activities for family caregivers of loved ones living with dementia. They discuss the challenges caregivers face in getting their loved ones to participate in activities, the importance of creating a supportive environment, and various creative expressions that can foster connection. Jodi shares practical tips, resources, and tools to help caregivers eng...
In this episode of the Ask Dr. Mia podcast, Dr. Mia speaks with Jodi Colada, a director of caregiver outreach, about engaging activities for family caregivers of loved ones living with dementia. They discuss the challenges caregivers face in getting their loved ones to participate in activities, the importance of creating a supportive environment, and various creative expressions that can foster connection. Jodi shares practical tips, resources, and tools to help caregivers engage their loved ones meaningfully, emphasizing the value of participation and the joy of shared experiences.
Chapters
00:00 Engaging Activities for Dementia Caregivers
00:17 Introduction to Jody Kalata and Her Expertise
00:45 Connecting with the Audience
01:00 Engaging Activities for Dementia Caregivers
11:13 Creative Expression Through Art and Music
21:06 Practical Tools and Resources for Caregivers
Jodi Kolada is the Director of Caregiver Outreach and Non-Clinical Team Member Education with Well∙Spring Solutions. Jodi has a master’s degree in Gerontological Studies from Miami University of Ohio. She is a certified co-leader of Powerful Tools for Caregivers. She is a certified instructor of the Dementia Dialogues Program from the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. She leads the agency’s efforts to successfully provide a combination of evidence-based programs, educational classes, retreats, and monthly support groups to family caregivers. She also presents to faith, civic and community organizations about caregiving issues.
Below are some of Jodi's helpful resources;
SITES
www.nationaldaycalendar.com – online database of holidays and celebrations – can spark great conversation and incudes activity ideas
www.backthenhistory.com – provide an email address to receive a daily message about the history of everyday objects - can spark great conversation and activity ideas
https://dementianc.org/helpsupport/music-memory-at-home/ Music & Memory is an evidence-based program which helps people living with dementia find joy and connection to life through musical favorites. They help to develop a personalized playlist, and provide a Music & Memory at Home Kit, which includes a digital music player uploaded with the person’s favorite music, headphones, a Bluetooth speaker and written guides. Both the primary caregiver and the program listener (person with a dementia diagnosis in a home setting) must be in NC.
https://www.goldencarers.com/activities - activity ideas & helpful resources
https://mariasplace.com/ - activity ideas
Free APPS
Word Search Colorful
Flower Garden
Jigsaw Puzzles Real
My Reef 3D Aquarium
GAMES
Shut the Box -basic math
Rory’s Story Cubes - storytelling
Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: ask@miayangmd.com
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.
WEBVTT
00:00:02.241 --> 00:00:03.963
Welcome back to Ask Dr.
00:00:03.963 --> 00:00:05.583
Mia podcast.
00:00:05.583 --> 00:00:09.647
Today I have Jodi Kalata with me.
00:00:09.647 --> 00:00:18.251
She is the director of caregiver outreach and non-clinical team member education with Wellspring Solutions.
00:00:18.332 --> 00:00:29.609
I first came across Jodi because she was presenting at the North Carolina Adult Day Program symposium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
00:00:29.609 --> 00:00:49.191
And when I heard her talk, I knew that I had to invite her to speak to you all on this podcast because I just felt like she was definitely an expert in terms of finding engaging activities for people living with dementia.
00:00:49.451 --> 00:01:00.234
She is also a certified co-leader for powerful tools for caregivers, as well as a certified instructor of the dementia dialogues program.
00:01:00.365 --> 00:01:05.688
from the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina.
00:01:05.748 --> 00:01:18.016
So she leads Wellspring's efforts to provide a combination of evidence-based programs, educational classes, and monthly support groups to family caregivers.
00:01:18.016 --> 00:01:20.518
So welcome to the podcast, Jodi.
00:01:20.611 --> 00:01:21.944
you so much for having me.
00:01:21.944 --> 00:01:24.337
Thank you! Thank you.
00:01:24.337 --> 00:01:25.819
I want to thank you.
00:01:25.819 --> 00:01:27.959
Well, so let's get right into it.
00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:41.802
I know one of the things that I hear all the time from families I talk with in the clinic, they say, well, all of this activity sounds great, except I can't seem to get my loved one to do it.
00:01:41.903 --> 00:01:51.156
So any tips that you have to get people to participate and especially for folks who might be at home.
00:01:51.156 --> 00:01:53.807
not in an adult day environment.
00:01:53.807 --> 00:02:12.834
uh I oftentimes feel like families really want their family loved ones to do something that's more than watch TV, but there is a gap between the desire to do something and the disease's apathy and doing the activity.
00:02:12.856 --> 00:02:27.536
Yeah, I think sometimes it helps to understand not just what's going on in the brain, but that sometimes it's just safer for the person to not engage, whether it's things in the room that are distracting, it's overwhelming.
00:02:27.877 --> 00:02:41.843
Earlier in the disease process, when there is anxiety and self-confidence can be just so limiting with feeling as though you're not having the successes that you had in the past.
00:02:41.843 --> 00:02:46.104
It's just sometimes easier to not engage.
00:02:46.104 --> 00:02:59.329
So some of the tips and one thing I would really love to share is that you can have all of these best practices and strategies and it can be so frustrating.
00:02:59.329 --> 00:03:07.531
So if you are putting your best foot forward and doing your best, please just know you're doing your best because it's easy to give up.
00:03:07.586 --> 00:03:11.149
when someone's motivation and initiative is not there.
00:03:11.149 --> 00:03:15.572
And it's easy to just not want to pause and just say, you know what, forget it.
00:03:15.572 --> 00:03:16.951
But please just keep trying.
00:03:16.951 --> 00:03:18.793
Please know you're doing your best.
00:03:19.493 --> 00:03:32.561
So some of the tips that we tend to use in our programming is, you know, when you ask someone if they want to do something, normally what's the response you're going to get?
00:03:32.600 --> 00:03:34.001
No, thank you.
00:03:34.081 --> 00:03:35.021
No.
00:03:35.586 --> 00:03:39.383
So Let's just take like a puzzle, for example.
00:03:39.383 --> 00:03:43.305
Maybe we would say something like, which puzzle looks good to you?
00:03:43.305 --> 00:03:44.962
Which one do you want to do?
00:03:44.962 --> 00:03:48.306
And you've got maybe two or three puzzles out.
00:03:48.306 --> 00:03:51.206
And another strategy is asking for help.
00:03:51.206 --> 00:03:54.527
know, mom, can you help me with this puzzle?
00:03:54.527 --> 00:03:56.258
People want to feel value.
00:03:56.258 --> 00:03:58.248
People want to have purpose.
00:03:58.248 --> 00:04:04.507
And when you ask for help, it might be that they're more inclined to feel really good about.
00:04:04.507 --> 00:04:07.426
Yes, I do want to have a sense of accomplishment.
00:04:07.426 --> 00:04:10.007
I do want to help you.
00:04:10.007 --> 00:04:17.346
So we want to use the approach of kind of like, let's do this versus do you want to do this?
00:04:17.346 --> 00:04:27.047
And of course, if you get resistance, you might want to again, just just pause and and go for it again.
00:04:27.086 --> 00:04:37.370
I do have some other thoughts about just strategies, approach is so important, communication is so important.
00:04:37.370 --> 00:04:47.755
So we wanna be so mindful of providing an environment that is reassuring and supportive and our words and our body language really matter.
00:04:47.755 --> 00:05:05.670
Cause our individuals with dementia, they remember the feeling of the praise and I did a good job versus someone who might just feel as though, well, I don't wanna do this with you because you get impatient and The outcome is not, we're not looking for perfection.
00:05:05.670 --> 00:05:08.951
We're looking for an enjoyment in the process.
00:05:08.951 --> 00:05:16.290
And sometimes we're our own barrier because we can't just ease our expectations.
00:05:16.290 --> 00:05:20.170
And maybe if we're playing a game, we don't have to play by the rules.
00:05:20.170 --> 00:05:21.930
We don't have to take score.
00:05:21.930 --> 00:05:25.771
We can shorten the length of the game's process.
00:05:25.771 --> 00:05:29.730
So sometimes we just have to be mindful of how are we doing in the equation.
