After receiving an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, former university chancellor Rebecca Chopp picked up painting, while acclaimed flutist Eugenia Zukerman continued to play music and picked up writing to make sense of her journey. Creative activities help those with cognitive decline and their caregivers reduce stress and stay mentally engaged. Here’s how these hobbies are helping people live well after a dementia diagnosis.

Dance

When two people groove to the beat, they benefit from more than physical exercise. According to Dr. Julia Basso, it builds empathy and syncs up your brain rhythms. 

“Even with a single acute session of dance, there are impacts on the level of mental health,” Basso, a certified yoga instructor, dancer, and neuroscientist at the Embodied Brain Lab at Virginia Tech told Being Patient. “We see decreased levels of depression and anxiety and also increased levels of self-esteem and positive affect.”

Getting in sync is especially important, she said, for people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, strengthening their bond and providing an avenue for non-verbal communication. 

Painting

Chopp left her job after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2019. Though initially resistant, a friend convinced her to pick up painting. “I discovered that when I was painting, I couldn’t think about my Alzheimer’s,” she told Being Patient. 

The act of painting was meditative, allowing Chopp to enter what scientists call a flow state — a complete focus on a singular task, which researchers have found relieves stress and increases life satisfaction.  Chopp encourages people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers to find the right creative practice to help tap into their flow state, whether through painting, gardening, or another activity.

Music

In November 2019, Zukerman published her sixth book “Like Falling Through A Cloud: A Lyrical Memoir,” which examines her journey from the initial Alzheimer’s diagnosis to the present day. 

Zukerman told Being Patient that music and writing were important coping mechanisms to help her navigate the diagnosis. “I’ve played the flute every single day since I was 10 years old and it helps me a lot,” she said. It’s the first thing I do in the morning and it’s like my shadow, it’s with me all the time.”

When Zukerman finds that relying on words is challenging for her to express herself, music fills that void. 

Even listening to music is therapeutic. The songs from a person’s teenage years and twenties evoke strong emotional memories. Listening and singing along to these familiar tunes eases agitation for people with dementia. It is beneficial for relieving the tension of transitioning to an unfamiliar situation, like a doctor’s appointment.