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Alzheimer's Craft Ideas to Reminisce

Alzheimer's patients often have periods with a clear mind, when they are able to remember and focus on their life. These days tend to grow fewer as their condition worsens. Before this occurs, learn a few key things about your patient -- such as favorite songs, special pictures or even the things they used to eat for lunch -- then put together special craft projects to help them hold onto their special memories.

  1. Scrapbook

    • Gather as many old photographs that you can find of the patient's past, such as family, friends, first home or old car. Go through the pictures slowly and ask questions about each. Let your patient tell you about the picture and where she was when it was taken. Work to remember bits and pieces from these stories and collect every picture that she finds familiar into a scrapbook. Add other items, such as her baby teeth or her children's baby teeth. Remember that scrapbooking is about collecting memories.

    Mix CD

    • Make a note of special songs from the patient's life. Include his wedding song, songs that he used to listen to in high school or just special songs that take him back. Even if you are unable to retrieve specific songs, try learning about his favorite musical genre. Collect the songs he listened to, as well as a few other popular songs from the same generation and genre, and organize them onto a CD for him to listen to regularly. Also include other songs from his favorite artists and note which songs seem to bring up the most potent memories by watching him while he listens.

    Cooking

    • Plan to spend an afternoon cooking with the patient. You can use your kitchen if it is a loved one or take a few simple cooking appliances such as an electric grill to the patient's room if it is more appropriate. Cook common items such as grilled cheese sandwiches or hot dogs on the grill, or bake a cake and dinner rolls in your kitchen. Let the smell of the food collect around your work and make sure that the patient is close enough to smell the food. Watch for any reminiscence from the patient when you cook something that is familiar.

    Memory Blanket

    • Collect small portions of old clothes, favorite blankets or a familiar gardening glove. Your portions only need to be square pieces, roughly four to six inches wide. Quilt the pieces into a blanket for the patient. Encourage the patient to touch the pieces, feeling the rough sides of the gardening glove and the familiar texture of a favorite shirt. Give him a chance to see what he is drawn to, or if some pieces help him remember parts of his life.

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