19 Jul 5 Activities For Cargivers And Their Patients
As a caregiver for a hospice patient, you want to make sure that your patient or loved one is able to enjoy this time of life as much as possible. Fun activities can help distract a person from unpleasant medical procedures or troubling physical symptoms, as well as the pains of boredom and loneliness. Finding activities can be a challenge, however, especially if a patient has limited mobility, intellectual disability, or other exceptionalities. Here are five ideas for activities that can help caregivers and patients vary their days and fill their time with meaning.
Get Some Fresh Air
If the patient’s mobility allows for an outing take them outdoors for some fresh air. Even a walk around the grounds can boost their mood considerably. If the patient is wheelchair bound, stroll them around the facility for a change of scenery. Any break from the monotony of the same view will be a highly welcomed change.
Color Simple Pictures
Adult coloring books are a trend for lots of important reasons. Coloring is an easy way to express creativity and reduce stress. Depending on your patient’s dexterity, you might need to make accommodations so that they can color. Bigger crayons and simpler designs might be better for some people than the sophisticated artwork featured in many adult coloring books.
Enjoy A Patient’s Favorite Music
Music can certainly lift a person’s spirits when they are suffering. If you can, play their favorite songs. If your patient cannot communicate well enough to tell you their favorite tunes, you might try playing music that was popular during the era of their youth. Make a note of songs your patient responds to strongly, and play those again at other times.
Call On A Higher Power
Depending on your patient’s religious beliefs and background, they might appreciate you facilitating their spiritual practice. You might help them pray the rosary or meditate, for example. If your facility has an interfaith chapel or other similar space on site, your patient might enjoy visiting a peaceful environment while gathering strength from their faith. Of course, your patient’s wishes should always come first in sensitive and personal matters such as religion.
Read Favorite Stories Aloud
Another activity idea is to read aloud to your patient. This activity provides important human connection but is extremely relaxing. If you can, find out what books your patient would like to hear, or read them a work by a favorite author or a book from their favorite genre. This is often especially welcomed by individuals whose sight has deteriorated and they can no longer read independently. If your patient cannot tell you what books they would like to hear, you might try reading classic literature or even works of children’s fiction. Even just hearing another person’s voice can be soothing and reassuring.
When a patient’s days are full of meaningful activities, they can experience a peaceful and restful transition. Caregivers provide for a patient’s body and spirit, and they do some of the most important work that there is.