How somebody spends their time has a huge impact on how they feel. This includes how they see themselves and how satisfied they feel that they are living life in the way they want to. Feeling happy with life may not mean feeling occupied every moment, but that the things that people do have a personal meaning to them. This is just as true for somebody living with dementia as for those without it.

In the UK, guidance from NICE advises that it is important for people with dementia to be offered opportunities to participate in meaningful activity. However, when thinking of activities for people living with dementia, all too often tasks or games are envisaged. These may well hold a great deal of value but other, less organised things, such as sitting in silent companionship or helping with practical tasks like laundry, might also have great value for someone.

Dr Katherine Strick, building on her PhD research and in collaboration with trainers and care home staff, has created a set of free resources to help care staff think about why they support activities, and if there is anything else that can be done to ensure that they are meeting the needs of people living with dementia.  Instead of focusing on what different types of activities can be used, these resources encourage thought about the purpose of engagement. They look at the way in which someone is occupied makes them feel and the desired effect of different activities and occupations. If care staff, and the people they are hoping to support, are trying to achieve different things this can lead to conflict and frustration. It is important to reflect on why people do the things they do, and how they feel, in order to find a fruitful and satisfying path to tread together.

The workbook is divided into different sections.  Firstly, it looks at the different reasons that someone may do an activity, and what they hope to get out of it.  It then introduces four different characters to help reflection on how someone might prioritise different activities and impacts. It considers what outcomes people with a different worldview might hope to achieve, and how this effects if they see an activity as successful. The final part gives readers a chance to think about their own worldview, and the activity outcomes that they value.

The supporting ideas cards offer a selection of engagement and activity ideas linked to different features of meaningful occupation discussed in the handbook. They are designed to support thinking about the reasons for activities in practice. They can be picked up and put down as needed and contain both quick ideas, for activities that take little planning, and some bigger ideas, for when people have a bit more time.

These resources are introduced in a short video which explains their purpose and how to use them.