People with dementia often "fidget". They may scratch, pick at their skin, pull at their hair, obsessively smooth and rumple clothing, etc. They keep their hands moving all the time, and sometimes that can lead to self-injury.
To alleviate dementia fidgeting, provide a few common items for them to handle. You don't have to force these into their hands, just leave them around the house in places where they are convenient to access. Here are some helpful (and some are strange) items that can help soothe dementia patients with a habit of fidgeting or picking:
- Stress balls (the squeezable foam type)
- Small Rubix cube
- Clickable ink pens
- Clickable flashlight or pen light
- Small Slinky
- Wooden bead strands
- Magazines or books with large print and lots of photos
- Large rubber bands (like those you find on produce)
- Lotion
- Lip balm
- Game pieces such as dominoes and dice than can be stacked or arranged in patterns
- Pen and paper for doodling/scribbling
- Heavy paper that can be folded and unfolded
- Containers such as Tic-Tac or Altoids boxes that can be opened and closed.
- Hand exercisers
- Silly putty or something else stretchable
When you are going out for the day, place a few items in your loved one's coat pocket, purse, bag, etc. to help with nervous dementia fidgeting. Always keep your loved one's safety in mind--don't give them anything that could cause an injury.
Otherwise, keep your eyes open all the time for little items you can stash around the house or in your bag that might help keep their hands busy, and away from harmful skin picking.
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photo courtesy morguefile.com
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