Keep a sense of purpose
Things to do from home
The pandemic meant that we all spent more time at home than before. However, there might be lots of reasons why keeping a sense of purpose from the comfort of your own home might be helpful at times.
On this page we have gathered links to some of the many options for things you can explore online. Lots of people with dementia and carers we spoke to had discovered a wealth of new information during this period.
You might already know what you would like to do from home. Many people have been learning or pursuing hobbies via YouTube. On this page, we make you aware of some options you might not have heard of… there are lots of places you can discover from your own home!
I’m a very crafty person and have been doing lots of knitting. I’ve been doing lots of art for my family – I’ve enjoyed this as it doesn't require as much concentration as knitting.
I’ve tried to do some new things to stimulate her brain as I haven’t been out as such since March last year although I go for a 10-minute walk every day. I’ve taken up quilting as a new hobby so I keep going on YouTube to check if I’m doing it properly. I’m using the internet much more than I was pre-COVID.
A person with dementia talking to our researchers
Museums and galleries
Oxford Natural History Museum is an incredible building housing a beautiful collection. Their online tour allows you to explore the collection from home. Expect dinosaur skeletons, a dodo and much more!
You can use the white tiles in the bottom left and right-hand corners for easy navigation.
The Musée d’Orsay in Paris has a world-famous collection of Impressionist artworks. If you like Manet, Monet or Degas, this is the place for you. They also have an impressive number of Van Gogh paintings. Plus, the building itself is a work of art.
Would you like to see the Sistine Chapel? The Vatican Museums have virtual tours of their collection. You can look at Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel paintings from home, or the Raphael Stanze (rooms painted by Raphael).
The Louvre Museum in Paris holds some of the world’s most famous paintings, including the Mona Lisa. They have created a series of online tours so that you can visit the museum from home.
Would you like to tour NASA? NASA Langley Research Center has created an online tour so that you can explore their exciting work.
Westminster Abbey is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They have created virtual tours so that you can explore different parts of the abbey online. There are also educational resources you could explore with children or grandchildren.
The outdoors from indoors
Italy has some beautiful coastlines and Nature Relaxation have made a film where you can fly over the Cinque Terre coast for an hour. This video features relaxing music and sounds, but you can mute those if you just want to watch in silent awe.
Yellowstone National Park is one of America’s most famous parks. It has lakes, mountains, canyons and more. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yellowstone sits atop a dormant volcano and has geysers and hydrothermal features relating to this. The National Parks Service has created a series of ‘Video Walks’ so that you can discover Yellowstone.
The Mpala Live website allows you to explore the animals which roam the Mpala Research Center and Wildlife Foundation in Kenya. There are four live webcams to choose from, including safari and watering hole.
If you want to boldly go further afield… The International Space Station is live streaming a view of Earth.
Creature feature
Do you like penguins? Tennessee Zoo have a camera which live streams all the activity from penguin rock. There are also other live streams to choose from.
Frying Pan Tower is a decommissioned lighthouse off the coast of North Carolina. It now researches and helps maintain aquatic life. Explore.org has several live camera feeds at different locations in and around Frying Pan Tower, both above and below water. If you don’t like our choice of feed, then you can pick from the options below.
If you want an animal closer to home, then this webcam is in a Puppy Playroom in Maryland. If you’re more of a cat person, then scroll down to click on the Kitten Rescue Sanctuary instead.
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