The Memory Unit OT

Who here has ever planned the world’s literal best therapy session and when you try to initiate, your patient is completely un-interested? I’ve definitely been there.

I’m always team ‘functional activity’ over straight exercise when working with individuals with dementia, because engagement is much more meaningful (usually). But the reality is, sometimes even the BEST planned activities backfire.

So… here are my Top 3 Tips to roll on with that session when something like this happens:

Just Because the Resident Refuses at First Doesn’t Mean the Activity is a Total Bust.

Sit down with them and model the activity for up to 5 minutes, working to engage them in conversation as appropriate for their cognitive level. Sometimes people with dementia just need time to process the direction and watch someone physically perform the task in order to feel safe enough to attempt it.

Try some sort of gross motor activity for 5-10 minutes and then circle back to the original plan.

This could look like taking a walk or pushing them around the facility in their wheelchair. Provide them with some proprioceptive and vestibular input found in gross motor activity to help redirect and regulate the sensory system. This may result in improved attention and engagement of the activity during that second attempt.

Try engaging in a pre-established group activity instead.

Keep track of the facility’s activity schedule for the day. When all else fails and a one-on-one session just isn’t cutting it, try integrating that resident into Bingo, or the craft class, or the cooking group. Use your activity analysis to make the necessary shift in the session. Often the social setting, during which an individual can see other peers performing one activity, can prompt that individual to initiate a structured or semi-structured task.

You’ve got the ability to do this, OTP!