Helping Your Loved One with Fidget Activities

Dementia can be a confusing and scary process for both the person suffering from the disease and their loved ones. You may find yourself at a loss as to how to help your loved ones feel stimulated, but luckily there are many different ways you can encourage them to stay active.

One easy way to help your loved one with Alzheimer's is through fidget toys! These toys engage people's hands and minds in an activity that helps calm anxiety or boredom while also promoting movement, which is essential for keeping dementia patients healthy.

We'll explore some of the benefits of using fidget toys and how to pick the right one for your loved one.

How fidgets have helped my loved one

In my experience, fidget toys are a great way for your loved one to focus and calm down. These toys can be found as a busy board, an apron, a pillow, or even a book.

By giving them a fidget that meets their needs, you're helping them remain stimulated. Here are some of the benefits of fidgets:

• Stress relief: Fidgets can help your loved one relieve stress by giving them something to focus on.
• Calming: Fidgets can help calm your loved one down by providing a sense of tactile stimulation.
• Focus: Fidgets can help your loved one stay focused by providing a distraction from negative thoughts or anxiety.
• Creativity: Fidgets can help your loved one be more creative by giving them something to doodle.

How to pick the right fidget for your loved one

Now that you know all about fidgets and their benefits, it's time to pick the right one for your loved one. Here are a few tips on how to do that:

• Pay attention to what they like. Do they like to squeeze things, switch things, or spin things? This will help you narrow down your choices.
• Think about their needs. What is their main purpose for using a fidget? Is it to relieve stress, focus better, or as a more creative outlet?
• Consider their age and occupation. If they once were an artist, pencil grips might be the best option. If they're a working professional, magnets or a fidget cube might make more sense.

Fidgets to calm anxiety and provide stimulation

As dementia progresses, your loved ones may find themselves feeling more and more disconnected from the world around them. This can be a confusing and scary process for both you and your loved one. Luckily there are many different ways to help keep someone with dementia engaged in life.

Fidget toys may seem like an odd choice at first glance, but they're actually quite useful in promoting movement while also engaging their minds in something that helps calm anxiety or boredom. I have explored some of the benefits these toys can offer, so take a look and see what might work best for you.

Want to hear more about calming anxiety or other tools that help from the Alzheimer's community? Search our forums.