00:05:29.730 --> 00:05:30.963
That makes sense.
00:05:31.661 --> 00:05:33.723
Absolutely, and that's so important.
00:05:33.723 --> 00:05:51.975
And I think I sometimes see really well-meaning family caregivers, adult children in many instances who really want their parent to perform in many ways similar to kind of how they did before.
00:05:52.762 --> 00:06:00.961
And I see that as not just, it's not that they don't understand the disease process.
00:06:01.173 --> 00:06:20.487
So much of it, so much of having a loved one with dementia is dealing with our own grief of the way that they're changing, how their behavior or personality or what they're not able to do as a loss and a continual loss over time.
00:06:20.487 --> 00:06:24.834
So I think I love that you started out with.
00:06:24.834 --> 00:06:28.834
just taking our own pulse in terms of are we getting anxious?
00:06:28.834 --> 00:06:41.422
If we're trying to get someone to do something and we come across as kind of impatient, yeah, it's probably no surprise that the other person living with dementia does not wanna do it.
00:06:41.829 --> 00:06:42.738
Exactly.
00:06:42.738 --> 00:06:46.963
And it's good to think about, what time of day are they at their most best?
00:06:46.963 --> 00:06:49.865
We want to try and capitalize on their strengths.
00:06:49.865 --> 00:06:52.598
So when is the best time of day to do that?
00:06:52.598 --> 00:07:00.033
You know, are we in an environment where, again, the TV's on and it's cluttered and we're not offering simplicity.
00:07:00.033 --> 00:07:02.016
So it just becomes overwhelming.
00:07:02.016 --> 00:07:04.997
And then it's I don't even want to sit down here with you.
00:07:04.997 --> 00:07:11.266
I need to be where I'm in either solitude or I need to be where I'm not feeling.
00:07:11.266 --> 00:07:11.927
challenged.
00:07:11.927 --> 00:07:21.987
Even though we do want to offer a little bit of challenge, we don't want to get to the point of frustration so that the person doesn't want to engage with what we're doing.
00:07:22.637 --> 00:07:36.208
So do you recommend, I know the environment is so important and sometimes the home environment can be cluttered because the person living with dementia might be looking for things and making things clutter.
00:07:36.208 --> 00:07:43.874
Do you recommend kind of having a particular zone or space for activities in the home?
00:07:43.874 --> 00:07:49.721
And how do you recommend kind of keeping things simple or free from distractions?
00:07:49.721 --> 00:08:13.740
Yeah, I do think that if we're going to be having a time where we're going to maybe put in our routine an activity time, maybe there is a place or we just know that as we're building in a schedule of uh some type of activity that we want to just try and maybe not have it be as spontaneous, but plan a little bit so that we have it be just.
00:08:13.838 --> 00:08:16.000
just in a way where it's a little simple.
00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:22.370
We don't have to have a zone necessarily because some people don't have the space, but if you do, that's great.
00:08:22.370 --> 00:08:33.764
Cause that could be where the person knows when I come in this space, I'm going to do something that kind of gives me some brain fitness or maybe I'm gonna sort something or maybe we're gonna put the music on.
00:08:33.764 --> 00:08:37.945
Maybe we're gonna do something and we're gonna have enjoyment in this space.
00:08:38.285 --> 00:08:39.865
But it can be very hard.
00:08:39.865 --> 00:08:42.386
all living in our homes.
00:08:43.658 --> 00:08:51.403
essentially like the um engagement room, you know, as if we would have a program space.
00:08:51.403 --> 00:08:58.168
not like recreation therapists who, you know, go into the closet and pull out all these great, you know, resources.
00:08:58.168 --> 00:09:05.312
So I think it's okay if you don't have a space designated, it's just fine.
00:09:05.312 --> 00:09:17.346
But we just want to be sure that there's not a lot of sound going on and things that can be so distracting that we're not going to make it successful from the get-go.
00:09:18.018 --> 00:09:21.849
Yeah, turning off the TV is probably something that's really important.
00:09:21.849 --> 00:09:30.701
a lot of times I used to do home visits all the time and the TV is just on in the background and they don't even notice it.
00:09:30.701 --> 00:09:42.785
But having a trying to engage someone in a communication and conversation is so much harder because part of their attention is on the TV, even if we're not paying attention to the TV.
00:09:42.785 --> 00:09:43.605
Yeah.
00:09:43.605 --> 00:09:48.864
Well, two different ways to look at it because it can be a shared experience where we're going to be in this together.
00:09:48.864 --> 00:09:50.471
So I want to have good eye contact.
00:09:50.471 --> 00:09:54.148
I want to be doing this where we're enjoying and being in the moment.
00:09:54.148 --> 00:10:03.044
And then, of course, realistically, there's going to be times when you might just, if it's appropriate, set up something and every once in a while, check back.
00:10:03.044 --> 00:10:12.482
But it's still that uh goal that they're going to be engaged in something to promote their cognition, to promote their creative expression.
00:10:12.600 --> 00:10:14.732
to move a little bit.
00:10:14.732 --> 00:10:17.134
So it can go both ways.
00:10:17.134 --> 00:10:26.421
You don't have to feel like it always has to be a formal activity that you need to be with the person, even though that's what's kind of preferred.
00:10:27.081 --> 00:10:29.423
as you said earlier, caregivers are busy.
00:10:29.423 --> 00:10:30.904
They're overwhelmed.
00:10:30.904 --> 00:10:32.765
And it's OK to set somebody up.
00:10:32.765 --> 00:10:39.571
And I'll give some kind of resources in a bit about maybe um just offering some ideas of how to do that.
00:10:41.097 --> 00:11:05.929
And I know you had shared during your talk uh and I've been really interested in kind of artistic expression in many different ways, especially as dementia progresses, a lot of people's ability to communicate via words or their previous hobbies of reading or even sometimes watching a movie and not being able to follow the plot.
00:11:05.929 --> 00:11:06.861
Those kind of...
00:11:06.861 --> 00:11:18.283
previously enjoyable activities are no longer things that they could do, what do you think are some artistic expression for people living with dementia?
00:11:18.458 --> 00:11:23.812
Sure, mean, creative expression on art can be such a powerful way to just feel connection.
00:11:23.812 --> 00:11:39.514
And a lot of what we do in our programming centers around visual arts, centers around um projects, uh poetry, dance, uh molding, know, textures, clay, things of that nature.
00:11:39.514 --> 00:12:07.807
uh One of the things that we do, which really ends up being such a meaningful project, and this could be something that can be done over time is art journaling, where you get a uh one of those just dollar store composition books, and you are having a magazine and different art supplies, cutting out different photographs, colored pencils or whatnot.
00:12:07.807 --> 00:12:13.807
And you kind of ask the person, why they chose the item that they did.
00:12:13.807 --> 00:12:15.148
Why did they pick that out?
00:12:15.148 --> 00:12:19.302
And you can spark as much of a conversation as you can.
00:12:19.302 --> 00:12:32.027
And as you're turning the pages, it can help to kind of just um encourage that expression, encourage um creativity and...
00:12:34.298 --> 00:12:39.471
Putting together this art journal allows you to kind of explore with simple tools and different things.
00:12:39.471 --> 00:12:42.101
Maybe you're going to add some paint to it.
00:12:42.101 --> 00:12:45.964
So an art journal is one thing that I know we do in our programs.
00:12:45.964 --> 00:12:47.571
It's beautiful to look back on.
00:12:47.571 --> 00:12:52.686
It can help as you're looking through it for creating and thinking back on reminiscing.
00:12:52.686 --> 00:13:03.070
uh Any particular ideas and kind of how to introduce an art journal to someone living with dementia?
00:13:03.070 --> 00:13:11.179
Do you give them a prompt or do you just hand them a bunch of magazines and say, you know, pick out what calls to you?
00:13:11.630 --> 00:13:13.522
Pick out what calls to you exactly.
00:13:13.522 --> 00:13:15.952
So it could be that you have a blank paper.
00:13:15.952 --> 00:13:26.398
Now, if you see that someone right away picks up the marker and they want to start to doodle or they want to start, let them just do it as they will.
00:13:26.398 --> 00:13:31.441
It's really a finished product at the end, but it's again, the process.
