What may be causing this
- Boredom drives agitation and wandering
- Loss of role and purpose contributes to depression
What to try first
- Build on past work, hobbies, and family roles
- Focus on the process, not the product
- Offer tasks with an obvious purpose — folding, sorting, watering
- Use music from ages 15 to 30
- Keep sessions to 15 to 30 minutes
What usually makes it worse
- Activities that highlight deficits
- Childlike materials
- Competitive games with rules
Simple things you can do today
- List five lifelong interests and adapt one
- Try a shared cooking or gardening task
- Explore an adult day program for structured engagement
When to call the doctor
- Withdrawal from all activity
- Signs of depression
When it may be an emergency
- Threats or acts of violence toward self or others
- Sudden confusion, weakness, slurred speech, or facial droop
- A fall with head injury, especially on a blood thinner
Medically reviewed. Last reviewed August 2026. This page is educational information, not individualized medical advice.