Have a Sensational October: How & Why to Engage Those Senses

October has a way of reminding us to slow down and rest. The days are shorter, the air is crisper, the colors of autumn are vibrant and inviting. October has so much to offer our senses, yet many of us get caught up in the pre-holiday rush. While we could all use the reminder to slow down and engage our senses, sensory engagement is especially effective for older adults, and more specifically, older adults with cognitive impairment.

So what is sensory engagement? At its core, sensory engagement is the practice of using a variety of materials and activities that stimulate the five senses: touch, smell, sight, hearing, and taste. So often as we grow older, our senses decline. We have difficulty hearing or seeing, arthritis makes it difficult to use our fingers, and our taste buds dull. However, if we take time to exercise our senses, we can sharpen them.

Studies have shown that sensory engagement can help those living with memory loss. Sensory engagement encourages memories and responses from someone living with dementia. Sensory engagement helps orient the day of a person living with dementia. It also adds variety to their day and can help evoke memories.

This October awaken the senses of your aging loved one and have a sensational October with a few of the ideas below. Many of these ideas can be combined, so that multiple senses are engaged at one time.

Sight
Take time to get outdoors with your loved one this October. This could be as simple as taking a walk around the neighborhood or along a paved trail at a park. If your loved one can’t walk steadily, then take them for a fall foliage drive, or bring a few leaves indoors for them to study. As you look around you, observe as many details as you can. What color is the sky today and what color are the leaves on the trees? Are the birds out today or do you see any squirrels looking for nuts? So often, we rush on to get to the next activity, even when we are on a fall walk. Force yourself and your loved one to slow down and really see what’s going on around you. And as you slow down, reminisce with your loved one about favorite fall activities.

Smell
October has so many wonderful smells! From pumpkin spice to the crisp air outdoors, there’s a distinct smell to the month. Brew your loved one a cup of pumpkin spice coffee or stop by a local coffee shop for their take on a pumpkin spice latte. Before you taste the drink, stop to smell the aroma. Let it wash over you before you sip. Then, talk about the memories the smell evokes for your loved one. Reminisce about pumpkin carving or baking pumpkin pies.

Taste
There’s a lot to taste this time of year, from apple donuts to apple cider. Take your loved one to an apple orchard and engage their sense of taste. Try tasting a variety of apples before indulging in apple donuts. Sip hot or cold apple cider. Encourage your loved one to describe the different tastes and textures of the apple orchard. Are any of the apples more sweet or bitter than the others? Do they have a favorite apple variety? Does hot apple cider taste differently than cold apple cider? Then, use the opportunity to reminisce about apple orchards and apple picking. If your loved one is unable to go out to the apple orchard, bring apples to them.

Touch
Pumpkin carving is a feast for the senses, especially the sense of touch. Purchase a pumpkin and take time to carve it with your loved one. Hide the pumpkin in a large bag before presenting it to your loved one. Ask them to close their eyes and then put the pumpkin on the table, in the reach of your loved one. Take their hands and place it on the pumpkin and ask them to describe what they feel. Once they’ve figured out it’s a pumpkin, open it up and scoop out the insides with your loved one. Take time to notice the different textures of the pumpkin goop. Have your loved one separate the seeds from the goop. Then, draw a face and carve it together. This is a great activity to reminisce with your loved one about pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating.

Sound
Finally, pause with your loved one to listen to the sounds of fall. Sit your loved one outside on the patio or front porch. Ask them to close their eyes and listen. As they listen, ask them to tell you what they hear. Are there children running home from the bus stop? Can they hear the wind as it blows? Are the birds out singing today or do they hear other animals scurrying along? Is the neighbor raking leaves or mowing the grass today? Try to listen for fifteen minutes. Afterwards, reminisce with your loved one about the familiar sounds of fall—football games, Homecoming, Halloween, fall nature walks—what do each of these activities sound like?

For some, autumn is a much-anticipated season. Fall means that the heat and humidity of summer is finally ending, and the holiday season will soon be upon them. For others, autumn is a season that initiates feelings of sadness and loneliness. As the days grow shorter, some feel pushed aside as their families grow busier with school related and other extracurricular activities. Fortunately, at Visiting Angels Fort Worth, we understand the busyness of this season and we have Angels ready to step in where your aging loved one needs help. Whether your loved one needs help running errands, assistance with bathing or dressing, or you are looking for a companion to keep your loved one company when you cannot, you can depend on us. Our team would be honored to work with you. Please give us a call today so that we can learn more about your situation.