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Caregiver Tips for the Holiday Season
Posted by: DeLila Bergan on December 23, 2008
by Teresa Wilks of Colonial Gardens
If your family includes someone with Alzheimer’s disease or any form of dementia, the holidays pose some special challenges for that individual and for you as a caregiver. These tips may make the holidays a little less stressful.
Plan Ahead
Discuss holiday plans with relatives and close friends either face to face or via telephone to ensure that everyone understands the situation and has realistic expectations. Consider sending a note in advance to guests to familiarize them with the changes and behavior of the person with Alzheimer’s/dementia. It is important for the person with Alzheimer’s/dementia to feel successful during visits with family and friends. Be prepared that this person may require extra assistance during visits and that he or she may not recognize the family/friends or house he or she is visiting.
Be Realistic and Flexible
Give yourself permission to do only what you can reasonably manage. No one can expect you to maintain every holiday tradition. For example, if you’ve always invited 20 people to your home, invite fewer guests for dessert and coffee or ask others to bring dishes for a “potluck” meal. Consider celebrating early in the day, rather than at an evening meal, to work around the evening confusion, or sundowning, that sometimes affects people with Alzheimer’s/dementia.
Involve the Person with Alzheimer’s
This can help to prepare him or her for the holiday and can give you an opportunity to spend quality time together. Involve him or her in safe, manageable activities like placing stamps on envelopes, putting cards in envelopes, hanging decorations, filling stockings, and setting the table.
Maintain Routine
Sticking to a normal daily schedule is important so that holiday preparations don’t become disruptive or confusing. Blend seasonal rituals into daily activities that you both depend upon, such as taking a relaxing walk. Remember that taking on too many tasks at one time can wear on you and your loved one. Enjoy your time together by making these celebrations easy on yourself and the person with Alzheimer’s/dementia.
Keep a Positive Attitude
Sometimes it is hard to be in an “up” mood for the holidays. Enjoy the chance to be with friends and family. It is okay to accept some invitations for which your loved one cannot attend. You can arrange for respite care so you can attend functions. Remember that a decision not to attend does nothing to help your loved one. The less stress you feel, the happier the Holidays will be.
Teresa Wilks is the Community Relations Director at Colonial Gardens, an assisted living community offering Alzheimer’s and dementia care, located at 6931 River Park Circle in Fort Worth, Texas. Colonial Gardens offers two adjacent houses, each with 20 private resident rooms, set on two wooded acres in southwest Fort Worth. To reach Ms. Wilks, or to learn more about the personalized dementia care offered by Colonial Gardens, please call (817) 731-7611.
To learn more, see the listing for Colonial Gardens under Long-term Care Options, then Residences that Offer Health Care, and then Dementia Care Residences, on our web site.
