3 Disorienting Holiday Traditions for Seniors With Dementia And How to Modify Them
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3 Disorienting Holiday Traditions for Seniors With Dementia And How to Modify Them

3 Disorienting Holiday Traditions for Seniors With Dementia And How to Modify Them

Holidays are moments of celebration with family and friends, but it is different for seniors with dementia. Caregivers may find it difficult to balance having the holiday spirit alive while not disorienting them. However, with the right modifications, caregivers can let the seniors enjoy the holidays too. Here are some of the disorienting holiday activities and their modifications:

1. Holding Parties

Parties involve gatherings of people, whether small or large. The gatherings come with many activities and too much noise, which disorients seniors with dementia. While parties keep the holiday spirit alive, keep a reduced number of visitors whose activities will not stimulate seniors with dementia.

For instance, plan several casual get-togethers for the extended family and friends, or have only the nuclear family visit. Whichever way, the senior should stay relaxed and calm. 

Some of the ways to prepare guests before they arrive include:

  • Share communication tips - Make the guests understand how to communicate; for instance, do not criticize others and do not interrupt others. Also, be patient with seniors who have dementia.
  • Update guests on what to expect - Let the guests know about the memory and behavior change progress. Even frequent visitors should be updated. Sending photos may help them prepare and know what to expect.
  • Give guests suggestions on activities - Considering that not all activities fit seniors with dementia, suggesting beforehand will help them prepare accordingly and know what to bring along.

2. Fun Activities

Holidays involve lots of fun activities; having a senior with dementia shouldn't stop this vibe. However, tone the activities down to suit them. 

For instance, if they still love cooking, let them be involved in making festive cookies. Also, if they love football and music, the rest of the family should join in. For music, let it be classic as it is more relatable to them. Kids can join in to make it even more lively.

Some tips to allow seniors with dementia to enjoy fun activities include: 

  • Make the outings brief - The family may decide to go for a local outing, but let it be for a short while. For instance, the seniors may go to Allen Centennial Garden in Madison for a brief nature walk.
  • Do activities together - Doing fun activities with the seniors makes them feel loved and appreciated. They enjoy an activity even more when surrounded by the people they love.

3. Decorating 

Decorating is a highly esteemed ritual during the holiday season. It gives life to the holiday by decorating the house with tinsels, ornaments, ribbons, stockings, and wreaths. 

For seniors with dementia, the decoration traditions need some adjustments. Some of the decorations to avoid are those that demand rearranging rooms, as they would confuse the seniors. Also, avoid large decoration displays and blinking lights.

If the decorations are suitable for the seniors, they should be involved in making them. For instance, they can make handcrafted decorations. Research shows that expressive art is a therapy that can help seniors discover unlived potentials, even those with dementia.

Final Thoughts

Having a senior with dementia can be challenging if you don't have the right knowledge to take care of them. A lot of knowledge is required on medication, dementia disease progress, how to take care of them best, and more. If you're in New Albany, Madison, North Vernon, Jeffersonville, or Charlestown, Senior Helpers Indiana will help care for your loved one. We have fully trained and experienced teams of caregivers who use our senior gem program to give the best services to seniors with dementia. Contact us to learn more and schedule our first visit.