A Hands-on Job

A Hands-on Job

There are many educational styles used in elderly patient care. One of these is called tactile learning. Tactile learning or kinesthetic learning is a learning style that requires the learner to physically touch and handle objects or materials to exhibit learning. What this means is that patients are able to learn faster, and with more eagerness if they are fully engaged in objects as a way for them to learn.

Some classic examples are puzzles and playing cards. Using puzzle pieces increase dexterity in fingers as patients grasp and hold the pieces while they put them together. The activity also enhances memory and cognitive functions as they imagine the big picture and reuser pieces that can fit specific places and positions. Playing cards are a great way to reintroduce numbers and mathematics. They are also fun to hold and flip through, making the overall experience enjoyable and entertaining.

Some advanced examples are watercolor, gardening, and playing musical instruments. In gardening, patients are engaged in not just kinetic movements such as simple digging, but are also slowly given the opportunity to care and be responsible for a living object. These plants create an opportunity for them to show concern for something that they raised themselves. Art activities such as sketching and watercolor painting add bursts of color and life to the learners. This way they can freely create and immediately see the visible output of their efforts. And of course, playing musical instruments can provide a way for them to produce sounds and melodies that will brighten the atmosphere.

This hands-on method has been proven worldwide as an effective tool for teaching students. And in the hands of our elder care patients, we can boost their moods and their productivity by making them invested and pro-active in their day-to-day activities.