00:13:31.441 --> 00:13:36.706
So you want to be guided by the enjoyment, not totally the outcome.
00:13:36.706 --> 00:13:38.788
So it could be that you're doing this together.
00:13:38.788 --> 00:13:45.030
You're looking maybe through if the person's past interest was birds or gardening or cooking.
00:13:45.030 --> 00:13:58.936
You might find that there are magazines that have that particular topic and you're looking through and you realize that something resonates with them maybe by the look in their eyes or something sparks their interests and you can cut it for them.
00:13:58.936 --> 00:14:01.807
You can ask them if they're able to write.
00:14:01.807 --> 00:14:05.178
You can say, well, what does this make you think of?
00:14:05.206 --> 00:14:07.250
It could be a picture of a flower.
00:14:07.250 --> 00:14:08.952
It makes them think of a cat.
00:14:08.952 --> 00:14:20.201
We're going to write the word cat and we're going to move on and say great job because it's just a matter of, again, going with what the person's feeling and praising as we go along.
00:14:21.166 --> 00:14:22.496
praise is so important.
00:14:22.496 --> 00:14:33.331
feel like we all want to be praised and especially when someone is experiencing so much of their daily loss of their functioning.
00:14:33.390 --> 00:14:40.484
How do you encourage people to kind of praise in a genuine way, but not in a condescending way?
00:14:40.484 --> 00:14:56.854
Because sometimes, you know, especially for the role reversal of adult children and their parent, you know, I don't want to come across like, I'm infantilizing an older adult with their abilities.
00:14:56.854 --> 00:15:01.751
Because they might look at me and say, why did you say good job?
00:15:01.774 --> 00:15:03.355
Yes, so right.
00:15:03.355 --> 00:15:11.317
try um when I am giving somebody praise, if I'm walking through the program area, I try to find something that I can hone in on.
00:15:11.317 --> 00:15:13.758
I really like the color that you chose.
00:15:13.758 --> 00:15:17.239
And I might say, this reminds me of something.
00:15:17.239 --> 00:15:18.840
This is really well done.
00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:20.740
Does it remind you of that?
00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:26.841
And I try to just have it be a little more conversational versus a global, nice job.
00:15:26.841 --> 00:15:30.163
So and you don't have to.
00:15:30.235 --> 00:15:35.836
um offer praise so that it feels like it's patronizing and it's too often.
00:15:35.836 --> 00:15:38.855
It could be that you're just encouraging, let's keep going.
00:15:38.855 --> 00:15:40.677
I really like where this is going.
00:15:40.677 --> 00:15:43.138
You're doing a lovely job with this.
00:15:43.394 --> 00:15:45.269
I hope you're enjoying this.
00:15:45.269 --> 00:15:45.729
I am.
00:15:45.729 --> 00:15:48.934
I love watching you do this and we're doing it together.
00:15:48.934 --> 00:15:55.634
Or if you're in a home where there is an older adult that's being cared for as well as younger children.
00:15:55.634 --> 00:15:58.623
So such a lovely thing to do together.
00:15:58.623 --> 00:16:00.100
Praising both.
00:16:00.100 --> 00:16:04.504
parties, know, for a job well done or just working together nicely.
00:16:05.453 --> 00:16:14.173
That's such a great idea, having the older adult and the younger children do an artistic activity together.
00:16:15.594 --> 00:16:30.653
I didn't even think about that, but that totally resonates because my kids love doing arts and crafts and sometimes it's fun to just do it with them even though half the time they do a better job than I do.
00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:33.169
And you do want to just encourage, right?
00:16:33.169 --> 00:16:34.341
You don't want to do it for them.
00:16:34.341 --> 00:16:36.562
You want to let them take the lead.
00:16:36.902 --> 00:16:43.845
And some of the other ways that not so much visual arts, but we incorporate music for creative expression.
00:16:43.845 --> 00:16:45.806
There are so many different ways to do that.
00:16:45.806 --> 00:16:48.667
And I think music just lifts people's spirits.
00:16:48.667 --> 00:16:52.229
And for those individuals with dementia, can be calming.
00:16:52.229 --> 00:16:56.410
can, we see people tap their foot when they're not even that.
00:16:56.410 --> 00:17:04.808
um able to verbalize sentences, but a music comes on and they're singing or humming along or tapping their feet.
00:17:04.808 --> 00:17:09.532
So music is another way that we really want to offer creative expression.
00:17:09.962 --> 00:17:17.609
I mentioned poetry just because um I was tasked with helping with an activity programming at the center.
00:17:17.609 --> 00:17:28.386
And I use the website, which I'll share, called the National um Day Calendar, which um I rely on quite a bit, I must say.
00:17:28.488 --> 00:17:34.509
And it was friendship day on the day that I was exploring the website.
00:17:34.509 --> 00:17:38.450
And I thought friendship day, I can make a program out of friendship day.
00:17:38.450 --> 00:17:39.329
can.
00:17:39.611 --> 00:17:44.011
And we made an acrostic poem out of the letters of friendship.
00:17:44.011 --> 00:17:48.333
And I just asked for words that help you describe a good friend.
00:17:48.673 --> 00:17:51.574
And that is something, too, that you can do with youth.
00:17:51.574 --> 00:17:53.773
know, it just can build.
00:17:53.787 --> 00:18:17.335
And that is That is one website that really helps with sparking conversation and can take you on a different path to poetry, to just really thinking about some interesting celebrations and getting our juices flowing in terms of having a chat about some really interesting topics.
00:18:17.751 --> 00:18:25.672
And will have the national day calendar link in the show notes as well so that those who are listening can definitely go check that out.
00:18:25.838 --> 00:18:30.759
And that can actually, if you find it beneficial, really be a part of a daily routine.
00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:34.243
It is a database organized by day and the month.
00:18:34.243 --> 00:18:44.980
So if you wanted to make that something you did every day before dinner or every day after dinner, you could just pick one of the holidays that are recognized or a celebration.
00:18:44.980 --> 00:18:52.134
Sometimes they're very obscure, like National Cheese Lover's Day, which is one my favorites.
00:18:52.134 --> 00:18:52.854
you can.
00:18:52.854 --> 00:18:59.707
uh build uh on that and make it almost a daily part of your routine.
00:18:59.707 --> 00:19:07.318
Let's go check out the daily calendar and see what day is being celebrated nationally or internationally and make it kind of something that's expected.
00:19:08.663 --> 00:19:10.355
That's really fun.
00:19:10.355 --> 00:19:14.578
It's always surprising to me how many different types of days there are.
00:19:14.578 --> 00:19:16.220
There are all kinds of days.
00:19:16.220 --> 00:19:19.413
em I bet.
00:19:19.413 --> 00:19:20.203
I bet.
00:19:20.203 --> 00:19:32.574
So besides the National Day calendar, em any other games or websites or I know there's an app for everything, but sometimes I feel like simpler, maybe better.
00:19:32.574 --> 00:19:37.366
What do you typically recommend in terms of starting points?
00:19:37.366 --> 00:19:38.248
sure.
00:19:38.248 --> 00:19:45.990
there are websites that you can use if you are ready to kind of explore some tools, some guides, some ideas.
00:19:45.990 --> 00:19:56.192
There is one website called Golden Carers, and that offers just a wealth of ideas on a variety of different topics.
00:19:56.192 --> 00:20:05.375
They might even have armchair travel, like different ways where you can visit a specific country.
00:20:05.530 --> 00:20:13.384
ah You can also, again, with the National Day calendar, um that is something that we use in our programs.
00:20:13.384 --> 00:20:22.395
But Golden Carers is something that I might recommend for families at home, as well as a website I recently discovered called Maria's Place.
00:20:22.497 --> 00:20:30.038
And Maria's Place offers ideas as well and guidelines for doing oh activities at home.
00:20:30.616 --> 00:20:36.092
So those are just some some websites, some of them out there are designed more for senior living communities.
00:20:36.092 --> 00:20:42.037
But I think that there's a wealth of ideas here for the family caregiver at home on those two sites.
00:20:42.875 --> 00:20:43.204
Great.
00:20:43.204 --> 00:20:46.718
So we'll link those in the show notes as well.
