While your parent is still interested in your children, however, show them that they can still have fun together. If your parent doesn't have any dietary restrictions or issues, food is a great equalizer. Examples of food-related fun: Going out for ice cream, having a tea party, making and eating slice-and-bake cookies (under your supervision).
Other activities that can be rewarding include playing catch with a soft ball; playing a fairly easy card game from the grandparent's era, such as Old Maid or Go Fish; taking a walk in the yard; picking and arranging flowers; looking through old picture albums together (a special favorite of both kids and grandparents).
Young kids love to "help" around the house. Say, "Let's see how we can be helpers" and get both grandparent and grandchild involved in an easy chore such as dusting, drying dishes, tidying a garage, or sweeping leaves.
"When children are around, something magical happens with the elderly," says Simard. Your parent may be calmer and in a better mood than when alone with you. Even infants and toddlers playing close by can lift the mood of someone struggling with the changes of Alzheimer's. "It really doesn't take a lot of language," Simard says. "They communicate in their own way. It's all about making human connections."
It's not advisable, however, to leave your parent alone with your young child. You don't have to make a big issue of it, but because Alzheimer's can make your parent's behavior unpredictable or her judgment unsound, it's almost always best to have another adult around.
