G. ACTIVITIES FOR RESIDENTS WITH ALZHEIMER OR OTHER TYPES OF DEMENTIA
The key to appropriate programming for residents with dementia is to link them with their former lives. The activity director should identity these residents’ interests and activities they had before they developed the disabling condition, then adapt the interests to the activity. For example, a resident liked to bake apple pies. When the pie-baking resident entered the facility, she had the apple pie recipe and could help other residents make the apple pie. Later on, as the dementia progressed, she could hold the recipe, and give some instructions as other residents made the apple pie. Still later, she could smell the cinnamon and apples as she watched the pie being made.

Excerpt from Supplemental Module # 9: A Quality Activity Program Indicates a Quality of Life for All Residents, Pre-publication Edition I, which I am currently making editing corrections on for Margaret.