Research Defines Meaningful Activity for People with Alzheimer's Disease

A study in Aging and Mental Health found persons with Alzheimer's disease prefer participating in familiar activities that are emotionally meaningful rather than task-oriented, reports Medical Xpress . "They want to be around people who make them feel good, that they have connections with, and they want to continue to participate in activities that they did prior to their diagnosis — things that are familiar to them, are comfortable, and that are within the scope of their abilities," said the University of Alberta's Linzy Bohn. She noted the viewpoint of persons with Alzheimer's has for the most part been excluded from research because of the misconception that they are unlikely or unable to provide accurate or reliable information. The researchers learned participants with Alzheimer's were the same chronological age as adults 75 years and older, yet possessed a similar time perspective to young-old adults who were about two decades younger. Meeting new people and learning new skills were the least important factors to people with Alzheimer's in deciding what activities to pursue. These findings have ramifications for activities that care communities should offer. "Individuals with Alzheimer's disease are not much different from their healthy peers, and their perception of what is a meaningful activity is actually a continuation of what you would see in normal aging," Bohn concluded.