00:20:46.718 --> 00:21:12.025
So what do you recommend as sort of, what are some examples besides the, that might be on the golden carers or Maria's place in terms of thinking something that, I think one thing that oftentimes is hard for caregivers to figure out is what is the right type of activity for a loved one's disease when their cognition is changing?
00:21:12.025 --> 00:21:26.914
Yeah, I think as you are able to look at the different offerings, you might get a sense right off the bat if they might have a level of um what's challenging and what's less challenging.
00:21:26.914 --> 00:21:29.902
And I think you might be able to just gauge it by Azure.
00:21:29.902 --> 00:21:32.864
Is your loved one seemingly frustrated with this?
00:21:32.864 --> 00:21:34.614
Maybe we need to take a step back.
00:21:34.614 --> 00:21:53.353
I think it's OK to choose things from their past interests that, for example, if someone used to like to garden, there is an app called Flower Garden on, you know, with uh Android or Apple.
00:21:53.353 --> 00:22:00.749
And um you're able to basically create from start to finish Flower Garden.
00:22:00.749 --> 00:22:07.034
And in the end, you can even gift it to somebody via maybe needing help from someone.
00:22:07.034 --> 00:22:11.269
So there are apps out there, matching pairs app.
00:22:11.269 --> 00:22:17.054
There's an app about, um it's called um Jigsaw Puzzles Real.
00:22:17.054 --> 00:22:19.546
That's another app.
00:22:19.546 --> 00:22:27.932
And it's designed for seniors who might have a challenge picking up Jigsaw puzzle pieces with a real puzzle.
00:22:27.932 --> 00:22:34.037
And in this way, they're able to do it um just by a slide of a finger.
00:22:34.137 --> 00:22:41.482
So there's also um Word Search Colorful, which is another app.
00:22:41.497 --> 00:22:51.915
So if someone really struggles with uh pen and paper, this particular app lets you swipe your finger and provides a colorful highlight if you find a word.
00:22:51.915 --> 00:22:56.078
So it's really a matter of seeing, this frustrating?
00:22:56.078 --> 00:22:57.800
Is this too challenging?
00:22:57.800 --> 00:23:02.124
Similarly, it could be too easy and it might not be challenging enough.
00:23:02.124 --> 00:23:10.490
So uh it's really kind of about like a lot of things with dementia care, trying things and seeing what works.
00:23:10.540 --> 00:23:12.755
and maybe having to try again.
00:23:12.755 --> 00:23:23.574
Unfortunately, there's just no guarantee that they're gonna enjoy the activity idea that you have for them, but it's worth trying.
00:23:23.574 --> 00:23:24.884
It's worth trying.
00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:34.990
Yeah, and also just knowing that sometimes what they might enjoy one day may be something they don't enjoy another day.
00:23:34.990 --> 00:23:44.049
I think a lot about how that's relevant for my children as well, especially when it comes to foods.
00:23:44.049 --> 00:23:48.598
Like one day they just suddenly decided they don't eat that anymore.
00:23:48.598 --> 00:23:51.441
And that unpredictability can kind of drive you nuts.
00:23:51.441 --> 00:23:54.702
So that's one of the real challenges of it.
00:23:55.703 --> 00:24:09.952
There um are also, I wanted to just suggest there's games that, one in particular that I think is fairly easy to DIY, it's called Rory's Story Cubes.
00:24:09.973 --> 00:24:18.330
And this is a game that is touted on different websites that's appropriate for seniors with dementia.
00:24:18.330 --> 00:24:21.330
And it's basically the role of a dice with images.
00:24:21.330 --> 00:24:28.451
And as you have the images on the table, you're kind of building a foundation for storytelling.
00:24:28.770 --> 00:24:39.830
And this is something where you can, instead of purchasing the game, you can draw some images on a sheet of paper, pass them around, and you come up with maybe a very funny story.
00:24:39.830 --> 00:24:45.030
the laughter is so wonderful in the family to be able to just have some lightness.
00:24:45.952 --> 00:24:50.974
That is a game and there's also a game called shut the box if I'm not mistaken.
00:24:50.974 --> 00:25:00.349
And that game involves simple math, fine motor skills, control of the fingers.
00:25:00.349 --> 00:25:10.755
again, if there's grandchildren or youth in the home, these are great games to play together and just create those individual moments of joy.
00:25:11.853 --> 00:25:12.423
Excellent.
00:25:12.423 --> 00:25:16.506
So, Roy Story Cube and Shut the Box Games.
00:25:16.506 --> 00:25:20.429
And we'll also link those in the show notes.
00:25:20.429 --> 00:25:28.213
Yeah, I love the idea of kind of using a dice or a picture dice to kind of create.
00:25:28.213 --> 00:25:39.201
It's almost like, I guess, Mad Libs, except it's, you you have to you have to use the words to fill out the story, not giving you the story and and filling random words.
00:25:39.201 --> 00:25:58.218
uh Yeah, I have struggled kind of advising uh family caregivers for a lot of older men where one, maybe they didn't have a whole lot of hobbies outside of their work or that their hobbies were things like golf and fishing.
00:25:58.939 --> 00:26:04.743
Two things that maybe they're not able to do for various physical or cognitive issues.
00:26:04.743 --> 00:26:13.559
Anything that you have found success with for older men in terms of like things that they might enjoy in your center.
00:26:14.375 --> 00:26:17.916
Oh, well, sometimes picture books are very helpful.
00:26:17.916 --> 00:26:19.686
You there are sports magazines.
00:26:19.686 --> 00:26:27.931
We have a gentleman who really uh gets calmed by putting headphones on and will put a sporting event on an iPad for him.
00:26:27.931 --> 00:26:30.192
And we'll talk about it a little bit.
00:26:30.192 --> 00:26:34.923
You're right, though, it is a little more challenging.
00:26:34.923 --> 00:26:41.146
Not every uh man wants to do something traditionally like with a craft.
00:26:41.260 --> 00:26:47.011
And sometimes it's just a way to get them to feel like they're making something though, using their hands.
00:26:47.032 --> 00:26:51.371
And they feel again, like that value of, put this together.
00:26:51.371 --> 00:26:53.844
So it could be that we're asking for help.
00:26:53.844 --> 00:26:58.026
We have several gentlemen who we asked to help sweep.
00:26:58.026 --> 00:27:06.931
We asked to help clear off the table and they're feeling again, you know, they wanna be an independent oh helper.
00:27:06.931 --> 00:27:13.473
And that also kind of brings me that you don't really have to have everything be a formal activity.
00:27:13.473 --> 00:27:39.862
When you engage someone in a household task, like folding towels or uh helping maybe uh sort Tupperware, put the lid back on, you know, if you have a mess of a drawer and you need and you need the tops to find the bottoms, uh maybe sorting junk mail, you know, these are things that we can also again provide that praise for you are helping me I value that.
00:27:39.923 --> 00:27:49.054
And Not that women don't need that, but a lot of uh men, they want to feel like they're providing and they have a sense of accomplishment.
00:27:49.134 --> 00:27:56.519
So sometimes we're just asking for some help and a lot of times it's conversation.
00:27:56.641 --> 00:28:00.804
They like talking about some trivia on the topic.
00:28:00.804 --> 00:28:02.705
Maybe they know golf knowledge.
00:28:02.705 --> 00:28:07.229
Maybe there's still some things firing in the brain.
00:28:07.349 --> 00:28:07.865
Yes.
00:28:07.865 --> 00:28:09.174
term memory, yeah.
00:28:09.174 --> 00:28:17.442
about their love of the sport and different professionals who are in the sport and having conversation about that.
00:28:17.442 --> 00:28:25.207
We do do quite a bit of uh trivia and, you know, discussion that stems from that at the center.
00:28:26.373 --> 00:28:34.343
So if you're not a golf fan, you just Google golf trivia and start asking about what happened back in 1955.
00:28:34.490 --> 00:28:48.784
can Google, you can, as you know, because and again, I go back to that interesting National Day calendar, you can just Google so many different things to tap in to the topic.
00:28:48.784 --> 00:28:50.605
Google Golf Trivia.
00:28:50.605 --> 00:28:52.555
And you will be surprised.
00:28:52.555 --> 00:28:57.316
We did a it was I Love Lucy Day not too long ago.
