The holiday season can breed chaos even for the healthy and whole. For the person grappling with Alzheimer's it can be overwhelming. Keeping this in mind, simplicity is the order of the day.
Decorations that are simple, and that do not flash or sing will be more soothing for the person with Alzheimer's disease, letting them put all their energies and faculties into enjoying the people they love, in a setting where they can relax.
Make sure Christmas decorations are arranged so that they don't pose a hazard to a fragile and perhaps unsteady person with Alzheimer's.
One of the secrets to having great Christmas traditions is being flexible about it. What worked best years ago may not work too well anymore. And traditions that mess up the individuals involved are traditions to be jettisoned.
Back in the day a big family get-together of two or three generations during the holiday season was wonderful. But now, it might be more enjoyable for the person with Alzheimer's disease to have a few gatherings with just a couple of people at a time, and with plenty of time in between them to recuperate.
Is a Christmas dinner at an hour that is just too late in the day for your loved one with Alzheimer's? By all means, do lunch instead, or an early bird dinner.
Is sitting through a dinner too difficult for them? Consider some Christmas cookies and eggnog, or whatever holiday treats will be kindest to delicate digestive system. If you go with cookies or other baked goods, make sure they are soft and palatable for dentures or other dental issues.
The severity of the dementia will have a lot to do with what will work well and what won't.
In the early stages, when the sufferer is still able to make many decisions and be fairly active, make room for them to be able to call some of the shots and express their preferences.
What kind of gathering do they want? When would they like to eat? Would they rather skip the dinner and go straight to dessert?
Computer games and puzzles might be good gifts at this stage.
In the middle stage, they're going to need more help, and less stress. Be especially sensitive to what their needs and limitations are at Christmas time.
Photo albums whose emphasis is on family memories over the years might be a comforting and engrossing gift.
In the later stages of Alzheimer's disease, creature comforts that don't require effort or steady cognition can be a great relief.
A warm throw or slippers are cozy when it's cold out. A massage or pleasant smelling lotion can be a sensory gift.
Did your loved one with Alzheimer's have favorite Christmas movies or music from past years? They may have trouble remembering anything that's happened recently, but their enjoyment of things from their own earlier years may be profound.
At any stage, music that touches the heart of your loved one with Alzheimers can bring peace and pleasure.
If you'd like to care for the usual caregiver, the list of possible ways to make a difference for them is virtually endless.
If someone you know is busy tending to someone with Alzheimer's disease, chances are they're not taking care of themselves too well.
Having a meal prepared for them for a change would be an appreciated novelty. Being presented with a gift of Christmas cookies, homemade or otherwise, would be the icing on the cake.
Spend time with them as they are caring for their frail loved one, make it more of a social event where someone else (you) are there to do a little tidying, a little visiting. You can carry on a conversation with the person with Alzheimers, allowing the caregiver to sit back and relax.
If you do some cleaning, or take care of some errands, for either the caregiver or the person with Alzheimer's, the result will be the same -- gratitude and a break for the caregiver. It may be the best Christmas gift they receive.
Sources:
Helping Alzheimer’s Families – Including Your Own – Survive the Holidays. Alzheimersblog.org. Retrieved Dec. 16, 2013.
http://www.alzheimersblog.org/2013/11/22/helping-alzheimers-families-inc...
Celebrating the Holidays with Alzheimer’s. Alz.org. Retrieved Dec. 16, 2013.
http://www.alz.org/norcal/in_my_community_17596.asp
Visit Jody's website at http://www.ncubator.ca
Reviewed December 17, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN