DAILY CARE ROUTINE ACTIVITIES PLAN - "COACH BROYLES' PLAYBOOK"

Tackles the challenges of care-giving with this free football style "playbook" by Frank Broyles, former Athletic Director of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The Playbook is an engaging, how-to guide written for those who care for someone with Alzheimer's. Coach Broyles cared for his late wife Barbara, who had Alzheimer's disease. The Playbook is his personal perspective on care-giving.

DAILY CARE
As Alzheimer's disease progresses, the abilities of a person with dementia will change. As a caregiver, you can adapt a daily routine to support these changes with some creativity, flexibility and problem solving. The information in this section will help you do just that.

ACTIVITIES
 Introduction
 Focus On The Person
 Choosing The Activitiy
 Your Approach
 Create A Supportive Place
 Planning Of The Day
 More Information

Introduction
For the person with Alzheimer's, activities structure the time. Activities also can enhance a person's sense of dignity and self-esteem by giving purpose and meaning to his or her life.
Planning activities should focus on the:
• Person
• Activity
• Approach
• Place

Focus on the person
Activities should be appropriate to the person and reflect his or her interests.
• Keep the person's skills and abilities in mind
• Pay special attention to what the person enjoys
• Consider if the person begins activities without direction
• Be aware of physical problems
Choosing an activity
Well-planned activities can improve the quality of life of those with dementia.
• Focus on enjoyment, not achievement
• Encourage involvement in daily life
• Relate to past work life
• Look for favourites
• Change activities as needed
• Consider the time of day
• Adjust activities to stages of the disease

Your approach
Your approach to activities can bring meaning, purpose joy and hope to the person's life.
• Offer support and supervision
• Concentrate on the process, not the result
• Be flexible and patient
• Be realistic and relaxed
• Help get the activity started
• Break activities into simple, easy-to-follow steps
• Assist with difficult parts of the task
• Let the individual know he or she is needed
• Stress a sense of purpose
• Don't criticize or correct the person
• Encourage self-expression
Create a supportive place for the activity
Create a safe, comfortable and supportive environment for activities.
• Make activities safe
• Change your surroundings to encourage activities
• Minimize distractions that can frighten or confuse the person

Planning the day
A planned day allows you to spend less time and energy trying to figure out what to do from moment to moment. To pick activities and organize the day for the person, think about:
• What activities worked best and which didn't? Why?
• Were there times when there was too much going on or to little to do?
• Were spontaneous activities enjoyable and easily completed?
• Was the person bored or distracted? Is it time to introduce a new activity?

Example of a daily plan:
Morning
• Wash, brush teeth, get dressed
• Prepare and eat breakfast
• Discuss the newspaper or reminisce about old photos
• Take a break, have some quiet time
Afternoon
• Prepare and eat lunch, read mail, wash dishes
• Listen to music or do a crossword puzzle
• Take a walk
Evening
• Prepare and eat dinner
• Play cards, watch a movie or give a massage
• Take a bath, get ready for bed

(Source : "Coach Broyles Playbook" by Frank Broyles - http://www.alz.org/living_withalzheimers_caring_for_alzheimers.esp)