00:28:57.316 --> 00:28:59.681
And I found I Love Lucy Trivia.
00:28:59.681 --> 00:29:02.703
and we um had a really fun time.
00:29:02.703 --> 00:29:11.900
And a lot of times you'll find some very fascinating facts about a topic and you're really learning along with the person.
00:29:11.990 --> 00:29:19.767
So, and it's a genuine um reaction when you learn about something together and that can be a lot of fun.
00:29:21.338 --> 00:29:25.760
Well, thank you so much, Jodi, for all of these great ideas.
00:29:25.999 --> 00:29:33.413
I think I just want to reiterate that first, you know, lower your own anxiety.
00:29:33.413 --> 00:29:40.487
If all of this sounds overwhelming, you don't have to do any specific formal activity or game.
00:29:40.567 --> 00:29:56.644
But asking for help is an easy way of getting engagement because we all want to feel useful and purposeful, especially when you know, previously really independent older adults now need help from other people.
00:29:56.644 --> 00:30:01.269
And check out the resources that I'm going to link in the show notes.
00:30:01.269 --> 00:30:04.271
And thank you again, Jodi, for joining us.
00:30:04.492 --> 00:30:07.128
And I will talk to you next time.
00:30:07.128 --> 00:30:09.573
much for the opportunity to be with you.
00:30:11.300 --> 00:30:12.392
Thank you.
00:00:02.241 --> 00:00:03.963
Welcome back to Ask Dr.
00:00:03.963 --> 00:00:05.583
Mia podcast.
00:00:05.583 --> 00:00:09.647
Today I have Jodi Kalata with me.
00:00:09.647 --> 00:00:18.251
She is the director of caregiver outreach and non-clinical team member education with Wellspring Solutions.
00:00:18.332 --> 00:00:29.609
I first came across Jodi because she was presenting at the North Carolina Adult Day Program symposium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
00:00:29.609 --> 00:00:49.191
And when I heard her talk, I knew that I had to invite her to speak to you all on this podcast because I just felt like she was definitely an expert in terms of finding engaging activities for people living with dementia.
00:00:49.451 --> 00:01:00.234
She is also a certified co-leader for powerful tools for caregivers, as well as a certified instructor of the dementia dialogues program.
00:01:00.365 --> 00:01:05.688
from the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina.
00:01:05.748 --> 00:01:18.016
So she leads Wellspring's efforts to provide a combination of evidence-based programs, educational classes, and monthly support groups to family caregivers.
00:01:18.016 --> 00:01:20.518
So welcome to the podcast, Jodi.
00:01:20.611 --> 00:01:21.944
you so much for having me.
00:01:21.944 --> 00:01:24.337
Thank you! Thank you.
00:01:24.337 --> 00:01:25.819
I want to thank you.
00:01:25.819 --> 00:01:27.959
Well, so let's get right into it.
00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:41.802
I know one of the things that I hear all the time from families I talk with in the clinic, they say, well, all of this activity sounds great, except I can't seem to get my loved one to do it.
00:01:41.903 --> 00:01:51.156
So any tips that you have to get people to participate and especially for folks who might be at home.
00:01:51.156 --> 00:01:53.807
not in an adult day environment.
00:01:53.807 --> 00:02:12.834
uh I oftentimes feel like families really want their family loved ones to do something that's more than watch TV, but there is a gap between the desire to do something and the disease's apathy and doing the activity.
00:02:12.856 --> 00:02:27.536
Yeah, I think sometimes it helps to understand not just what's going on in the brain, but that sometimes it's just safer for the person to not engage, whether it's things in the room that are distracting, it's overwhelming.
00:02:27.877 --> 00:02:41.843
Earlier in the disease process, when there is anxiety and self-confidence can be just so limiting with feeling as though you're not having the successes that you had in the past.
00:02:41.843 --> 00:02:46.104
It's just sometimes easier to not engage.
00:02:46.104 --> 00:02:59.329
So some of the tips and one thing I would really love to share is that you can have all of these best practices and strategies and it can be so frustrating.
00:02:59.329 --> 00:03:07.531
So if you are putting your best foot forward and doing your best, please just know you're doing your best because it's easy to give up.
00:03:07.586 --> 00:03:11.149
when someone's motivation and initiative is not there.
00:03:11.149 --> 00:03:15.572
And it's easy to just not want to pause and just say, you know what, forget it.
00:03:15.572 --> 00:03:16.951
But please just keep trying.
00:03:16.951 --> 00:03:18.793
Please know you're doing your best.
00:03:19.493 --> 00:03:32.561
So some of the tips that we tend to use in our programming is, you know, when you ask someone if they want to do something, normally what's the response you're going to get?
00:03:32.600 --> 00:03:34.001
No, thank you.
00:03:34.081 --> 00:03:35.021
No.
00:03:35.586 --> 00:03:39.383
So Let's just take like a puzzle, for example.
00:03:39.383 --> 00:03:43.305
Maybe we would say something like, which puzzle looks good to you?
00:03:43.305 --> 00:03:44.962
Which one do you want to do?
00:03:44.962 --> 00:03:48.306
And you've got maybe two or three puzzles out.
00:03:48.306 --> 00:03:51.206
And another strategy is asking for help.
00:03:51.206 --> 00:03:54.527
know, mom, can you help me with this puzzle?
00:03:54.527 --> 00:03:56.258
People want to feel value.
00:03:56.258 --> 00:03:58.248
People want to have purpose.
00:03:58.248 --> 00:04:04.507
And when you ask for help, it might be that they're more inclined to feel really good about.
00:04:04.507 --> 00:04:07.426
Yes, I do want to have a sense of accomplishment.
00:04:07.426 --> 00:04:10.007
I do want to help you.
00:04:10.007 --> 00:04:17.346
So we want to use the approach of kind of like, let's do this versus do you want to do this?
00:04:17.346 --> 00:04:27.047
And of course, if you get resistance, you might want to again, just just pause and and go for it again.
00:04:27.086 --> 00:04:37.370
I do have some other thoughts about just strategies, approach is so important, communication is so important.
00:04:37.370 --> 00:04:47.755
So we wanna be so mindful of providing an environment that is reassuring and supportive and our words and our body language really matter.
00:04:47.755 --> 00:05:05.670
Cause our individuals with dementia, they remember the feeling of the praise and I did a good job versus someone who might just feel as though, well, I don't wanna do this with you because you get impatient and The outcome is not, we're not looking for perfection.
00:05:05.670 --> 00:05:08.951
We're looking for an enjoyment in the process.
00:05:08.951 --> 00:05:16.290
And sometimes we're our own barrier because we can't just ease our expectations.
00:05:16.290 --> 00:05:20.170
And maybe if we're playing a game, we don't have to play by the rules.
00:05:20.170 --> 00:05:21.930
We don't have to take score.
00:05:21.930 --> 00:05:25.771
We can shorten the length of the game's process.
00:05:25.771 --> 00:05:29.730
So sometimes we just have to be mindful of how are we doing in the equation.
00:05:29.730 --> 00:05:30.963
That makes sense.
00:05:31.661 --> 00:05:33.723
Absolutely, and that's so important.
00:05:33.723 --> 00:05:51.975
And I think I sometimes see really well-meaning family caregivers, adult children in many instances who really want their parent to perform in many ways similar to kind of how they did before.
00:05:52.762 --> 00:06:00.961
And I see that as not just, it's not that they don't understand the disease process.
00:06:01.173 --> 00:06:20.487
So much of it, so much of having a loved one with dementia is dealing with our own grief of the way that they're changing, how their behavior or personality or what they're not able to do as a loss and a continual loss over time.
00:06:20.487 --> 00:06:24.834
So I think I love that you started out with.
00:06:24.834 --> 00:06:28.834
just taking our own pulse in terms of are we getting anxious?
00:06:28.834 --> 00:06:41.422
If we're trying to get someone to do something and we come across as kind of impatient, yeah, it's probably no surprise that the other person living with dementia does not wanna do it.
00:06:41.829 --> 00:06:42.738
Exactly.
00:06:42.738 --> 00:06:46.963
And it's good to think about, what time of day are they at their most best?
00:06:46.963 --> 00:06:49.865
We want to try and capitalize on their strengths.
00:06:49.865 --> 00:06:52.598
So when is the best time of day to do that?
