Dementia Aware Activities That Actually Work

Why does someone with dementia symptoms stop doing activities they used to love? It's one of the most common questions family caregivers and memory care professionals ask — and the answer isn't loss of interest. It's a loss of the brain's ability to process and participate. In this episode of Port of Call, Laura Wayman, the Dementia Whisperer, and Jocelyn Ives, certified life coach for dementia caregivers, sit down with Ju Tu, CEO and founder of Aegeliss, and Giulia Benvenuto, Community and Partnerships Manager, to explore dementia-aware activities that actually create engagement, connection, and joy. Ju shares how her family's caregiving experience with her grandfather revealed a gap in the market: almost no dignified, adult-appropriate, dementia-inclusive activities exist. Most options are infantilizing, too complex, or require so much caregiver assistance that the caregiver ends up doing the activity. Aegeliss designs adaptive puzzles, matching activities, and visual aids that meet people where they are — at home and in memory care communities. This episode answers important caregiver questions like: Why won't my loved one with dementia do activities anymore? Why don't group activities work for people with dementia symptoms? What are good activities for someone with dementia at home? What makes an activity "dementia aware" or dementia friendly? How do you invite someone with dementia symptoms into an activity without causing anxiety? How can meaningful activities reduce caregiver stress and burnout? You'll learn: Why loss of executive function — not lack of interest — is behind activity refusal How to shift the goal from "checking a box" to creating moments of joy Why positive action statements work better than questions How adaptive puzzles and matching activities meet people at any cognitive level How visual aids, door signs, and routine labels support independence at home Why caregiver confidence ripples out to stronger relationships and better staff retention in senior living This conversation is for family caregivers, professional caregivers, activity directors, memory care and senior living staff, and anyone supporting a loved one with dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or cognitive decline. If you've ever walked away from a failed activity feeling helpless, or caught yourself thinking "there's nothing they can do anymore," this episode will change how you think about engagement. Explore Aegeliss's dementia-inclusive activities and visual aids: https://aegeliss.com Take Laura's free Dementia Aware Self-Assessment: https://assessment.laurawayman.com Join our support group:   / 2138455819816838   Follow for more dementia caregiver support, dementia education, emotional resilience tools, and real conversations about caregiving. laurawayman.com/podcast