Valentine's Day Flower Craft: Activities for Dementia Patients

Crafts are a beautiful way to create a fun and engaging activity for a loved one with dementia who is cooped up at home this winter. They don’t have to be anything fancy. In fact, it’s often best to use basic supplies you have around the house to keep the preparation levels low.

This Valentine’s flower craft is a great example of how you can create an enjoyable afternoon for your loved with dementia without stressing out about the preparation or end result.

Instead, just gather up some paper and pens and set the mood with your loved one’s favorite music playing softly in the background. Once your craft is done, hang one up and send the other to a friend or family member who isn’t able to visit right now. Everyone loves a flashback to getting Valentine’s in grade school!

Valentine’s Day Flower Craft

What You’ll Need: 

• Colored paper (we used foam core, but construction paper is fine!)
• A sheet of white paper
• A black sharpie
• Green and red markers
• Glue (optional)

 Steps:

1. Cut out paper hearts. You can do this ahead of time if your loved one has a hard time with scissors.
2. Use the black sharpie to decorate each heart.
3. Peel the adhesive backing off the foam core or simply glue your hearts close together on your white paper. You can use the paper like a portrait or fold it to make it a card.
4. Use the green marker to draw stems for the flowers.
5. Use the red marker to draw a ribbon holding them together. If you want to make it extra fancy, you can glue on a real ribbon.

 See more activities for dementia patients.

Caregiver Tips

1. While doing activities with a loved one with dementia, engage them in conversation. Play music they enjoy softly in the background to create a positive mood.
2. Even though your loved one may not remember names or things that happened in recent days, they may still remember their childhood. Ask about favorite colors or clothing they used to wear.
3. Activities for people with dementia have the best chance of success early in the day when your loved one is well rested. If they don’t want to participate or get frustrated, don’t force it. Try again another time.
4. Remember that the goal is to have an engaging activity with your loved one with dementia. Don’t worry about the end result.

Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to support patients with dementia and their families. Please call us at 1-888-564-3405 to learn more about how our unique care programs help provide a higher quality of life for dementia patients while helping caregivers avoid burnout.

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