Outdoor Activities with Alzheimer’s
Now that Mom has Alzheimer’s disease, I have noticed she doesn’t go outside as often as she used to. When I was growing up, I always remember Mom working in the yard and spending a lot of time outdoors.
I thought when Mom moved in with us, she would enjoy being outside in our spacious, secluded yard. We also have a deck and a porch with comfortable seating so she could sit and enjoy watching the wildlife. Instead, she spends most of her day sitting in her room with her blinds and heavy draperies drawn. Even though our house sits about a quarter of a mile from the road, she is leery of people snooping around and peeping in the windows.
When Mom does venture outside, she is out for a purpose, an important job that needs to be done. She usually will only go when someone is home (for that I am grateful, in case she were to fall or maybe wander off). She likes to go out and brush off the leaves and dirt on her car and pick up sticks. We have a lot of big trees in our yard, so there are always sticks for her to pick up. She is always very proud of the pile she collects.
A recent outdoor activity that Mom enjoys is picking some of the wild berries that grow on our property. The black raspberries are just now getting ripe enough to pick. Yesterday, she joined my 13-year-old son and I when we went berry picking. We left the ones that were easiest to get to for her, and she was quite excited to find them. Tomorrow morning, my son is planning on going with Mom to get some more. She is really looking forward to it.
Even though Mom doesn’t like to sit outside to relax, I’m happy that at least she enjoys “working” outside when we are home. It really lifts her spirits to get out and to do something purposeful.
