Activities to do at home

Activities to download

Whether you are looking for online resources or creative ways of coping with your caring role, we have compiled some suggestions below. You can download each document by clicking the title.

Get learning at home – Have a browse through a few websites that allow you to learn totally new subjects or revisit old knowledge to keep your brain ticking.

Home exercise links – Exercises from free, reliable sources that help you keep fit without leaving the house!

How to make a memory box – Learn more about this creative way of allowing people with memory loss to rediscover forgotten events and see memorable objects and photographs on a regular basis.

Suggestions and ways to reduce stress – Based around five suggestions for wellbeing recommended by the NHS, start to manage stress with these simple tips.

Suggestions to do online – Watch and enjoy some entertaining content online!

Things to do at home to keep calm and well – Relaxing crafts and activities to do that help you to make the most of whatever free time you may have.

Understanding restlessness and agitation in people with dementia – Sometimes it can be hard to know why someone with dementia is uncomfortable but this document aims to help you improve the situation.

Online Carers in Hertfordshire Workshops

We have created some free, online workshops and courses for you to view online wherever you are.

MolyFit Exercise

This playlist of videos focuses on movement, stretch and strengthening techniques with John Molyneux of MolyFit.

Breathing to Relieve Stress

Harriette from in|exhale delivers a session on breathwork and breathing to relieve stress.

Chair Yoga

Joana Gomes helps you improve your fitness and flexibility without leaving your seat!

Type 2 Diabetes – How can it be managed?

Brian Isbell leads an educational talk in which you can learn what diabetes is, the risk factors and symptoms of Type 2 diabetes, the dangers of high blood glucose, and more!

Complementary Therapy with Brian Isbell

Brian Isbell, lecturer in complementary medicine and health sciences, discusses treatments that can be used alongside Western medicines.

Introduction to Better Sleep

Run over four parts, this series of videos provides an introduction about what sleep is, why we need it, and what factors contribute to a good night’s sleep. It also includes an introduction to guided breathing exercises and relaxation. The learning time is around 30 minutes.

Resilience Workshop

This is an online version of our popular resilience workshop and it is provided in six parts. Through the series, you can learn techniques to manage the everyday stresses of being a carer and get tips about building support networks and dealing with relationship changes. The learning time is about one hour.

Guided Meditation

Discover how a few minutes of mindfulness can transform your day with our recordings of live guided meditations. Whether you’re a complete newbie or a seasoned practitioner, each meditation will guide you clearly through different meditation techniques. Listen below and practise whenever it suits you.

You can view and book our next live meditations here.

Body Scan (11 mins)

Self-Compassion (15 mins)

Relaxation Exercises

These two short relaxation exercises are from Caring with Confidence, which is a course designed to help with your caring role. For these exercises, it is best if you can listen to the audio in a fairly quiet place, without distractions. Don’t have anything in your hands, sit comfortably in a chair with your spine fairly straight, both feet on the floor and with your hands relaxed in your lap. And be aware that there are some silences in the audio.
Sit back and relax!

Focused Breathing (5 mins)

Positive Visualisation (7 mins)

HPFT Webinars

The Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) have online webinars available for free. They cover a variety of topics, including: stress, sleep and relaxation, worry and anxiety, mindfulness, and bereavement. These webinars provide educational and practical help to support you to learn relevant Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques to make positive change in your life. You can find them on the HPFT website at this link.