We love jigsaw puzzles. As my mother's abilities have declined, I have replaced the more complicated puzzles with ever simpler ones: 500-piece, down to 300, 100, and even less.
These puzzles keep Mom focused and busy. That means she stays out of the way when I'm cooking. And if I want to sit down to read for a while, I can keep her happy with a puzzle.
I order them from Puzzle Warehouse. These are a few of the brands/styles that work best for us.
- Cobble Hill "tray" puzzles: The border is already done and the finished picture is printed in black and white to help with placement of pieces. 35 pieces. These are our favorite right now.
- Mind Start puzzles: Designed especially for dementia patients, featuring age-appropriate themes and large puzzles pieces. Either 63 or 24 pieces.
- Springbok 36 Piece Alzheimer's Jigsaw Puzzles : Beautiful images with super large puzzle pieces.
Children's puzzles can also work if they have these features: small number of pieces, clear image, large pieces.
We have a table dedicated to puzzles that is always set up. It's in the living room, in the middle of the action, so Mom doesn't feel like she's missing out. And she's likely to notice that there is a puzzle to do when walking around. Caregivers can join in, making it a social activity, but with these simpler puzzles, Mom can do it by herself. She is usually very satisfied when she finishes and will often show off her accomplishment.
My mother used to have other hobbies that she could do quietly such as needlepoint and coloring, but those have all fallen away and it's just puzzles now. She is an avid walker, so she gets plenty of physical activity, but that's another topic.