99 Activities to Do with a Person with Dementia

Finding an activity for a person living with dementia does not need to mean planning a large project. Familiar, flexible activities can offer a comfortable way to spend time together when they match the person’s interests, abilities, and energy that day.

This page is home to our comprehensive guide of 99 activity ideas. The 12 examples below provide a useful starting point, while the subscriber guide offers the complete collection.

Choose an activity that fits the person

Start with hobbies, household roles, music, and routines the person has enjoyed before. The Alzheimer’s Association recommends focusing on enjoyment rather than achievement, breaking activities into manageable steps, and adjusting them as abilities change.

• Offer one or two choices instead of a long list.
• Prepare materials in advance and demonstrate the first step if helpful.
• Notice the time of day when the person is usually most comfortable and alert.
• Pause or switch activities if the person seems tired, frustrated, anxious, or uninterested.

Quiet and creative activities

1. Sort familiar photographs. Look through a small group of photos and invite conversation without testing names or dates.
2. Arrange flowers. Use sturdy, non-toxic flowers and an unbreakable container; offer help with trimming if sharp tools are involved.
3. Make a simple collage. Pre-cut pictures around a favorite theme, then let the person choose where to place them.
4. Fold towels or match socks. Keep the task relaxed and treat participation—not a perfect result—as the goal.

Music and gentle movement

5. Create a familiar playlist. Choose songs connected with the person’s preferences and watch for signs that the volume or selection is uncomfortable.
6. Sing or tap along. Use clapping, a soft shaker, or table tapping so the activity can be adapted for seated participation.
7. Try a short walk. Choose a familiar, uncluttered route and provide the level of mobility support and supervision the person normally needs.
8. Roll or toss a soft ball. Sit facing one another and shorten the distance to match vision, balance, and coordination.

Everyday and outdoor activities

9. Water plants. Use a lightweight container and a small number of plants so the steps stay clear.
10. Set the table together. Lay out only the items needed and invite the person to complete one familiar step at a time.
11. Prepare a simple snack. Choose a task appropriate to the person’s abilities and account for dietary, swallowing, heat, and sharp-tool risks.
12. Sit outdoors and notice the surroundings. A porch, garden, or shaded window can support a brief conversation about birds, weather, colors, or sounds without requiring a strenuous outing.

Adapt activities for safety and comfort

There is no single activity that suits every person or every stage of dementia. Simplify the steps, reduce distractions, allow extra time, and offer encouragement without correcting the person. If an activity involves food, heat, tools, walking, water, or outdoor access, use supervision appropriate to the person’s current abilities and follow guidance from their care team.

Explore more dementia activity guides

• Begin with 10 quick dementia activity ideas to try today.
• Find 25 dementia activities designed for home.
• Browse activity ideas for the early stages of dementia.
• See adaptable activities for middle-stage dementia.

Get the complete list: Subscribe to access our complimentary guide with all 99 activities.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association guidance on planning activities.