Benefits of Doing Hobbies for People with Dementia
| Blog
Caring for a parent with dementia often means finding new ways to connect and spend time together. Shared hobbies for people with dementia offer an opportunity to create meaningful moments while also improving your parent’s emotional and mental well-being. These activities aren’t just enjoyable—they can help reduce stress, stimulate cognitive function and provide a sense of routine that benefits both you and your parent.
With a little creativity and patience, hobbies can bring joy to even the most challenging days, offering moments of calm and connection that feel truly rewarding.
Why Hobbies Matter
As dementia progresses, it can sometimes feel difficult to find ways to connect. Hobbies offer a way to engage your parent in familiar and enjoyable activities that tap into long-held skills or memories. They provide a sense of purpose and allow for moments of joy, even on challenging days.
Familiar hobbies can also help reduce agitation, promote relaxation and improve mood. Whether it’s a simple craft, listening to music or working on a puzzle, these activities create opportunities to connect in meaningful ways.
Benefits of Doing Hobbies Together
1. Strengthening Emotional Bonds
Participating in hobbies together allows you to connect with your parent on a deeper level. Even if verbal communication becomes difficult, shared activities create a bridge for emotional connection.
Simple tasks like gardening or painting offer opportunities to laugh, smile or share quiet moments. These small interactions build trust and foster a sense of closeness.
2. Providing a Sense of Routine
Hobbies can establish a comforting routine, which is especially beneficial for individuals with dementia. Predictable activities reduce confusion and help your parent feel more grounded.
Dedicating time each day to listen to music or sort through photos provides a rhythm to the day that can ease anxiety and create stability.
3. Stimulating Cognitive Function
Many hobbies encourage critical thinking or creativity, which helps stimulate cognitive function. Activities like puzzles, word searches or sorting objects by color or shape gently challenge the brain and support memory retention.
Even something as simple as folding laundry together can promote focus and provide a sense of accomplishment.
4. Reducing Stress and Agitation
Hobbies for people with dementia that involve repetitive or sensory-based tasks—like knitting, coloring or playing with textured materials—are calming. These activities can reduce feelings of restlessness and help both you and your parent relax.
Engaging in hobbies together also allows caregivers to take a mental break and enjoy the moment, which is important for reducing caregiver stress.
5. Honoring Their Identity and Abilities
Hobbies provide an opportunity to celebrate your parent’s interests and skills, even as their abilities change. Revisiting a long-loved activity—like baking, drawing or gardening—reinforces their identity and reminds them of what they’re capable of doing.
By focusing on activities they can still enjoy, you’ll help them feel valued and confident.
Hobby Inspiration to Get You Started
Creative activities
- Painting or coloring in adult coloring books
- Crafting simple decorations or ornaments
- Arranging flowers in vases
Music and Movement
- Singing along to favorite songs
- Dancing or gentle stretching to music
- Playing simple instruments like tambourines
Puzzles and Games
- Working on jigsaw puzzles with larger pieces
- Playing matching games or sorting objects
- Engaging in sensory activities like sand play
Memory-Based Activities
- Sorting photos or creating a scrapbook
- Recalling stories about favorite places or events
- Watching old movies or TV shows together
How FeatherStone at Hickory Hill Can Help
At FeatherStone at Hickory Hill, we prioritize creating spaces and opportunities for families to engage in meaningful activities. Our memory care programs in Iowa City are designed to support individuals with dementia while encouraging connections with their families and friends.
From group activities to personalized care plans, we provide tools and guidance to make these moments as enriching and stress-free as possible. Whether it’s through creative projects, music programs or sensory activities, our team members are here to help families strengthen their bonds.
Making the Most of Your Time Together
Spending time doing hobbies with your parent with dementia is about more than the activity itself—it’s about creating a sense of presence and connection. Even simple activities can lead to moments of joy that you’ll both cherish.
If you’d like to learn more about how FeatherStone at Hickory Hill’s memory care programs in Iowa City support families, we invite you to connect with a member of our team. Together, we can create an environment where these moments of connection thrive, helping your parent feel loved and supported every step of the way.
