Alzheimer Society of Ireland – Activity Packs

Description

The activity packs from the Alzheimer Society of Ireland are designed to support Cognitive Stimulation ensuring people as they age to keep their brains active and to instigate chat – this is particularly important for people living with dementia but is important for everyone.

The packs are distributed monthly to all the care staff of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland including its 57 Day Centres. It is also distributed to HSE staff working in older person services, to nursing homes across the country and to individuals who sign up to receive them.

Each pack consists of 30-40 pages featuring a variety of activities centred around a specific theme, such as “Tea Day,” “Christmas,” or “Spring.” The opening page of each pack reflects the theme of the month, includes a message to the readers, and is updated monthly to maintain relevance. Additionally, the packs are designed to be user-friendly with consistency and ease of use providing continuity and familiarity for users.

There are two packs designed and distributed each month:

Pack 1 is designed for individuals in the earlier stages of dementia or those who can engage independently.

Pack 2, on the other hand, is tailored for individuals in mid to later stages of dementia who may require assistance with activities or have difficulty with word and number puzzles. To ensure accessibility and inclusivity, all images, games, and pictures in the packs are sourced from websites with free-to-use content, thereby avoiding any copyright issues.

Activities can include:

• Colouring pages

• Crafts

• Recipes – no more than 5 ingredients

• Wordsearches

• Crosswords

• Sudoku

• Word jumbles

• Spot the difference images

• Music: song lyrics, lists of number 1 hits throughout the ages etc.

• Relaxation: Meditation scripts (mindfulness, calmness, etc.)

• Movement: simple exercise/yoga instruction

• Short Stories

• Poems

• Reminiscence: Nostalgic texts/stories/photography

Since January of this year the packs are also now accompanied by a craft video – each month there is a new craft to make, and they are brought through it step by step.

Aim of Initiative

The aim of the initiative was to support people living with dementia by helping them stay mentally and emotionally engaged during the isolation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognising that routine, stimulation, and connection are essential to wellbeing, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland created dementia-friendly activity packs. Importantly, the packs also serve a dual purpose. They give families and carers valuable insights into what their loved one enjoys and responds to—be it music, puzzles, or creative expression. This creates opportunities for shared moments and meaningful engagement, strengthening bonds during difficult times.

These carefully curated activity packs became a lifeline for many, offering not just stimulation, but also comfort and familiarity through tailored content. Activities such as word searches, colouring pages, poetry, and simple crafts are selected to suit a wide range of abilities and interests. Each pack is designed with thoughtful attention to both cognitive needs and preferences, ensuring that tasks are accessible and age appropriate.

What began as a response to crisis has grown into an ongoing support system, now reaching people across Ireland and beyond through The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s Virtual Dementia Hub. With monthly updates and evolving content, the activity packs continue to adapt to the needs of those they serve, offering consistent connection, stimulation, and care in a changing world.

Who is it aimed at

While the packs were initially designed for people living with Dementia, they are suitable for and are used by everyone.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Listening to what people needed. The staff involved in the design of these packs had many years of experience working with People living with Dementia and older persons.
2. Ensuring people could receive a hard copy sent out to them if they could not print it themselves.
3. Creating consistency and reliability. Both packs follow a particular formula, so users maintain familiarity with the content.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. COVID-19 created an urgent need for dementia-friendly activity packs, as isolation increased and usual support systems were disrupted. At the same time, it posed a challenge—designing engaging, accessible resources without the usual face-to-face feedback or interaction.
2. Each month presents the creative challenge of crafting fresh, seasonal content that strikes the right balance—age-appropriate, thoughtfully designed, and easy to use without ever feeling childish.
3. Another key challenge is ensuring there is something for everyone—catering to different preferences, whether it is words over numbers, colouring over reading, or poems over songs. Each pack is carefully balanced to offer something most people can genuinely enjoy.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. 100’s of people receive the activity packs each month. Over the last 12 months, more than 2,000 packs have been printed and distributed within the ASI. (We do not have total numbers outside of the organisation)
2. Sometimes when people sign up for the activity packs, it is their first connection to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, and they often go on to receive many other supports.
3. The packs really do make a difference here is a quote from: The Wexford Dementia Alliance “Congratulations and thank you for the wonderful activity packs – they are absolutely brilliant resources for day centres, nursing homes and family carers.”