A Storyboard Can Help Engage Seniors in Enjoyable Activities

For most elderly people there comes a time when some assistance in living is needed. Michigan Senior Care states that help may be needed in something as simple as having someone to do the heavier work required in maintaining a home or things such as mowing the lawn, washing windows, or moving furniture to enable cleaning. For other elderly persons however the needs may be greater and aid may be needed in even the more simple aspects of life such as dressing, bathing, or care of pets.

Whatever the needs of an elderly person may be, it is important to see to it that those providing care are doing things to engage their charge in pleasurable activities on a daily basis. Michigan home care believes that pleasurable daily living begins with knowing who your charge is and what they like to do.

A great first step that a Michigan Care Giver uses in discovering who an elderly person is and what they enjoy is to create a storyboard. Talk to them about their lives and learn about who they are, where they lived, what their fondest memories are and what they enjoy doing. Use pictures on the storyboard to better illustrate the story. Pictures of the elderly person at various stages of their life, pictures from magazines depicting places they have been and activities they have enjoyed, along with captions can magnify the story and put it into real life. Use an area of the storyboard to depict new things the person would like to do or learn. The process has been practiced by Michigan Elder Care and has shown to provide a wonderful walk down memory lane and the person helping to create the board will learn a great deal of information about their charge.

Michigan Home Health Care knows that the storyboard will help one to discover what the elderly person would enjoy and even those with limitations are capable of enjoyable activities. Work on the storyboard while enjoying everyday activities. A trip to a restaurant or to visit a friend or just a drive can be highly beneficial and much appreciated. Those that are more homebound may enjoy puzzles, cards, reading, or having someone to watch a movie with. Those with limitations can even help with some cooking chores, while seated at a table, if that is something they enjoy. By creating an environment of relaxation and enjoyment both a caregiver and a charge can better understand one another and be more open toward each other.

Remember that most people love to talk about themselves and their experiences; that applies to the elderly as well. Just imagine how many stories they have and how much one might learn just from listening.