Adult Coloring Books: Activities for Dementia Patients
Activities for a loved one with dementia don’t need to be complicated or expensive. In fact, one of the best and easiest ways to give your loved one the opportunity to get creative and express themselves is popular with people of all ages: coloring books.
Adults coloring books have surged in popularity in the past decade because they’re an easy stress reliever. Just as there are general adult coloring books for a wide range of interests, there are also coloring books designed just for seniors with interesting images and large print.
When looking for coloring pages for a loved one with dementia, select one that relates to their interests and current abilities. It doesn’t need to be an intricate design if that’s going to create frustration. Instead pick something with a lot of space to color.
Look for adult and senior coloring pages rather than images for children unless your loved one is especially interested in a particular cartoon or theme that is also popular with children. If they love fishing, find fishing images to color. If they love nature, find one with birds.
Images can be found for free on the Crayola website or you can purchase a coloring book for seniors online.
Get the whole family involved with this relaxing afternoon activity. Set the kids up with crayons and the adults with colored pencils, and just enjoy having everyone together.
What You’ll Need:
- Coloring pages or books
- Colored pencils
Steps:
- Just color!
See more activities for dementia patients.
Caregiver Tips
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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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