No matter how deeply we care about friends or family, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia can make us uncomfortable — especially when we don’t fully understand it.

Seeing your loved one struggle with memory loss, confusion, or the ability to understand situations and surroundings is difficult.

Caregivers and family members can share more meaningful time with loved ones who have Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia by planning activities that focus on past experiences, rote learning and long-term memory.

In addition, mental stimulation activities can help improve concentration, language retention and word-finding ability.

Click the tabs below for activities you can enjoy together.

It can be a challenge to match a person’s functioning level so that the activity is not too easy or too difficult, so try not to become discouraged if you don’t find a match immediately. Allow a sufficient amount of response time during each activity.

As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, it will become more difficult for your loved one to communicate. You will need to assume the role of leader and carry more of the conversation.

For some this is a challenge, but there are strategies you can use to enhance your visit.

Communication tips