00:06:52.598 --> 00:07:00.033
You know, are we in an environment where, again, the TV's on and it's cluttered and we're not offering simplicity.
00:07:00.033 --> 00:07:02.016
So it just becomes overwhelming.
00:07:02.016 --> 00:07:04.997
And then it's I don't even want to sit down here with you.
00:07:04.997 --> 00:07:11.266
I need to be where I'm in either solitude or I need to be where I'm not feeling.
00:07:11.266 --> 00:07:11.927
challenged.
00:07:11.927 --> 00:07:21.987
Even though we do want to offer a little bit of challenge, we don't want to get to the point of frustration so that the person doesn't want to engage with what we're doing.
00:07:22.637 --> 00:07:36.208
So do you recommend, I know the environment is so important and sometimes the home environment can be cluttered because the person living with dementia might be looking for things and making things clutter.
00:07:36.208 --> 00:07:43.874
Do you recommend kind of having a particular zone or space for activities in the home?
00:07:43.874 --> 00:07:49.721
And how do you recommend kind of keeping things simple or free from distractions?
00:07:49.721 --> 00:08:13.740
Yeah, I do think that if we're going to be having a time where we're going to maybe put in our routine an activity time, maybe there is a place or we just know that as we're building in a schedule of uh some type of activity that we want to just try and maybe not have it be as spontaneous, but plan a little bit so that we have it be just.
00:08:13.838 --> 00:08:16.000
just in a way where it's a little simple.
00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:22.370
We don't have to have a zone necessarily because some people don't have the space, but if you do, that's great.
00:08:22.370 --> 00:08:33.764
Cause that could be where the person knows when I come in this space, I'm going to do something that kind of gives me some brain fitness or maybe I'm gonna sort something or maybe we're gonna put the music on.
00:08:33.764 --> 00:08:37.945
Maybe we're gonna do something and we're gonna have enjoyment in this space.
00:08:38.285 --> 00:08:39.865
But it can be very hard.
00:08:39.865 --> 00:08:42.386
all living in our homes.
00:08:43.658 --> 00:08:51.403
essentially like the um engagement room, you know, as if we would have a program space.
00:08:51.403 --> 00:08:58.168
not like recreation therapists who, you know, go into the closet and pull out all these great, you know, resources.
00:08:58.168 --> 00:09:05.312
So I think it's okay if you don't have a space designated, it's just fine.
00:09:05.312 --> 00:09:17.346
But we just want to be sure that there's not a lot of sound going on and things that can be so distracting that we're not going to make it successful from the get-go.
00:09:18.018 --> 00:09:21.849
Yeah, turning off the TV is probably something that's really important.
00:09:21.849 --> 00:09:30.701
a lot of times I used to do home visits all the time and the TV is just on in the background and they don't even notice it.
00:09:30.701 --> 00:09:42.785
But having a trying to engage someone in a communication and conversation is so much harder because part of their attention is on the TV, even if we're not paying attention to the TV.
00:09:42.785 --> 00:09:43.605
Yeah.
00:09:43.605 --> 00:09:48.864
Well, two different ways to look at it because it can be a shared experience where we're going to be in this together.
00:09:48.864 --> 00:09:50.471
So I want to have good eye contact.
00:09:50.471 --> 00:09:54.148
I want to be doing this where we're enjoying and being in the moment.
00:09:54.148 --> 00:10:03.044
And then, of course, realistically, there's going to be times when you might just, if it's appropriate, set up something and every once in a while, check back.
00:10:03.044 --> 00:10:12.482
But it's still that uh goal that they're going to be engaged in something to promote their cognition, to promote their creative expression.
00:10:12.600 --> 00:10:14.732
to move a little bit.
00:10:14.732 --> 00:10:17.134
So it can go both ways.
00:10:17.134 --> 00:10:26.421
You don't have to feel like it always has to be a formal activity that you need to be with the person, even though that's what's kind of preferred.
00:10:27.081 --> 00:10:29.423
as you said earlier, caregivers are busy.
00:10:29.423 --> 00:10:30.904
They're overwhelmed.
00:10:30.904 --> 00:10:32.765
And it's OK to set somebody up.
00:10:32.765 --> 00:10:39.571
And I'll give some kind of resources in a bit about maybe um just offering some ideas of how to do that.
00:10:41.097 --> 00:11:05.929
And I know you had shared during your talk uh and I've been really interested in kind of artistic expression in many different ways, especially as dementia progresses, a lot of people's ability to communicate via words or their previous hobbies of reading or even sometimes watching a movie and not being able to follow the plot.
00:11:05.929 --> 00:11:06.861
Those kind of...
00:11:06.861 --> 00:11:18.283
previously enjoyable activities are no longer things that they could do, what do you think are some artistic expression for people living with dementia?
00:11:18.458 --> 00:11:23.812
Sure, mean, creative expression on art can be such a powerful way to just feel connection.
00:11:23.812 --> 00:11:39.514
And a lot of what we do in our programming centers around visual arts, centers around um projects, uh poetry, dance, uh molding, know, textures, clay, things of that nature.
00:11:39.514 --> 00:12:07.807
uh One of the things that we do, which really ends up being such a meaningful project, and this could be something that can be done over time is art journaling, where you get a uh one of those just dollar store composition books, and you are having a magazine and different art supplies, cutting out different photographs, colored pencils or whatnot.
00:12:07.807 --> 00:12:13.807
And you kind of ask the person, why they chose the item that they did.
00:12:13.807 --> 00:12:15.148
Why did they pick that out?
00:12:15.148 --> 00:12:19.302
And you can spark as much of a conversation as you can.
00:12:19.302 --> 00:12:32.027
And as you're turning the pages, it can help to kind of just um encourage that expression, encourage um creativity and...
00:12:34.298 --> 00:12:39.471
Putting together this art journal allows you to kind of explore with simple tools and different things.
00:12:39.471 --> 00:12:42.101
Maybe you're going to add some paint to it.
00:12:42.101 --> 00:12:45.964
So an art journal is one thing that I know we do in our programs.
00:12:45.964 --> 00:12:47.571
It's beautiful to look back on.
00:12:47.571 --> 00:12:52.686
It can help as you're looking through it for creating and thinking back on reminiscing.
00:12:52.686 --> 00:13:03.070
uh Any particular ideas and kind of how to introduce an art journal to someone living with dementia?
00:13:03.070 --> 00:13:11.179
Do you give them a prompt or do you just hand them a bunch of magazines and say, you know, pick out what calls to you?
00:13:11.630 --> 00:13:13.522
Pick out what calls to you exactly.
00:13:13.522 --> 00:13:15.952
So it could be that you have a blank paper.
00:13:15.952 --> 00:13:26.398
Now, if you see that someone right away picks up the marker and they want to start to doodle or they want to start, let them just do it as they will.
00:13:26.398 --> 00:13:31.441
It's really a finished product at the end, but it's again, the process.
00:13:31.441 --> 00:13:36.706
So you want to be guided by the enjoyment, not totally the outcome.
00:13:36.706 --> 00:13:38.788
So it could be that you're doing this together.
00:13:38.788 --> 00:13:45.030
You're looking maybe through if the person's past interest was birds or gardening or cooking.
00:13:45.030 --> 00:13:58.936
You might find that there are magazines that have that particular topic and you're looking through and you realize that something resonates with them maybe by the look in their eyes or something sparks their interests and you can cut it for them.
00:13:58.936 --> 00:14:01.807
You can ask them if they're able to write.
00:14:01.807 --> 00:14:05.178
You can say, well, what does this make you think of?
00:14:05.206 --> 00:14:07.250
It could be a picture of a flower.
00:14:07.250 --> 00:14:08.952
It makes them think of a cat.
00:14:08.952 --> 00:14:20.201
We're going to write the word cat and we're going to move on and say great job because it's just a matter of, again, going with what the person's feeling and praising as we go along.
00:14:21.166 --> 00:14:22.496
praise is so important.
00:14:22.496 --> 00:14:33.331
feel like we all want to be praised and especially when someone is experiencing so much of their daily loss of their functioning.
00:14:33.390 --> 00:14:40.484
How do you encourage people to kind of praise in a genuine way, but not in a condescending way?
