The benefits of adult colouring for people with dementia

We have briefly mentioned in our past blog posts how helpful adult colouring can be for anyone who needs to relax and practice mindfulness, but did you know it is a great calming tool for people with dementia too?

Colouring is an activity that a person can become engrossed in and they can become so ‘in the zone’ that they forget about any other worries or problems just for a short time. The repetitive nature of colouring can help ease agitation or aggression, which are common symptoms of dementia.

Some experts have likened colouring to meditation as it allows you to ‘switch off’, which can be extremely helpful for people with dementia. It is also great for hand-eye coordination, dexterity and provides an outlet for self-expression.

Colouring is also a very inclusive activity for anyone of any age, perfect if you’re struggling to find an activity for children and grandparents to do together.

Just remember, it’s important to be sensitive to the colouring books/sheets you give a person with dementia as giving them something torn from a child’s colouring book or giving them something too complicated/intricate if they struggle to hold pens and pencils can be demeaning.

Not only can colouring help with focus and concentration, it can help improve mood and in some cases even help with accessing past memories.