Activity 3

1. Who 

  Older adults with mild to moderate dementia

2. The need 

The primary need that was discussed through my conversations with the folks at the Sanders-Brown Center was for cognitive stimulation for adults with dementia with the goal of maintaining functioning for as long as possible. Another need that was highlighted was for social interaction to decrease feelings of isolation that were increased by the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. What 

The main purpose of this activity is to demonstrate how to construct simple, easy to use instruments from materials commonly found around the home. After giving a demonstration of how to create the instrument, then I will show how the instrument can function in action when playing to music. Using music that is familiar to older adults, I will model how care partners can play and/or sing with the older adult and cue them to play the instrument on the target word. Additionally, I will model other activities that could use the homemade instrument such as copying rhythms, and playing and singing to familiar songs.

4. SEL/UDL Techniques 

• Multiple means of representation - giving verbal instructions for the activities while modeling them visually

• Social awareness and relationship skills - offering older adults the opportunity to interact with care partners through music

5. How 

   • • Introduce the activity by explaining that I will be modeling how to create instruments using materials that you can find around the house.

     • To make the shakers, pour beans/seeds into a plastic cup.

     • Tape a second plastic cup on top of the first one. Now you have a shaker!

     • For the spoons, put two plastic spoons back to back. Tape them together with masking tape around the very bottom of the handles. 

     • Take another piece of masking tape and roll it into a ball. Place it in between the spoons as a spacer, change the position of the tape until you get the sound you want.

     • The spoons are played by hitting against the leg and then hitting against the hand.

     • For the drum,  just turn a bucket over and hit it with the handle of a wooden spoon.

     • Once all instruments have been demonstrated, give the direction that now we will listen for a specific word of a song,  and play our instruments only on that word.

Example: During the song  "Getting to Know You," only play on the word "you."

5. • • Play through the song, offering visual and auditory cues on the target word

     • Introduce another song, instructing participants to play their instruments however they want.

     • Conclude the session by congratulating participants on their creativity and exercising their brains.

6. Materials 

Guitar

Spoons -

• Plastic spoons

• Masking tape

Shakers -

• Plastic cups

• Clear tape

• Mason jar

• Seeds/dry beans

Bucket drum

• Bucket

• Wooden spoon/stick