One of the most effective ways to support the well-being of older adults with dementia is through carefully chosen activities that stimulate their minds, encourage social interaction, and maintain their physical health.
That’s why I’ve put together an August Activity Calendar specifically for seniors with dementia.
This calendar is not just a list of activities; it’s a tool for family caregivers and professionals alike to create meaningful, enjoyable days for those they care for.
Free Printable Activity Calendar
Activity Calendar For Seniors With Dementia Click Here to Download It!
For Families Caring For
Seniors With Dementia
August 1
Outdoor: Gentle Gardening – Watering potted plants or a small garden area together.
Indoor: Photo Album Reminiscing – Look through old family photo albums and talk about the people and events.
Benefit: Gardening provides gentle physical activity and sensory stimulation, while reminiscing can trigger positive memories and conversations.
August 2
Outdoor: Bird Watching – Sit outside with a bird feeder or listen to bird sounds and try to identify them.
Indoor: Simple Music Sing-Along – Play familiar songs and sing together, or just listen and enjoy.
Benefit: Bird watching engages visual attention, and music can be very calming and elicit positive emotions.
August 3
Outdoor: Bubble Blowing – Blow bubbles and watch them float, and let the person with dementia try as well.
Indoor: Folding Laundry – Fold towels or washcloths together, focusing on simple tasks.
Benefit: Blowing bubbles offers a fun, visual focus, and helping with chores allows for a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
August 4
Outdoor: Nature Walk with Sensory Focus – Take a short walk and encourage touching leaves, smelling flowers, and listening to sounds.
Indoor: Creating a Sensory Box – Fill a box with safe, textured items (soft fabrics, smooth stones, etc.) for exploration.
Benefit: A sensory-focused walk stimulates the senses, and a sensory box can offer calming tactile exploration when needed.
August 5
Outdoor: Picnic in the Backyard – Have a simple meal outside, even if it’s just snacks.
Indoor: Looking at Old Postcards – Read and discuss any old postcards you have collected from travels or loved ones.
Benefit: Enjoying the fresh air and eating together can improve mood, and postcards can spark discussions about past experiences and happy memories.
August 6
Outdoor: Sitting in the Shade – Find a comfortable spot to relax and enjoy the breeze, with or without conversation.
Indoor: Simple Art Project – Use large crayons or markers to draw or color together.
Benefit: Quiet time outdoors offers relaxation, and creating art provides sensory stimulation and encourages self-expression.
August 7
Outdoor: Looking at the Sky – Lay on a blanket and look at the clouds and talk about the shapes you see.
Indoor: Reading Poetry – Read short, simple poems together, or just listen to the rhythm of the words.
Benefit: Sky gazing is calming and encourages visual imagination, and poetry provides simple, beautiful auditory stimulation and a shared experience.
August 8
Outdoor: Listening to Wind Chimes – Hang a wind chime and listen to the calming sounds outside.
Indoor: Playing a Matching Game – Use large pictures or simple objects for a matching game.
Benefit: The gentle sounds of a wind chime are relaxing, and matching games keep the brain active.
August 9
Outdoor: Chalk Art on the Sidewalk – Draw simple shapes or pictures together with sidewalk chalk.
Indoor: Looking at Magazines – Look through magazines with big pictures and talk about the people, places, or items you see.
Benefit: Chalk art is a creative and fun, and browsing magazines provides simple visual stimulation and talking points.
August 10
Outdoor: Gentle Walking on a Path – Walk very slowly and focus on the environment around you.
Indoor: Gentle Stretching – Do some gentle stretching exercises, focusing on comfort and mobility.
Benefit: Gentle walking promotes physical well-being, and stretching maintains mobility and can ease muscle tension.
August 11
Outdoor: Water Play – Use a hose or sprinkler to water the garden or cool off, focusing on the sensory experience.
Indoor: Simple Baking – Mix simple ingredients for cookies or other easy-to-bake treats and enjoy the sensory experience of the dough.
Benefit: Water play is refreshing and provides sensory enjoyment, and baking together provides sensory input and can create a sense of shared accomplishment.
August 12
Outdoor: Visiting a Local Park – Even a short visit can provide a change of scenery.
Indoor: Listening to Nature Sounds – Play a recording of nature sounds, like rain or ocean waves.
Benefit: A change of scenery can be uplifting, and nature sounds are calming and can reduce anxiety.
August 13
Outdoor: Gather Flowers – Collect flowers from the yard and arrange them in a vase.
Indoor: Looking at Old Recipes – Look at old recipes and reminisce about favorite foods and meals.
Benefit: Arranging flowers offers gentle fine motor activity, and looking at old recipes can spark memories and stories about mealtime traditions.
August 14
Outdoor: Sitting on a Porch or Patio – Relax outdoors and chat or simply enjoy the quiet time together.
Indoor: Looking at Old Maps – Look at maps of places visited or areas that hold significance.
Benefit: Outdoor relaxation can boost mood, and looking at maps can prompt memories of past travels and experiences.
August 15
Outdoor: Playing with a Pet – If safe, spend time outside with a family pet.