00:14:40.484 --> 00:14:56.854
Because sometimes, you know, especially for the role reversal of adult children and their parent, you know, I don't want to come across like, I'm infantilizing an older adult with their abilities.
00:14:56.854 --> 00:15:01.751
Because they might look at me and say, why did you say good job?
00:15:01.774 --> 00:15:03.355
Yes, so right.
00:15:03.355 --> 00:15:11.317
try um when I am giving somebody praise, if I'm walking through the program area, I try to find something that I can hone in on.
00:15:11.317 --> 00:15:13.758
I really like the color that you chose.
00:15:13.758 --> 00:15:17.239
And I might say, this reminds me of something.
00:15:17.239 --> 00:15:18.840
This is really well done.
00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:20.740
Does it remind you of that?
00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:26.841
And I try to just have it be a little more conversational versus a global, nice job.
00:15:26.841 --> 00:15:30.163
So and you don't have to.
00:15:30.235 --> 00:15:35.836
um offer praise so that it feels like it's patronizing and it's too often.
00:15:35.836 --> 00:15:38.855
It could be that you're just encouraging, let's keep going.
00:15:38.855 --> 00:15:40.677
I really like where this is going.
00:15:40.677 --> 00:15:43.138
You're doing a lovely job with this.
00:15:43.394 --> 00:15:45.269
I hope you're enjoying this.
00:15:45.269 --> 00:15:45.729
I am.
00:15:45.729 --> 00:15:48.934
I love watching you do this and we're doing it together.
00:15:48.934 --> 00:15:55.634
Or if you're in a home where there is an older adult that's being cared for as well as younger children.
00:15:55.634 --> 00:15:58.623
So such a lovely thing to do together.
00:15:58.623 --> 00:16:00.100
Praising both.
00:16:00.100 --> 00:16:04.504
parties, know, for a job well done or just working together nicely.
00:16:05.453 --> 00:16:14.173
That's such a great idea, having the older adult and the younger children do an artistic activity together.
00:16:15.594 --> 00:16:30.653
I didn't even think about that, but that totally resonates because my kids love doing arts and crafts and sometimes it's fun to just do it with them even though half the time they do a better job than I do.
00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:33.169
And you do want to just encourage, right?
00:16:33.169 --> 00:16:34.341
You don't want to do it for them.
00:16:34.341 --> 00:16:36.562
You want to let them take the lead.
00:16:36.902 --> 00:16:43.845
And some of the other ways that not so much visual arts, but we incorporate music for creative expression.
00:16:43.845 --> 00:16:45.806
There are so many different ways to do that.
00:16:45.806 --> 00:16:48.667
And I think music just lifts people's spirits.
00:16:48.667 --> 00:16:52.229
And for those individuals with dementia, can be calming.
00:16:52.229 --> 00:16:56.410
can, we see people tap their foot when they're not even that.
00:16:56.410 --> 00:17:04.808
um able to verbalize sentences, but a music comes on and they're singing or humming along or tapping their feet.
00:17:04.808 --> 00:17:09.532
So music is another way that we really want to offer creative expression.
00:17:09.962 --> 00:17:17.609
I mentioned poetry just because um I was tasked with helping with an activity programming at the center.
00:17:17.609 --> 00:17:28.386
And I use the website, which I'll share, called the National um Day Calendar, which um I rely on quite a bit, I must say.
00:17:28.488 --> 00:17:34.509
And it was friendship day on the day that I was exploring the website.
00:17:34.509 --> 00:17:38.450
And I thought friendship day, I can make a program out of friendship day.
00:17:38.450 --> 00:17:39.329
can.
00:17:39.611 --> 00:17:44.011
And we made an acrostic poem out of the letters of friendship.
00:17:44.011 --> 00:17:48.333
And I just asked for words that help you describe a good friend.
00:17:48.673 --> 00:17:51.574
And that is something, too, that you can do with youth.
00:17:51.574 --> 00:17:53.773
know, it just can build.
00:17:53.787 --> 00:18:17.335
And that is That is one website that really helps with sparking conversation and can take you on a different path to poetry, to just really thinking about some interesting celebrations and getting our juices flowing in terms of having a chat about some really interesting topics.
00:18:17.751 --> 00:18:25.672
And will have the national day calendar link in the show notes as well so that those who are listening can definitely go check that out.
00:18:25.838 --> 00:18:30.759
And that can actually, if you find it beneficial, really be a part of a daily routine.
00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:34.243
It is a database organized by day and the month.
00:18:34.243 --> 00:18:44.980
So if you wanted to make that something you did every day before dinner or every day after dinner, you could just pick one of the holidays that are recognized or a celebration.
00:18:44.980 --> 00:18:52.134
Sometimes they're very obscure, like National Cheese Lover's Day, which is one my favorites.
00:18:52.134 --> 00:18:52.854
you can.
00:18:52.854 --> 00:18:59.707
uh build uh on that and make it almost a daily part of your routine.
00:18:59.707 --> 00:19:07.318
Let's go check out the daily calendar and see what day is being celebrated nationally or internationally and make it kind of something that's expected.
00:19:08.663 --> 00:19:10.355
That's really fun.
00:19:10.355 --> 00:19:14.578
It's always surprising to me how many different types of days there are.
00:19:14.578 --> 00:19:16.220
There are all kinds of days.
00:19:16.220 --> 00:19:19.413
em I bet.
00:19:19.413 --> 00:19:20.203
I bet.
00:19:20.203 --> 00:19:32.574
So besides the National Day calendar, em any other games or websites or I know there's an app for everything, but sometimes I feel like simpler, maybe better.
00:19:32.574 --> 00:19:37.366
What do you typically recommend in terms of starting points?
00:19:37.366 --> 00:19:38.248
sure.
00:19:38.248 --> 00:19:45.990
there are websites that you can use if you are ready to kind of explore some tools, some guides, some ideas.
00:19:45.990 --> 00:19:56.192
There is one website called Golden Carers, and that offers just a wealth of ideas on a variety of different topics.
00:19:56.192 --> 00:20:05.375
They might even have armchair travel, like different ways where you can visit a specific country.
00:20:05.530 --> 00:20:13.384
ah You can also, again, with the National Day calendar, um that is something that we use in our programs.
00:20:13.384 --> 00:20:22.395
But Golden Carers is something that I might recommend for families at home, as well as a website I recently discovered called Maria's Place.
00:20:22.497 --> 00:20:30.038
And Maria's Place offers ideas as well and guidelines for doing oh activities at home.
00:20:30.616 --> 00:20:36.092
So those are just some some websites, some of them out there are designed more for senior living communities.
00:20:36.092 --> 00:20:42.037
But I think that there's a wealth of ideas here for the family caregiver at home on those two sites.
00:20:42.875 --> 00:20:43.204
Great.
00:20:43.204 --> 00:20:46.718
So we'll link those in the show notes as well.
00:20:46.718 --> 00:21:12.025
So what do you recommend as sort of, what are some examples besides the, that might be on the golden carers or Maria's place in terms of thinking something that, I think one thing that oftentimes is hard for caregivers to figure out is what is the right type of activity for a loved one's disease when their cognition is changing?
00:21:12.025 --> 00:21:26.914
Yeah, I think as you are able to look at the different offerings, you might get a sense right off the bat if they might have a level of um what's challenging and what's less challenging.
00:21:26.914 --> 00:21:29.902
And I think you might be able to just gauge it by Azure.
00:21:29.902 --> 00:21:32.864
Is your loved one seemingly frustrated with this?
00:21:32.864 --> 00:21:34.614
Maybe we need to take a step back.
00:21:34.614 --> 00:21:53.353
I think it's OK to choose things from their past interests that, for example, if someone used to like to garden, there is an app called Flower Garden on, you know, with uh Android or Apple.
00:21:53.353 --> 00:22:00.749
And um you're able to basically create from start to finish Flower Garden.
00:22:00.749 --> 00:22:07.034
And in the end, you can even gift it to somebody via maybe needing help from someone.
00:22:07.034 --> 00:22:11.269
So there are apps out there, matching pairs app.
00:22:11.269 --> 00:22:17.054
There's an app about, um it's called um Jigsaw Puzzles Real.
00:22:17.054 --> 00:22:19.546
That's another app.
