Outdoor Activities For People Who Have Alzheimer’s

 

People with Alzheimer’s disease can find it challenging to stay active and engaged. It is crucial for people with the condition and their caregivers to remain physically active to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, this can sometimes be challenging when dealing with impaired memory and impaired judgment that are common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Fortunately, many outdoor activities encourage movement and engagement without being too strenuous on the brain. In this article, we present some outdoor activities for those who have Alzheimer’s!

Gardening

Gardening requires a lot of patience and creativity. Whether you like to grow flowers or vegetables, it is essential for Alzheimer’s patients to engage their brains in this activity by thinking about how the seed will become its final product. There are many types of plants that can be grown indoors, such as ferns and succulents, which require only a minimal amount of sunlight! Gardening allows people with dementia to enjoy nature while keeping active with all the necessary weeding and watering. Even just watching your garden grow over time is rewarding enough! 

Go For A Walk

Going outdoors for a walk may feel daunting at first, but there is no better way than taking small steps towards getting out into nature again. By getting outdoors and engaging yourself in nature, you will feel more alive and provide physical activity to your body. Walking is excellent for the heart, mind, and soul! A walk can also be a perfect time to chat with family members or caregivers if it feels too difficult otherwise.

Play Horseshoes

Horseshoes is a great game for all ages, including Alzheimer’s patients! You can play this indoors by hanging two hoses from the ceiling of one room in your home! This activity requires very little thinking. All you have to do is toss the horseshoe towards the metal stake and try to get it close enough without having it fall off entirely. Horseshoes are also easy on your joints if arthritis or other conditions prevent strenuous movement.

Practice Tai Chi

Tai chi is an ancient form of martial arts that has been proven effective at promoting balance, energy, flexibility, strength, relaxation, and coordination between both sides of the brain. This helps slow cognitive decline due to aging, thus allowing dementia patients to remain active. Tai Chi is a great activity for those looking to stay engaged with something but will not require too much energy or strength on their part!

Do Some Water Aerobics

Swimming is an amazing cardiovascular workout because it works out virtually every muscle in your body with little effort from you other than making sure you keep afloat when doing laps. Water aerobics are even better for people who have trouble getting around but would like some form of exercise due to its low impact nature, which requires very minimal movements compared to regular swimming using all the muscles in your body.

Go Stargazing

Stargazing is a great activity that Alzheimer’s patients can participate in because it doesn’t require too much physical or mental energy from them! It also provides an opportunity for family members or caregivers to bond with their loved ones by participating in this activity together, allowing socialization between those who have dementia and those who do not while connecting through nature’s wonders! Plus, being able to see the stars and constellations right before your eyes gives you a sense of serenity as well as wonderment at how big our universe truly is.

Sit On A Hammock

Sitting on a hammock may seem simple, but it offers many benefits! It can reduce stress while increasing energy, blood flow, and oxygen to the brain while lowering blood pressure! A hammock is great for people with Alzheimer’s because it provides a sense of comfort, which helps them relax. You don’t have to do anything but lay on one side of it or even sit in between both sides if you need more support, just like some dementia patients may require when seated in chairs due to poor balance control.

Read Outside On A Bench

Reading is a great way to stimulate the brain and help Alzheimer’s patients recall memories that they may otherwise struggle with. Whether you are using books, magazines, or newspapers, this activity engages different parts of the brain by helping retain information and encouraging memory retention, which can be difficult for those who have dementia! Reading provides mental stimulation while increasing knowledge and language skills all at once. It’s even better if done outside because it allows one to enjoy nature to its fullest capacity!

Practice Yoga

Yoga is a great way to get and stay flexible! It also helps build strength throughout the body. Studies show that yoga has been effective in helping Alzheimer’s patients become more active while improving their mood and general well-being. This activity can be done indoors or outdoors, depending on your needs at the time! Also, yoga mats are very portable, so you can bring them anywhere!

Go Fishing

Fishing is not only great for Alzheimer’s patients, but it’s also a fun activity to do with the entire family. It helps promote patience, mindfulness, and socialization while getting away from stress by spending time in nature! Fishing provides an opportunity to bond with your loved one or even children without much effort, which allows them to participate in something they enjoy while providing quality time between everyone involved.

Go Fruit Picking

Picking fruits is a great way to engage the senses and can be very therapeutic for those with Alzheimer’s disease because you get to experience different textures and temperatures without much effort. It also requires minimal energy, making it easier for patients who have trouble walking around or exercising! Plus, by using your hands, there are plenty of opportunities where you can feel nature up-close while gathering fresh produce that will make any fruit salad taste like heaven on earth! You just need two trees close together so that both sides are accessible by sitting down in between them if needed.

Conclusion

Being an Alzheimer’s caregiver can be challenging, but it is rewarding at the same time. It takes patience, love, and understanding to provide adequate care for someone who has this disease because they are not in their right mind anymore, which often makes them forget your presence or even that you’re trying to help them! These activities listed here promote fun while keeping everyone active by providing different benefits each one offers regardless if it’s inside or outside, depending on the person’s needs.