When someone you care about is living with dementia, one of the greatest gifts we can offer them is the opportunity to continue experiencing joy, connection, and purpose. While cognitive decline may change how someone engages with others, the condition doesn’t take away the fundamental desire for social connection. This is why purposeful engagement is essential to memory care.
Beyond Activities: Understanding Purposeful Engagement
Keeping someone busy and providing truly purposeful engagement are two very different things. Traditional activity programming may fill time, but purposeful engagement fills lives and enhances well-being and quality of life. This type of engagement recognizes that each person carries a lifetime of experiences, preferences, and abilities that continue to define who they are, even as dementia progresses.
At the heart of the Hearthstone Institute’s I’m Still Here® approach to memory care lies the commitment to seeing the whole person, not just their diagnosis. This person-centered philosophy acknowledges that while cognitive abilities may change, the core identity, emotions, and desire for connection remain. When we focus on this ideology, we create opportunities for meaningful connections and activities.
The Power of Non-Pharmacologic Approaches to Dementia Care
Many individuals diagnosed with a form of dementia experience agitation, aggression, or anxiety. While medication can help, research indicates that non-pharmacologic interventions like the evidence-based I’m Still Here® approach can help reduce these emotions and associated behaviors by increasing self-confidence, significance, and well-being. Here are three ways this unique approach to memory care promotes quality of life and purposeful living:
1. Meaningful Activities
Activities designed with intention can tap into preserved abilities and lifelong interests. For example, former gardeners can arrange flowers or work in raised flower beds and musicians may enjoy listening to their favorite composers or even playing an instrument again. These purposeful tasks can connect to their true selves and spark recognition.
2. Specialized Communication Techniques
How we communicate matters just as much as what we communicate. Using clear, simple language and allowing time for processing can be effective when communicating with someone diagnosed with dementia. Additionally, remember to make eye contact and approach with warmth and respect to ensure they feel heard and understood, helping to reduce frustration and anxiety.
3. Enriched Environment
The physical space in a memory care setting can also play a role in purposeful engagement. Familiar objects, sensory stimulation, clear wayfinding, and comfortable gathering spaces all contribute to reducing confusion and promoting independence within a safe place.
Abe’s Garden Memory Support Center provides residents with specialized residential suites intentionally designed to address their needs. For example, each suite has a built-in cueing wardrobe, an engagement center, a supply cabinet with a reminiscence panel, a motion chair, a window seat, an independence bed, and more.
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The Transformative Power of Choice
One of the most significant shifts in memory care is the emphasis on choice and empowerment. The I’m Still Here® approach creates multiple opportunities throughout each day for individuals to express their preferences—from what activities to join to how they spend their time.
This might seem small, but for individuals who often feel their control slipping away, the ability to make choices:
- Increases feelings of autonomy and dignity
- Reduces anxiety and resistance
- Promotes engagement and participation
- Strengthens sense of self
When someone chooses to attend art therapy, skip morning exercise in favor of a quiet walk, or decide what to have for breakfast, they’re exercising freedom. They’re being recognized as individuals with valid preferences and the right to shape their own experience.
Related blog: 3 Memory Care Options for Your Loved One with Dementia >>
Examples of Tailored Programming that Recognizes Individual Abilities
- Active engagement programs for those with mild cognitive challenges who enjoy complex activities
- Sensory-focused experiences for individuals with more advanced dementia
- One-on-one interactions for those who prefer quieter engagement
- Social gatherings for those who draw energy from group settings
- Creative expression opportunities through art, music, and movement
Socialization remains vital throughout the dementia journey. Structured and spontaneous opportunities for connection help them maintain relationships, form new friendships, and feel part of a community where they’re valued and accepted.
By embracing person-centered, research-based approaches like I’m Still Here®, memory care communities create spaces where individuals aren’t defined by their limitations but celebrated for their continued strengths, interests, and contributions. Each day holds the possibility of a smile, a memory, a moment of pride.
Are You Ready to Explore Memory Care Programs?
Download our free guide to learn about your options and support for your loved one. You’ll explore our unique approach to memory care, the benefits of a memory care setting, and determine if our center is the right fit for your loved one.