Activities for Dementia Patients: Sunflower Craft

The bright sun and warming days of spring and summer gives those caring for a loved one with dementia to enjoy more activities together.

Sunny days can include walks and visits with friends and family. Even rainy days can be brightened up with a cheery craft activity like the sunflower craft below. 

Crafts don't have to be difficult or expensive. The goal is to spend a pleasant time together. The best crafts are ones that can be scaled up or down in difficulty based on your loved one's abilities. For the sunflower craft, if your loved one is no longer able to use scissors, you can take care of all the cutting, while they handle gluing everything together. The important thing is to keep the mood light and upbeat.

Sunflower Craft

What You’ll Need: 

• Small white paper plates
• Yellow construction paper
• Brown construction paper
• Glue stick
• Ribbon for hanging
• Safety scissors 

 Steps:

1. Cut out the center of a paper plate to create a template.
2. Use the template to cut a circle from the brown construction paper.
3. Cut the yellow construction paper into strips roughly 3 inches long.
4. Fold the yellow strips up like an accordion at a 1 inch width.
5. Cut a flower petal shape from the yellow paper.
6. Cut as many petals as needed. Three strips of yellow paper should provide enough petals for your plate.
7. Glue the brown circle to the center of the plate.
8. Glue each petal around the plate, overlapping each petal.
9. Glue or tape the ribbon to the back of the plate.
10. Hang on a wall or door.

See more activities for dementia patients.

 Caregiver Tips

1. This activity can be scaled to your loved one's abilities. For example, if they cannot safely use scissors, make the cuts for them.
2. 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.
3. 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 or how they celebrated holidays as a child.
4. 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.
5. 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.