If you’re supporting someone with memory loss, you may have noticed how certain things, such as the waft of a perfume or the taste of an old-loved treat, can brighten their day.
Often, engaging their senses is a beautiful way to reach them, as you can trigger their memories which may have once been lost.
Engaging their senses, which are sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste, can help them feel more alive and connected.
You can help them engage all their senses with sensory activities, which are wonderfully flexible and easy to customize. Plus, sensory activities have been shown to benefit cognitive function, and reduce anxiety and emotional stress. This helps to improve their mood, and it will help with yours, too!
Sensory Activity Ideas for Remembering the Past
Here are some easy sensory activities for each of the senses. These will get your brain thinking and wanting to try some of your own ideas. As you try different things, you will see what activities create the most enjoyment from the different memories remembered.
If an activity stirs sadness, don’t be discouraged! Sad memories can still be meaningful and healing in their own way. Just be mindful of how the person reacts, and if something feels too painful, it’s okay to leave it out. The goal is to create moments of connection, which can mean moments of happiness or temporary sadness.
Sight – Memories Through the Eyes
The eyes are so precious! They can see beautiful things in the world today, but also see things from the past. One of the easiest things to do if you’re supporting someone with memory loss is to take some time to sit together and flip through old photo albums.
Old pictures or postcards are a great way to spark moments of recognition. Don’t worry if they can’t remember every detail. They might remember some things the next time. You could be getting their memory warmed up! We don’t know what can make things come to light another time.
Another idea is to watch birds from a window or walk through a garden filled with colorful flowers. With the Internet today, you could even take them back to places they’ve visited. Make a cup of tea and watch the landscapes and sceneries unfold all from the comfort of their chair.
Sound – Listening to Echoes From the Past
There’s something magical about the way music can touch our emotions. Have you played happy songs when you’re happy and sad songs when you’re sad? The answer is probably yes, because it is what we do.
Well, that’s what they would have done too! So a favorite song from their younger years can often brighten them up! Just play their favorite tunes and see how they respond, or if you don’t know what they are, play songs from different eras and see what ones make them smile in recognition.
Nature sounds can also be just as powerful. For example, the sound of the ocean, sounds in the forest, crackling fires, children in a playground, a baby’s cry. There are so many sounds that can trigger a memory! If you can’t think of any sounds you would like to play, why not make a little noise together with some musical instruments? Sometimes that activity can be the best kind of fun and might just create new memories.
Touch – Feeling the Present, Touching the Past
Touch is such a simple but meaningful way to connect. A hand massage with a soft, lightly scented lotion can feel so comforting. It’s a great way to show how much you care. For more hands-on fun, try introducing different textures.
For example, an old woolen blanket from the cupboard, or a spanner from the work shed, soil or rocks from the garden, pasta shells from the pantry. One of my favorites is setting up a little sensory box. Think of it as a jewelry box, but fill it with as many different textured objects as you can find, especially any you might find from their past… and keep adding items to it.
Smell – Awakening Memories Through Aroma
Have you ever smelled something and been transported back in time? Perhaps an old flame’s signature scent? Scents are so powerful, especially for someone with memory loss.
You don’t have to use perfumes, you can use all sorts of scents! You only have to walk through a shopping center to think of some scent ideas. There are food and bakery scents, coffee shop scents, often automotive, and aromatherapy stores, you name it, there’s a scent for everything.
If you want to make it more interactive, gather some small jars filled with different scents, such as cinnamon, lavender, fresh herbs, or even a bar of soap they used to use. Let them take their time smelling each one. Sometimes a familiar aroma can spark a memory or just bring a beautiful smile to their face.
Taste – Savoring Sweet Memories
Food has a way of bringing people together, doesn’t it? And for someone with memory loss, familiar flavors can feel super comforting! If you can think of times you have eaten together, where there have been distinct tastes that you yourself can remember, start there.
If you don’t know any, you could ask them if they used to like baking or cooking, and then do something together which might spark some memories. Plus, the process of stirring, tasting, and waiting for something to cook can be as special as eating it.
If cooking isn’t an option, create a little tasting platter with lots of different foods. Offer small bites and talk about what they like or don’t like. Sometimes, a single flavor is all it takes to bring back a beautiful memory.
All these sensory activity ideas might seem simple, but they can have a profound impact on someone with memory loss. Each smile, each spark of recognition, is pure gold.
