How to Deal with Dementia During the Holidays
Holidays offer opportunities to set time aside, getting together with family and Friends, far and near. It also helps remind us to appreciate the people in our lives. It is a time for pondering memories and making new memories, taking pictures, Game playing, Delicious food, reflecting on the importance of our loved ones and of course lots of laughter. But it can be a challenging time of year for those with Dementia.
Here is some great information about dealing with Dementia during the Holidays. Click here to see full article
The holiday season is a festive time full of laughter and fond memories, but it can be a stressful time for those with dementia and their caregivers. Celebrations and their associated elements – rearranged or redecorated spaces, visitors and interruptions in routine – can agitate, confuse and overstimulate those with dementia.
As a result, caregivers can feel frustrated, isolated or anxious. Though there’s no way to guarantee an untroubled holiday celebration, acting strategically to minimize discomfort and confusion can go a long way toward making gatherings merry and bright. Use these tips from the Alzeheimer’s Association to help.
- Make a plan
- Discuss the holidays with the person who has dementia and ask if they feel up to the usual celebration. Read their body language also when you ask them.
- Minimize the stress of travel
- If you’ll travel with someone who has dementia, never leave the person alone. Make sure to keep a close eye on them.
- Prepare the patient
- If you’re hosting, you have your own prep work to do! Show the person with dementia pictures of who will be visiting. You may need to revisit this step as it leads up to the event
- Keep it classic
- Playing familiar holiday music and serving familiar holiday foods can help the person with dementia enjoy the holidays, so don’t neglect old favorites.
- Prepare visitors ( Family and Friends)
- Give anyone who will visit an honest update on the condition of the person with dementia before they arrive
- Prepare the home
- Make sure there’s a “quiet room” where the person with dementia can go if the gathering becomes too overwhelming and where they can take regularly scheduled naps.
- Take care of yourself
- One of the most important parts of care giving is taking care of yourself. If you are not getting enough rest, excising or not eating well, it is important to take time for yourself so you can be the best version of you that you can be.
The Alzheimer’s association has some great tips for surviving the Holidays
Families are gathering for Christmas, sharing laughter and happy memories. But for families coping with Alzheimer’s, the holidays can be bittersweet times, filled with stress and frustration. Festivities can agitate, confuse, and over stimulate persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Meanwhile, caregivers can feel anxious, frustrated, and lonely – leading to stress and depression. The Alzheimer’s Association – Florida Gulf Coast Chapter- has developed 10 Holiday Survival Tips for families coping with Alzheimer’s.
1 planning can avoid holiday stress
Individuals who experience the most difficulty with the holiday season are those who have given little thought to the challenges they will encounter. Consider ahead of time what may be expected of you, both socially and emotionally.
2 Take care of yourself (caregiver)
Remember, the holidays are opportunities to share time with people you love. Try to make these celebrations easy on yourself and with the person with Alzheimer’s disease so that you may concentrate on enjoying your time together.
3 Prepare the person with Alzheimer’s for the family gathering
Preparing your loved one for the upcoming holiday events can allow both of you to enjoy the warmth of the season.
4 Prepare family members and friends
Preparing families and friends with an honest appraisal of the person’s condition can help avoid uncomfortable or harmful situations
5 Involve everyone when selecting activities
Involve everyone in holiday activities including the person with dementia.
6 Communicate with success
Alzheimer’s can diminish a person’s ability to communicate. These tips may help you understand each other.
7 Smart gift giving
Encourage family and friends to give useful, practical gifts
8 Safe environments in the home
Persons with dementia may experience changes in judgment. This behavior may lead to confusion, frustration, or wandering. Consider these tips to reduce the risk of injury and situations that could be confusing to someone with dementia.
9 Travel wisely
The following suggestions may ensure a positive traveling experience
10 Reliable sources of support
Families can call the Alzheimer’s Association at 727-578-2558 or the 24-hour Helpline at 1-800-772-8672 to answer questions about warning signs and to assist persons with dementia and caregivers. The Helpline will be open all Christmas day and News Year day, as well as year round.
Click here For full article from careforcare.com
During the Holiday’s its nice to ask for help from family members, friends, neighbors, church members, etc. So that you can take some time for yourself to get ready for Christmas. You can also call your local Home Health agencies and have them come in your home and help while you step out for a while to shop, go to your hair apt. or finish up any errands you might need to take care of. The price range is around $18.00 per hour or you could also call your local Assisted Living Homes and ask for Daycare for your loved one it ranges around $10-$15 per hour if you bring them there. You can ask about what activities that are going on in their buildings and schedule your appointments according to the fun activities. Bingo is a fun activity to attend. Your loved one can then get a little more social activity in their day. www.thegablesassistedliving.com for ,more information visit our website.
