Planning for Change With Compassion

Dementia is a journey of change—and with change comes the need to adapt. As cognitive abilities shift, daily activities that once brought joy, focus, or purpose may become confusing or overwhelming. But with thoughtful planning, these activities can still be part of a person’s life—preserved, simplified, and celebrated.

Creating an activity adaption plan allows individuals living with dementia to continue participating in meaningful experiences as their needs evolve. It provides emotional continuity, reduces frustration, and supports identity and legacy throughout every stage of progression.

As a dementia care expert, I’ve worked closely with families, carers, and clinicians to personalise these plans and ensure that legacy, joy, and purpose remain at the heart of daily life.

Why Activity Adaptation Is Essential in Dementia Care

Engaging in familiar activities promotes:

• Cognitive stimulation
• Emotional regulation
• A sense of control and independence
• Maintenance of physical and social skills
• Connection to identity and past accomplishments

An activity adaption plan ensures that as tasks become more difficult, they’re modified rather than removed—preserving dignity and routine.

Resources like Advance Care Planning Australia recommend that activity preferences and lifestyle routines be documented early as part of holistic care planning.

What Is an Activity Adaption Plan?

An activity adaption plan outlines:

• What the person enjoys doing now
• How those activities can be adjusted over time
• Who will support or facilitate the activity
• What sensory, environmental, or cognitive adjustments may be needed
• Legacy elements—how these activities reflect a person’s identity and values

You can store this plan in Evaheld’s secure legacy vault, attach it to an Advance Care Directive, or share it with carers, families, and medical teams.

How to Create a Personalised Activity Adaption Plan

1. Start With What Matters

Ask the person:

• What do you enjoy doing most?
• What makes you feel relaxed or proud?
• Are there any routines you’d like to keep going for as long as possible?
• What brings you spiritual comfort or joy?

Responses can be recorded as part of a legacy letter, video message, or planning document.

2. List Key Activities and Their Emotional Value

For each activity, identify:

• The memory or feeling it evokes
• The skills it uses
• Any challenges that may arise over time

For example, gardening may offer peace and sensory stimulation. Over time, this could be adapted by using smaller raised garden beds, soft-handled tools, or focusing on simple tasks like watering or touching herbs.

3. Plan Adaptations Across Cognitive Stages

As dementia progresses, activities should evolve in a way that maintains engagement and purpose. For example, someone who loves reading might start with books, transition to audiobooks or shared reading, and eventually enjoy listening to short poems or looking at photo books.

Crafting might begin with painting, later become colouring with support, and eventually shift to enjoying tactile materials like fabric swatches or clay. Religious rituals, music, or movement practices can all be gently adapted in similar ways.

These adaptations ensure continued involvement, rather than abrupt removal of beloved routines.

Involving Carers and the Sandwich Generation

Activity adaption plans support carers and the sandwich generation by:

• Reducing guesswork during transitions
• Allowing continuity of routines across home and care environments
• Giving extended family clear ways to contribute
• Preserving emotional wellbeing through proactive support

Plans can be co-created with occupational therapists or memory clinics, and digitally stored with Evaheld for easy access and updates.

Integrating Legacy and Activity

Daily activities often reflect a person’s life story and values. Legacy planning isn’t separate from activities—it’s embedded in them.

You can:

• Include favourite recipes in a legacy cookbook
• Film a gardening tip for grandchildren
• Record short stories while baking or walking
• Preserve artwork, music, or finished projects in a digital vault
• Include rituals or routines in ethical wills

These simple adaptations allow identity, pride, and legacy to remain visible and celebrated.

Supporting Emotional Wellbeing Through Activity

Adapted activities reduce frustration, support communication, and offer a sense of control. One man I worked with loved woodworking.

As his fine motor skills declined, his daughter supported him in sanding small wooden blocks instead of carving. That act of collaboration—simple but meaningful—was later recorded in a family legacy video.

These moments not only provide joy but also reinforce connection, dignity, and calm in daily care.

Resources and Tools

You can use:

• Evaheld’s vault to store and update activity plans
• Nurse Info for guidance on dementia-friendly routines
• Family Legacy Series for storytelling and prompts
• Advance Health Directive tools for planning and documentation

In Summary

Creating activity adaption plans is one of the most loving and practical ways to preserve legacy and emotional stability for someone living with dementia. It acknowledges their identity, honours their preferences, and ensures that connection through activity continues—no matter the stage.

With the help of tools like Evaheld, you can record, adjust, and preserve these meaningful routines so that joy, purpose, and legacy remain part of everyday life.