For many, the holiday season is a joyful one spent together with loved ones—including families affected by dementia. Being adaptable and building an inclusive environment are key to creating dementia-friendly holidays and celebrations. With the holiday season right around the corner, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is providing tips on how families affected by dementia can adapt holiday gatherings to make them safe and dementia-friendly during this festive time.
“The best way to support someone with dementia during the holiday season is to create an inclusive environment to enjoy holidays and celebrations, while understanding and adapting to changes and being aware of the many emotions the holidays can bring,” said Jennifer Reeder, LMSW, AFA’s Director of Educational and Social Services.
Families caring for someone with dementia should consider the following steps:
Adapt past favorite traditions or create new ones. Build on old traditions where you can, such as enjoying favorite music or movies. Start new ones around things the person can still do and likes to do, such as touring neighborhood holiday lights. Whenever possible, involve the person by asking what traditions are important to them (this will help you prioritize and plan). For example, if the person used to do all the holiday cooking, make it a new tradition to cook together as a family. If they were in charge of hanging holiday lights, make it a group effort.
Avoid overdecoration. Excess stimuli may be challenging for someone with dementia. Too many flickering lights or an abundance of decorations can be overstimulating and disorienting. Also, be aware of the person’s sensitivity to factors such as loud noises.
Create a safe and calm space. Avoid fragile decorations (which can shatter and create sharp fragments) and ones that could be mistaken for edible treats (which can create a choking hazard or broken teeth). Reduce clutter and be aware of where extension cords are placed to avoid potential tripping hazards. Securely hook Christmas trees to the wall to avoid falls and utilize candles or menorahs or kinaras with electric candles to reduce fire hazards.
Holiday Celebrations
Like with traditions, adapting celebrations is key for a dementia-friendly holiday. Try to focus on what they enjoy while keeping in mind their safety and comfort.
Before the celebration:
Prepare the person. Help build familiarity and comfort by showing them photos of the guests or arrange a phone call/Facetime chat with the visitors beforehand.
Be open with guests. Consider sharing beneficial information with guests beforehand, such as ways they can communicate with the person, what they respond well to, and what may upset them—especially visitors who don’t regularly interact with the individual. This will guide them on how they can be helpful and supportive.
During the celebration:
Preserve normal routine. Changes in daily routine can be challenging for someone living with dementia. If the person usually takes an afternoon walk, build in time for that. If they go to bed early, hold the celebration earlier in the day so that everyone can participate.
Connect with loved ones through technology. Videoconference technology (i.e., Facetime, Zoom, Skype) can include others who can’t attend in person.
Take a Strengths-Based and Person-Centered Approach. Focus on what the person is still able to do and what they choose to do now, rather than dwelling on what they used to do.
This article is courtesy of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The organization’s helpline is available seven days a week to help provide additional information about creating dementia-friendly holidays or any other caregiving questions. Connect with a licensed social worker by calling 866-232-8484, web chatting at https://www.alzfdn.org or sending a text message to 646-586-5283. The web chat and text message features can serve individuals in more than 90 different languages.
