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Can I Take my Loved One out on a Holiday?
Posted by: DeLila Bergan on December 23, 2008
By Teresa Wilks of Colonial Gardens
The holidays can be difficult, especially when someone you love has Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. It is important to help your loved one feel connected to family, yet to realize when it is time to change or modify some of the traditions you have always shared for the benefit of your loved one. Families often ask if it is okay to take a loved one living in an Alzheimer’s/dementia care residence out for the day on Thanksgiving, Christmas or other holidays. There is no right or wrong answer.
You, as the family member or caregiver, should assess your loved one – take an objective look at what the proposed environment will be, such as where the person will be going, the length of time he or she will be gone and what types of stimulation will be present (music, the number of people, children, etc.). Also, keep in mind whether your loved one will need assistance using the bathroom or help with meals and what medications he or she takes during the time period you will be out of the facility.
Ask the Administrator or Nurse Manager of the facility for input in regards to your loved one’s specific situation. The Administrator or Nurse Manager can provide you with helpful information regarding your choice to take your loved one out.
How long has your loved one lived at the facility? Consider the length of time and how your loved one has adjusted to his or her new living arrangement; this may give you the answer to your question. If someone has adjusted fairly easily to moving to the new environment, then that person may do well during the holidays in a different environment. If your loved one has just moved not too long ago and is still transitioning, then it might be more beneficial to your loved one to visit him or her at the facility or at a neutral site, especially if he or she would otherwise be visiting the home from which he or she just moved.
Assess yourself and how prepared you as a caregiver are physically, emotionally and mentally. It is important to be aware that your loved one may not recognize the family or the house he or she is visiting. Your loved one may need extra assistance during the meal or throughout the day. It is important for your loved one to feel successful during the visit.
If you decide to visit your loved one at the facility, and if you have other family and friends who also want to visit him or her, ask them to visit over a period of days instead of all on the same day. It can be overwhelming to your loved one to have several visitors in one day; numerous visitors may provide too much stimulation and your loved one may become upset if he or she does not recognize the family and friends who come to visit.
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.
