Preparing for the Holidays

Holidays are a wonderful reason to spend time with family and friends. For everyone, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season can feel overwhelming, and when you are caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, the holidays may create more challenges. To help you and your loved ones focus more on enjoying the holiday season and your time spent together, we’ve put together some suggestions on how to prepare for the busy season.

Setting Expectations

Begin by setting expectations for care partners, the person living with dementia, and for guests. This can help everyone make the most of the holiday season. Letting the person living with dementia know the holiday schedule can prepare them for any changes in their routine and help them feel more comfortable during celebrations and other holiday activities. Setting expectations will help guests know what they may experience when visiting and help care partners feel supported, making the holiday season feel more fulfilling and successful.

Here are some ways to communicate expectations:

• Planners, calendars, and schedules on whiteboards can help the person living with dementia know when and where they are going.
• Send a letter or schedule a call ahead of gatherings to let guests know how your loved one is feeling these days and how they can help make the visit go smoothly. A sample letter can be found here.
• Care partners should share their schedule of activities or a list of holiday tasks with others who can help support them during the busy season. Take on less or have others help you accomplish tasks such as shopping, decorating, or other errands that will help lessen your load.

Traditions

Traditions are an important part of the holiday season for many. If you are caring for someone living with dementia, you may be trying to find a way to uphold these traditions without overwhelming yourself or the person you care for. Decorating, cooking or baking, and the religious aspects are some common holiday traditions, and here are some tips on how you can make them work for you and your loved ones.

Decorating

An important tradition for many is decorating the home for the holidays. Decorations can cause concern for a person living with dementia, as the change in environment may cause confusion. Their safety and comfort need to be considered when choosing decorations to display. Here are some things to remember when decorating:

• Keep decorations simple so that you don’t overstimulate the person living with dementia. Avoid flashing lights and noises where possible.
• Limit the number of decorations so that the environment doesn’t become disorienting to the person living with dementia.
• Decorate in stages so that there isn’t a sudden overwhelming change to the environment.
• Keep safety in mind when choosing decorations; avoid decorations that are breakable or appear to be edible.

Baking and Cooking

Whether preparing holiday treats or a larger meal, baking and cooking are often part of our holiday routine. Here are some ways you can keep the person living with dementia involved in these tasks while limiting your stress:

• Modify roles and activities depending on abilities.
• Simplify recipes or purchase pre-cut food or prepared cookie dough to help.
• Use labels or photos on cupboards and drawers to make it easier to find essential kitchen tools and ingredients.
• Use smart technology such as appliances with auto shut-off to help.
• Use lists to help keep track of ingredients.
• Use grocery delivery services.
• For safety, always remain in the kitchen while you are cooking or baking.

Religious Ceremonies

For many, attending a service or ceremony is an important part of the holidays. The following suggestions can help the person living with dementia comfortably and safely attend:

• Speak to leaders and let them know about the person’s dementia so that they can help accommodate any special requests you may have to help your loved one feel safe and comfortable.
• Ensure you have a safe or quiet place where you can move to if your person becomes overwhelmed or agitated during the service.
• If the service is longer than you feel your person may be able to attend for, consider leaving early or coming in later.
• Find services or readings online if the person is more comfortable at home.

Celebrations and Gatherings

For many, the holiday season is full of parties, dinners, and get-togethers. Here are some suggestions to help make these experiences a little less stressful:

Dining Out:

• If possible, arrange for reservations so you don’t have to wait in line.
• Order ahead to minimize waiting.
• If someone is having trouble ordering, suggest a couple of dishes based on their likes so they don’t feel overwhelmed.
• Sit where the washroom is in sight.
• Avoid or limit alcohol consumption.

Home Visits and Gatherings:

• Have a quiet area for the person to go to if needed.
• Create a separate area for children to play so that the noise and activity don’t become overwhelming.
• Take turns talking at the table so that it’s not all at once.
• Watch for non-verbal clues that the person may be overwhelmed (e.g., anxious, frustrated).
• Limit distractions—avoid loud music, blinking lights, and large crowds if possible.
• Avoid overindulgence in rich food and drink (especially alcohol).

Long-Term Care:

• If your person is living in a care facility and you plan to bring them home for the holidays, plan for one or two half-day trials in advance.
• Consider having a holiday celebration with them at the care facility.
• Make celebrations simple; it’s your presence that counts! Spend time together reminiscing about past holidays or events to help trigger happy memories.

Gift Ideas

Read more about gift ideas for persons living with dementia and care partners here.

If you have questions or require more help, please contact us at 905-576-2567 or via email: education@alzheimerdurham.com. Our team would be happy to assist you further.