The Value of Hobbies in Dementia Care

Hobbies offer more than leisure—they’re anchors to identity, joy, and purpose. For individuals living with dementia, hobbies help sustain emotional wellbeing and connection to others.

As cognitive and physical abilities shift, adapting hobbies ensures continued engagement, while documenting them preserves a powerful legacy.

According to Dementia Australia, maintaining familiar activities can enhance quality of life, delay decline, and reduce behavioural symptoms.

Supporting Hobbies Across Dementia Stages

Early Stage: Minimal Support

Many people can continue their favourite pastimes with light assistance:

• Use checklists or photo guides
• Set up materials in advance
• Encourage journaling or video reflections through Evaheld

Mid Stage: Simplify & Share

As abilities shift:

• Break tasks into steps (e.g., prepare dough vs. baking)
• Use adaptive tools (e.g., ergonomic brushes, larger puzzle pieces)
• Transition into co-engagement with carers and family

Late Stage: Sensory Focus

Prioritise emotional comfort through:

• Music and rhythm-based hobbies
• Texture-rich tasks (e.g., kneading dough, fabric folding)
• Aromatherapy linked to a lifelong interest like gardening or cooking

Turning Hobbies Into Legacy Stories

Each hobby represents a chapter of personal history. Documenting that journey preserves both identity and emotional connection.

Upload:

• Images of completed artwork or collections
• Voice memos explaining the significance of a hobby
• Short videos demonstrating techniques
• Stories prompted by objects or routines

Use Evaheld Legacy Vault to store and privately share these moments with loved ones.

Hobby Documentation Ideas

Gardening

Create a photo album of a beloved garden or record memories tied to seasons, soil, and plants.

Cooking

Document recipes using Family Legacy Series templates and record videos explaining the history behind them.

Music

Record the person singing or playing, even if briefly, or create a playlist of meaningful songs to share on Evaheld.

Art

Scan paintings, sketchbooks, or crafts, and add written or verbal commentary for context.

Legacy Work Through Everyday Activities

Even hobbies that seem simple—like birdwatching, knitting, or storytelling—can become rich with legacy when captured with love.

Resources like the Online Will Blog explore how legacy preservation transforms daily experiences into generational treasures.

Involving Carers and Family

Carers and family members can:

• Assist with setup and clean-up
• Prompt conversations with guided questions
• Photograph or film hobby sessions
• Add commentary or context to uploads

Guidance from Nurse Info and Dementia Support Australia helps carers adapt activities safely and effectively.

Hobby-Based Intergenerational Bonds

The sandwich generation—juggling parents and children—can use legacy hobbies to connect everyone. For instance:

• A grandparent teaching a child a craft on video
• Creating a time-lapse of a joint puzzle or artwork
• Uploading a shared baking session to Evaheld

These moments unite the past, present, and future through shared experience.

Aligning Hobbies With Spiritual and Cultural Identity

Hobbies often reflect deeper values. Document:

• Faith traditions (e.g., crafting holiday decorations)
• Cultural dances, songs, or practices
• Family rituals, like annual fishing trips or Sunday roasts

These can be included in Advance Health Directive preferences or Advance Care Planning Australia discussions, ensuring values are respected through end-of-life care.

Protecting Content With a Digital Backup

Preserve hobby-related legacy content securely:

• Upload to Evaheld Legacy Vault
• Keep a backup copy on a password-protected drive
• Share access with power of attorney or guardians

Online Will Blog and the Evaheld blog both provide checklists for organising and backing up legacy materials.

Emotional Benefits of Hobby Legacy Projects

• Reduces anxiety through familiar routines
• Boosts confidence in retained abilities
• Promotes joy through achievement
• Strengthens connection through shared memories

According to Advance Care Planning Australia, creative routines contribute significantly to overall emotional wellbeing and dignity in care.

Final Thoughts

Hobbies reveal who we are—what we value, create, and love. By adapting them thoughtfully and capturing their meaning, families preserve more than moments—they preserve identity.

Legacy hobby projects are not about perfection. They’re about presence, purpose, and passing something beautiful on.