The holiday season is filled with cherished traditions and joyful gatherings. Still, for a family caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's, it can also bring stress, heartache, and the fear that the magic is lost forever.
The good news is that it doesn't have to be that way. By shifting our expectations and focusing on connection over perfection, we can create moments of genuine joy and comfort that are meaningful for everyone.
These four simple yet powerful strategies will help you adapt your celebrations, reduce overwhelm, and rediscover the peace and happiness of the holidays together.
Holidays Can Be Stressful for Seniors with Alzheimer’s
Holidays bring a flurry of activity, changes in daily routine, conversations with extended family, and participation in annual traditions. For seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, this can be stressful.
To help your loved one have a happy holiday season and reduce your own stress, consider scaling back and modifying traditional activities so they feel calm, safe, and included.
Even if your older adult might not remember these holiday activities later, the warm feelings they’ll have are a different kind of memory their body will carry for a while.
Here are four tips to help your older adult (and you) feel more relaxed and able to enjoy the fun of the holiday season.
“When a loved one has dementia, the goal of the holidays shifts from creating the perfect celebration to sharing moments of simple, present-moment joy. It's not about what they remember, but about the feeling of love and safety you can create for them right now.” – Paula Spencer Scott, dementia care specialist and author of “Surviving Alzheimer's: Practical Tips and Soul-Saving Wisdom for Caregivers.
4 Tips to Help Seniors with Alzheimer’s Enjoy the Holidays
1. Minimize Your Own Stress
People with Alzheimer’s or dementia are usually quite sensitive to other people’s moods and feelings.
If you’re stressed and anxious, they’re likely to become stressed and agitated as well. That can lead to challenging behaviors, which will then make you even more stressed. It’s a vicious cycle.
It’s not possible to eliminate stress, so do your best to keep extra commitments to a minimum. That way, you won’t be overwhelmed by time-consuming holiday tasks.
Ask family to help with your senior, use respite programs, hire in-home help, or start saying no to things you don’t want to do.
If stress starts getting the better of you, take a brief time out away from your older adult so it won’t affect them. Step into another room (even the bathroom) to take some deep breaths or do a 2 minute calming exercise.
2. Plan to Modify Family Traditions
With so many caregiving responsibilities, it will likely be overwhelming and stressful to do everything “like we used to” and find ways to make them work for your older adult.
Minimize everyone’s stress by paring down and focusing on a few of the most meaningful traditions.
Ask your older adult which traditions they value most. This is a way to make them feel important and involved.
That could mean choosing something meaningful to them like trimming the Christmas tree, lighting the menorah, singing traditional songs, or baking special holiday treats.
VIDEO: 4 Strategies to Enjoy the Holidays Despite Dementia
3. Let Seniors Get Involved in Preparations for the Holidays
Allowing older adults to participate in holiday preparations helps them feel included and become familiar with the upcoming festivities.
Focus on their current abilities and have them assist with small tasks they can accomplish. They’ll feel helpful and be happily occupied while you work on other things.
Activity suggestions:
- Peeling potatoes or carrots
- Rolling cookie dough
- Wiping the table
- Polishing silverware
- Stringing cranberries
- Wrapping presents
Even if they don’t do a great job, let them continue if they’re enjoying themselves. You can redo any essential tasks later.
4. Limit Holiday Decorations
Use moderation when decorating. Too much clutter, decor, or twinkling lights could cause overstimulation and disorientation.
Focus on cheerful items that evoke happy memories and are integral to family traditions.
Recommended for you:
- 5 Top Alzheimer’s Holiday Tips for an Enjoyable Season
- 10 Stress Relief Tips to Get You Through the Holidays
- 4 Benefits of Activities for Dementia and 5 Ways to Adapt Daily Tasks
About the Author
Connie is the founder of DailyCaring.com and was a hands-on caregiver for her grandmother for 20 years. (Grandma made it to 101 years old!) She knows how challenging, overwhelming, and all-consuming caring for an older adult can be. She also understands the importance of support, especially in the form of practical solutions, valuable resources, and self-care tips.
[…] Fonte: dailycaring.com […]