Indoor: Gentle Hand Massage – Apply lotion and give a simple hand massage for relaxation.
Benefit: Pet interaction can be emotionally soothing, and a gentle hand massage is calming and can improve circulation.
August 16
Outdoor: Cloud Gazing – Lay a blanket in the grass and look at the shapes of the clouds.
Indoor: Listening to Old Radio Shows – Listen to old radio programs or stories that are familiar.
Benefit: Cloud gazing sparks imagination, and listening to old radio shows can provide a link to the past and evoke pleasant memories.
August 17
Outdoor: Walk around the yard – Simply stroll around the yard, enjoying the sights and smells.
Indoor: Sorting Objects – Sort colorful buttons, blocks, or other simple objects.
Benefit: Walking promotes gentle exercise, and sorting is a simple cognitive activity that can provide a sense of purpose.
August 18
Outdoor: Watering the garden – Use a watering can to gently water the plants.
Indoor: Playing with a Stuffed Animal – Hold and interact with a favorite stuffed animal.
Benefit: Watering plants allows for gentle physical movement, and holding a stuffed animal provides comfort and can reduce anxiety.
August 19
Outdoor: Looking at a Bird Bath – Spend time watching birds near the bird bath.
Indoor: Simple Puzzle – Work on a large-piece puzzle that is easy to see and handle.
Benefit: Bird watching is visually stimulating, and puzzles provide a manageable cognitive activity.
August 20
Outdoor: Drawing with Sticks in the Dirt – Draw simple lines and shapes with sticks in the soil.
Indoor: Playing Simple Card Games – Play games like Go Fish or War with large print playing cards.
Benefit: Drawing with sticks in the dirt is tactile and creative, and simple card games engage cognitive skills in a manageable way.
August 21
Outdoor: Picking a few herbs from the garden – If available, lightly pick herbs and smell them.
Indoor: Looking at an old yearbook – Open up an old yearbook and reminisce about school.
Benefit: Harvesting herbs provides gentle physical and sensory stimulation, and looking at an old yearbook can spark positive memories of the past.
August 22
Outdoor: Sitting under a shade tree – Relax outside under the shade and listen to the sounds around you.
Indoor: Simple Ball Toss – Toss a soft ball or balloon back and forth.
Benefit: Relaxing under a tree is calming, and a simple ball toss encourages movement and coordination.
August 23
Outdoor: Watching Butterflies or Bees – Observe pollinators in the garden.
Indoor: Listening to Audiobooks – Choose easy, enjoyable stories to listen to together.
Benefit: Watching pollinators engages visual attention, and listening to audiobooks provides gentle entertainment and mental stimulation.
August 24
Outdoor: Listening to the sounds of nature – Close your eyes and listen to all the nature sounds.
Indoor: Stringing Beads – String large beads or pasta onto a string.
Benefit: Listening to nature is calming, and stringing beads is good for hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
August 25
Outdoor: Gentle exercise – Do some gentle chair exercises outside on the porch or patio.
Indoor: Using a coloring book – Color simple pictures with large crayons.
Benefit: Gentle exercise promotes physical well-being, and coloring is calming and creatively engaging.
August 26
Outdoor: Collecting leaves – Pick up a few fallen leaves and look at their shapes and textures.
Indoor: Looking at Fabric Swatches – Feel and look at different colors and textures of fabric swatches.
Benefit: Collecting leaves offers gentle physical activity and a connection to nature, and fabric swatches provide tactile and sensory stimulation.
August 27
Outdoor: Sitting in a swing – Gently swing while listening to the nature around you.
Indoor: Play with a puzzle – Try a simple puzzle like a knob puzzle.
Benefit: Swinging offers a calming, repetitive motion, and a knob puzzle is mentally engaging and good for fine motor skills.
August 28
Outdoor: Listening to a water feature – Enjoy the calming sounds of water.
Indoor: Looking at family photo cards – Go through flash cards of loved ones and talk about them.
Benefit: Water sounds are very soothing and can lower anxiety, and talking about family members is good for memory and connection.
August 29
Outdoor: Building a Birdhouse – If able, work together to make a simple birdhouse.
Indoor: Looking at travel brochures – Look through brochures and talk about vacation memories.
Benefit: Building a birdhouse offers a simple craft, and travel brochures can spark conversations about past adventures.
August 30
Outdoor: Decorating the sidewalk with leaves and flowers – Create a nature collage on the ground.
Indoor: Gentle stretching exercises – Practice some slow and gentle stretches from a chair.
Benefit: Decorating with natural items provides sensory engagement, and stretching from a chair helps maintain mobility and reduce tension.
August 31
Outdoor: Enjoying the sunset – Find a comfortable place to watch the sunset.
Indoor: Enjoy a favorite snack with a calming drink – Enjoy a favorite snack or treat with some tea.
Benefit: Watching a sunset can provide a sense of peace and wonder, and enjoying a treat can bring comfort and calm.
Having an idea of activities to do each day can help to keep you busy with activities, especially if you are home caring for a senior loved one.
I do hope that these ideas inspire you to have a wonderful August!
