Dementia
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Pasta Sorting
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Dementia
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Facilitator
Pasta Sorting
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Diversional Therapist, Lifestyle / Activity Staff or Volunteer
Objective of Activity
To provide reminiscence and be enjoyable. To provide meaningful interaction.
Suitable for
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Cognitive Impairment
One to One
Small Groups
Environment
A quiet area, without interruption
Equipment
This activity does not involve actual tasting, but is closely associated with cooking. It has been a hit with
some people from Italian backgrounds.
Various shapes and colours of pasta
Bowls to place pasta into
Preparation
Provide different types of pasta. Select a variety in size, shape and, if possible, colour (e.g. tricolour).
Have each type of pasta in a different storage box.
Or you could mix some of the pastas together, if you want to sort by shape.
Have two extra (transparent) boxes for the actual sorting.
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Dementia
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Pasta Sorting
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Activity Instructions
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Place the boxes in front of the person.
Present the first type of pasta to the person. Let them have a look and feel. Indicate to the person
which box this particular shape should go into.
Show the other type of pasta to the person. Let them see and touch it. Indicate to the person where
this particular shape should go.
Hand a piece of pasta to the person, and invite them to put it in the associated box.
Continue with more pasta.
More Simple
More Complex
You may want to:
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prepare labels with a picture of the pasta as
a prompt
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just look at and explore the texture of the
pasta.
You could:
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hand the box with the mixed pastas to the
person and let them sort them without help
•
add a third sorting box to add an additional
colour or shape to the mix
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cook some pasta. Give the person structured
tasks (e.g. ask them to wash the tomatoes for
the sauce or stir the sauce). Don’t forget to
demonstrate
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Dementia
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Pasta Sorting
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Goals of Activity
PHYSICAL:
 Maintain sitting posture and balance.
 Encourage walking to group if ambulant.
SENSORY:
 Reduce the risk of sensory isolation by utilising all senses: hearing, vision, touch ,smell, taste
COGNITIVE:
 Stimulate residual mental abilities to optimise cognitive functioning and maintain confidence in mental abilities
 Promote life review through the use of past or recent memories
 Reminiscence will help cue past memories with the use of visual, auditory senses
 Prompts past learned skills of a familiar nature
 Assist with the maintenance of orientation, appropriate behaviours including reasoning, judgement and social insight
 Stimulate long-term memories
COMMUNICATION:
 Maintain social interaction and motivation to communicate within the group
 Maintain verbal and non-verbal skills
 Past familiar songs encourage vocalisation through singing and music
 Familiar songs cue and promote fluency
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL:
 Provide an avenue for interaction with fellow residents to promote and maintain social skills
 Facilitate feelings of self worth; increase self-esteem by promoting self-expression of one’s own ideas
 Promote a sense of belonging, feelings of self-worth and self-esteem, especially on completion of projects
 Reduce risk of social isolation
 Provide an avenue for previous interests and meaningful life pursuits
 Maintain past interests and introduce new games with assistance as required
 Maintain and build morale
 To provide emotional support to help minimise the distress and anxiety arising from the feeling missing out
 Over all to just have fun and laugh as a group
© Copyright [email protected] 2012. All Rights Reserved
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Dementia
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Pasta Sorting
Residents Who Regularly Attend:
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Comments/ Prompts/Assistance Required:
Name of Person Completing Form:
Signature :
Designation :
Date :
Plan is to be reviewed annually or as required.
Date Revised:
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