Play & Dementia

Mommo Pong

Just like children, older adults get bored and want to do something fun. Even with Dementia, it’s surprising what eye/hand coordination and a ball can do to “awaken” a connection with a loved one.

As a couple caretaking for a parent in the advanced stage of Dementia, we were aware how much Mommo “closed down” with eyes shut for longer periods of the day. I bought a table tennis game thinking she may enjoy watching us play on the dining room table.

My husband, John wanted to include Mommo in the game play. He cut a simple cardboard wrapping paper tube into 3 pieces, the one for her a little longer. Wrote her nickname “Mommo” on the “bat” and handed it to her. We each sat on separate sides of the table to begin a triangle of table pong. With a ping pong ball and our bats, John showed Mommo how to snap her wrist with the bat along the table top and hit the ball. Mommo’s eyes lit up, her game face came on and she sailed the ball so hard, John wasn’t ready to hit it back. We were amazed and delighted at how alive she became, the joy and playfulness in her face and how her eyes and hands coordinated to hit the ball back and forth to each of us across the table top. Not only was this great fun for all of us, it was good exercise and cognitive building for her.  

Mommo continued to play Mommo Pong with us and other family members, as well as professional caregivers as her dementia progressed. Even her dog, Humphrey knew it was playtime when the bats and ball came out on the table. Humphrey fetched his toys and played happily under the glass table top in eye of all the action.

Mommo Wins!