00:22:19.546 --> 00:22:27.932
And it's designed for seniors who might have a challenge picking up Jigsaw puzzle pieces with a real puzzle.
00:22:27.932 --> 00:22:34.037
And in this way, they're able to do it um just by a slide of a finger.
00:22:34.137 --> 00:22:41.482
So there's also um Word Search Colorful, which is another app.
00:22:41.497 --> 00:22:51.915
So if someone really struggles with uh pen and paper, this particular app lets you swipe your finger and provides a colorful highlight if you find a word.
00:22:51.915 --> 00:22:56.078
So it's really a matter of seeing, this frustrating?
00:22:56.078 --> 00:22:57.800
Is this too challenging?
00:22:57.800 --> 00:23:02.124
Similarly, it could be too easy and it might not be challenging enough.
00:23:02.124 --> 00:23:10.490
So uh it's really kind of about like a lot of things with dementia care, trying things and seeing what works.
00:23:10.540 --> 00:23:12.755
and maybe having to try again.
00:23:12.755 --> 00:23:23.574
Unfortunately, there's just no guarantee that they're gonna enjoy the activity idea that you have for them, but it's worth trying.
00:23:23.574 --> 00:23:24.884
It's worth trying.
00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:34.990
Yeah, and also just knowing that sometimes what they might enjoy one day may be something they don't enjoy another day.
00:23:34.990 --> 00:23:44.049
I think a lot about how that's relevant for my children as well, especially when it comes to foods.
00:23:44.049 --> 00:23:48.598
Like one day they just suddenly decided they don't eat that anymore.
00:23:48.598 --> 00:23:51.441
And that unpredictability can kind of drive you nuts.
00:23:51.441 --> 00:23:54.702
So that's one of the real challenges of it.
00:23:55.703 --> 00:24:09.952
There um are also, I wanted to just suggest there's games that, one in particular that I think is fairly easy to DIY, it's called Rory's Story Cubes.
00:24:09.973 --> 00:24:18.330
And this is a game that is touted on different websites that's appropriate for seniors with dementia.
00:24:18.330 --> 00:24:21.330
And it's basically the role of a dice with images.
00:24:21.330 --> 00:24:28.451
And as you have the images on the table, you're kind of building a foundation for storytelling.
00:24:28.770 --> 00:24:39.830
And this is something where you can, instead of purchasing the game, you can draw some images on a sheet of paper, pass them around, and you come up with maybe a very funny story.
00:24:39.830 --> 00:24:45.030
the laughter is so wonderful in the family to be able to just have some lightness.
00:24:45.952 --> 00:24:50.974
That is a game and there's also a game called shut the box if I'm not mistaken.
00:24:50.974 --> 00:25:00.349
And that game involves simple math, fine motor skills, control of the fingers.
00:25:00.349 --> 00:25:10.755
again, if there's grandchildren or youth in the home, these are great games to play together and just create those individual moments of joy.
00:25:11.853 --> 00:25:12.423
Excellent.
00:25:12.423 --> 00:25:16.506
So, Roy Story Cube and Shut the Box Games.
00:25:16.506 --> 00:25:20.429
And we'll also link those in the show notes.
00:25:20.429 --> 00:25:28.213
Yeah, I love the idea of kind of using a dice or a picture dice to kind of create.
00:25:28.213 --> 00:25:39.201
It's almost like, I guess, Mad Libs, except it's, you you have to you have to use the words to fill out the story, not giving you the story and and filling random words.
00:25:39.201 --> 00:25:58.218
uh Yeah, I have struggled kind of advising uh family caregivers for a lot of older men where one, maybe they didn't have a whole lot of hobbies outside of their work or that their hobbies were things like golf and fishing.
00:25:58.939 --> 00:26:04.743
Two things that maybe they're not able to do for various physical or cognitive issues.
00:26:04.743 --> 00:26:13.559
Anything that you have found success with for older men in terms of like things that they might enjoy in your center.
00:26:14.375 --> 00:26:17.916
Oh, well, sometimes picture books are very helpful.
00:26:17.916 --> 00:26:19.686
You there are sports magazines.
00:26:19.686 --> 00:26:27.931
We have a gentleman who really uh gets calmed by putting headphones on and will put a sporting event on an iPad for him.
00:26:27.931 --> 00:26:30.192
And we'll talk about it a little bit.
00:26:30.192 --> 00:26:34.923
You're right, though, it is a little more challenging.
00:26:34.923 --> 00:26:41.146
Not every uh man wants to do something traditionally like with a craft.
00:26:41.260 --> 00:26:47.011
And sometimes it's just a way to get them to feel like they're making something though, using their hands.
00:26:47.032 --> 00:26:51.371
And they feel again, like that value of, put this together.
00:26:51.371 --> 00:26:53.844
So it could be that we're asking for help.
00:26:53.844 --> 00:26:58.026
We have several gentlemen who we asked to help sweep.
00:26:58.026 --> 00:27:06.931
We asked to help clear off the table and they're feeling again, you know, they wanna be an independent oh helper.
00:27:06.931 --> 00:27:13.473
And that also kind of brings me that you don't really have to have everything be a formal activity.
00:27:13.473 --> 00:27:39.862
When you engage someone in a household task, like folding towels or uh helping maybe uh sort Tupperware, put the lid back on, you know, if you have a mess of a drawer and you need and you need the tops to find the bottoms, uh maybe sorting junk mail, you know, these are things that we can also again provide that praise for you are helping me I value that.
00:27:39.923 --> 00:27:49.054
And Not that women don't need that, but a lot of uh men, they want to feel like they're providing and they have a sense of accomplishment.
00:27:49.134 --> 00:27:56.519
So sometimes we're just asking for some help and a lot of times it's conversation.
00:27:56.641 --> 00:28:00.804
They like talking about some trivia on the topic.
00:28:00.804 --> 00:28:02.705
Maybe they know golf knowledge.
00:28:02.705 --> 00:28:07.229
Maybe there's still some things firing in the brain.
00:28:07.349 --> 00:28:07.865
Yes.
00:28:07.865 --> 00:28:09.174
term memory, yeah.
00:28:09.174 --> 00:28:17.442
about their love of the sport and different professionals who are in the sport and having conversation about that.
00:28:17.442 --> 00:28:25.207
We do do quite a bit of uh trivia and, you know, discussion that stems from that at the center.
00:28:26.373 --> 00:28:34.343
So if you're not a golf fan, you just Google golf trivia and start asking about what happened back in 1955.
00:28:34.490 --> 00:28:48.784
can Google, you can, as you know, because and again, I go back to that interesting National Day calendar, you can just Google so many different things to tap in to the topic.
00:28:48.784 --> 00:28:50.605
Google Golf Trivia.
00:28:50.605 --> 00:28:52.555
And you will be surprised.
00:28:52.555 --> 00:28:57.316
We did a it was I Love Lucy Day not too long ago.
00:28:57.316 --> 00:28:59.681
And I found I Love Lucy Trivia.
00:28:59.681 --> 00:29:02.703
and we um had a really fun time.
00:29:02.703 --> 00:29:11.900
And a lot of times you'll find some very fascinating facts about a topic and you're really learning along with the person.
00:29:11.990 --> 00:29:19.767
So, and it's a genuine um reaction when you learn about something together and that can be a lot of fun.
00:29:21.338 --> 00:29:25.760
Well, thank you so much, Jodi, for all of these great ideas.
00:29:25.999 --> 00:29:33.413
I think I just want to reiterate that first, you know, lower your own anxiety.
00:29:33.413 --> 00:29:40.487
If all of this sounds overwhelming, you don't have to do any specific formal activity or game.
00:29:40.567 --> 00:29:56.644
But asking for help is an easy way of getting engagement because we all want to feel useful and purposeful, especially when you know, previously really independent older adults now need help from other people.
00:29:56.644 --> 00:30:01.269
And check out the resources that I'm going to link in the show notes.
00:30:01.269 --> 00:30:04.271
And thank you again, Jodi, for joining us.
00:30:04.492 --> 00:30:07.128
And I will talk to you next time.
00:30:07.128 --> 00:30:09.573
much for the opportunity to be with you.
00:30:11.300 --> 00:30:12.392
Thank you.
