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In Part 2 of this conversation, dementia engagement specialist Florence Tyloo explores how caregivers can adapt activities as a person’s abilities, visual processing and communication change.
Florence challenges the assumption that someone has lost interest simply because they do not immediately participate. The problem may be that they cannot see the equipment, understand the instructions or complete the activity in the way it has been presented.
Andy and Florence discuss how to create achievable challenges, protect a person’s self-esteem and use family knowledge to uncover meaningful roles and interests. They also examine visual-field changes in dementia, the N.U.T.S. framework for reducing stress and why presence matters more than completing an activity correctly.
This episode offers practical ideas for professional carers, activity coordinators, family caregivers and anyone who wants to create more person-centred dementia activities.
In This EpisodeFlorence explains how she begins with an achievable version of an activity and then gradually increases the challenge. This allows the person to experience early success without removing every opportunity for growth or mastery.
She explores why asking, “What activities are good for dementia?” can lead caregivers in the wrong direction. A better question is:
“What activity is meaningful, achievable and enjoyable for this particular person today?”
Florence also describes how families can help carers understand a person’s history, identity and former roles. Examples include asking a former teacher to help with a dictation exercise or inviting a person who enjoyed reading to read aloud for others.
The episode also examines visual-field changes, contrast and the importance of placing objects where the person can actually see them.
Three Key Messages1. Adapt the activity before assuming the person cannot participate.
Changes in vision, processing, movement or communication may require a different presentation, position or level of challenge.
2. A person’s history provides clues, not restrictions.
Past interests can inspire meaningful engagement, but people living with dementia should still be offered new experiences and opportunities.
3. The quality of the moment matters more than completing the task.
An activity does not need to be done perfectly to create joy, confidence, connection or a sense of achievement.
00:00 - Adapting activities as abilities change
Beginning with success and gradually increasing the challenge.
03:59 - What activities are good for dementia?
Why the activity must be matched to the individual rather than the diagnosis.
06:42 - When familiar activities become emotionally difficult
How a former talent can sometimes highlight loss instead of creating enjoyment.
09:08 - How families can help identify meaningful activities
Using personal history, interests, routines and former roles.
10:58 - A former parent helping with schoolwork again
How a dictation activity created purpose, presence and connection.
13:13 - Using meaningful roles to reduce repeated questions
Moving from “What do I do?” towards an activity that feels familiar and useful.
16:23 - Understanding visual changes in dementia
Why a person may not see a chair, drink, basketball hoop or object placed beside them.
19:31 - Adapting the environment rather than blaming the person
Making engagement possible by changing positioning, contrast and presentation.
21:42 - Revisiting the N.U.T.S. framework
How caregivers can reduce novelty, unpredictability, threats to the ego and loss of control.
23:37 - Stress is based on perception, not objective reality
Why a familiar situation may still feel new or unpredictable to the person.
27:50 - Offering greater choice and control
Using small decisions to reduce resistance and protect autonomy.
29:51 - Letting go of getting the activity right
Why caregivers need to acknowledge challenge without treating it as personal failure.
31:54 - Presence, play and imperfect activities
Finding enjoyment without requiring the person to follow every rule.
34:05 - One simple activity to try this week
Using familiar music, balloons or an aiming game to invite connection.
36:02 - Florence’s workshops and dementia resources
Where to find visual-change training, N.U.T.S. workshops and free dementia talks.
Listen if you:
- Need practical ideas for adapting dementia activities
- Want to understand visual-processing and visual-field changes
- Support someone who frequently refuses or disengages from activities
- Are worried about making an activity too difficult or too childish
- Want to use family knowledge more effectively in care planning
- Need strategies for giving someone greater autonomy and control
- Work with people experiencing distressed behaviour
- Want engagement to become part of everyday dementia care
The conversation will help you replace “They cannot do it” or “They are not interested” with more useful questions:
- Can the person see it?
- Does the instruction make sense?
- Is the activity threatening their confidence?
- Have they been given genuine control?
- Could the activity be presented differently?
- Is this the right activity for this person today?
Florence Tyloo offers dementia-engagement support, training and consultancy for caregivers, families and organisations.
Website:
https://www.dementia-partnered-care.co.uk
Email:
info@dementia-partnered-care.co.uk
Available support includes:
- Visual Changes in Dementia workshop
- Understanding Stress using the N.U.T.S. framework
- Free 30-minute dementia talks
- Practical dementia-engagement guidance
- Videos demonstrating how activities can be adapted across different stages of dementia
https://www.linkedin.com/in/florence-tyloo-msc-a20519138
Dementia Partnered Care on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573984471347
N.U.T.S. Stress FrameworkFlorence’s training explores four common ingredients of psychological stress:
- Novelty
- Unpredictability
- Threat to the ego
- Low sense of control
This framework can help caregivers understand both their own stress and the distress experienced by someone living with dementia.
Visual Changes in DementiaFlorence discusses how changes to visual fields, contrast sensitivity and visual processing may affect:
- Sitting safely in a chair
- Finding food and drink
- Seeing objects placed to the side
- Participating in games
- Navigating the environment
- Understanding what a caregiver is asking
The Adaptive Caregiver Model: Walking With, Not Ahead - A Practical Guide to Dementia Care That Adapts to the Person, Not the Diagnosis
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adaptive-Caregiver-Model-Practical-Diagnosis/dp/1918283060
The model explores how caregivers can adapt their role and approach around the needs, abilities and lived reality of the individual.
About the GuestFlorence Tyloo is a dementia engagement specialist based in Exeter. She studied psychology in Switzerland and has worked with people living with dementia across Switzerland, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Her professional practice is also shaped by family experience. Florence grew up close to her great-grandmother, who lived with Alzheimer’s disease, and her grandmother now lives with frontotemporal dementia.
Florence works closely with families to create meaningful engagement that maintains connection, reduces stress and helps people living with dementia retain purpose, choice and dignity.
About the Able to Care PodcastThe Able to Care Podcast supports paid and unpaid caregivers, teachers and parents to better understand themselves, understand those they support and navigate the care and education systems.
Podcast website:
https://able-training.co.uk/podcast
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/able-training-ltd-/
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@abletocarepodcast
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@abletocarepodcast
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/AbleTraining
If this episode gives you a useful dementia-care idea, please follow the podcast and share it with a caregiver, activity coordinator, family member or colleague who may benefit.
