Alzheimer’s Care & the Holidays: Tips for Enjoying Time with Your Loved Ones

The holidays are a time for gathering together and celebrating, but sometimes certain life events can dampen the excitement of these occasions. If a loved one in your family has been struggling with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, the holiday season may become extra stressful, especially for those acting as caregivers. Additionally, there can be a tinge of sadness or disappointment to the proceedings at seeing how things have changed compared to the cherished traditions and memories of youth. The Alzheimer care specialists here at Wartburg, a home health care facility serving the New Rochelle, NY community, offer the following tips to help make the most of the holidays and enjoy spending these special moments with your fading loved ones.

• Preparation: You will want to make both the person with Alzheimer’s and your other guests feel comfortable interacting with each other. Alert guests to potential unusual behaviors and provide communication tips. Introduce your loved one to each of the guests ahead of time either through photographs or phone calls.
• Environment: The hustle and bustle of the holidays can cause sensory overload for someone with Alzheimer’s. It may help to create a calmer space for the festivities where decorations are toned down, familiar music is played at a reasonable volume, and potential safety hazards such as candles or fragile items are avoided.
• Adaptation: If you would like to try to include your loved one in holiday activities like baking, decorating, gift wrapping, games, etc. you may need to make some tweaks to tradition. While enthusiasm is always welcomed, it’s best to still keep things rather quiet, controlled, and relaxed overall. Avoid disruptions and distractions during tasks and make them about the experience rather than the outcome. Try to retain as much of your loved one’s typical daily routine as possible.

It’s also very important to take care of your own well-being during this time of year and not to let stress, expectations, and negativity overwhelm you. For more guidance and advice from Alzheimer’s care professionals in the New Rochelle, NY area, please feel free to reach out to the staff here at Wartburg.