Activity: Sock it to me

Source: Dee Mayfield, Certified Dementia Practitioner of Mayfield Health Care Seminars on
February 5, 2010
Equipment Needed: Socks of different colors with items hidden inside of them

Activity Description:
1. Have participants get into 6 groups of 5 people
2. Introduce the activity by explaining to them the objective of the activity
3. Instruct the group not to look inside the sock
4. Hand each group a sock with an item inside
5. Allow for each person in the group to guess what is inside of the sock
6. Once everyone has guessed. Open the sock and show them what was inside the sock
7. Celebrate if answered successfully

Leadership Consideration:
1. When doing this activity with people with Alzheimer, we have to be considerate with the
items placed inside the sock. The ideal items to place inside the socks are items that this
population was familiar with in their time. At times their memories become lucid enough
that they remember how something feels and guess correctly. This is a great activity as
well for the visually impaired because it allows them to feel included in something that
does not require much assistance. This activity allows for the both populations improve
their self-determination skills as well. A great adaptation for both would be to play with
family members that way items are recognizable and things that they use every day.
2. To make the activity fun as well is by playing it many other ways where it is more
interactive and outside of your groups. You can make the activity a competition where
each team picks a guesser and can give them clue about the item inside the sock. This is
where the guesser would have to have knowledge of every items. Keeping the age groups
and populations interested is the main goal because you do not want any participants
stirring away from the goal or objective of the activity which is to establish memory and
activity integration.