Keeping loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia happy, involved, and in touch with family and friends during Thanksgiving and the holidays is important and often difficult.
Before your loved one sees new faces in their personal environment, take some time to prepare the person with Alzheimer’s disease.
– Look through a photo album together.
– Talk about the pictures of those who will be guests at Thanksgiving.
– On Thanksgiving Day, play your loved one’s favorite music.
– Set aside a quiet, comforting space for your loved one, in case the gathering becomes overwhelming.
Take a moment to discuss with friends and family that are visiting for Thanksgiving about the best way to communicate with someone with Alzheimer’s. There’s a need to familiarize family and friends with changes in behavior or deterioration of conditions so that there aren’t any emotional surprises during the day.
Rather than saying, “Do you remember when…,” to a loved one, be sure to say, “Wasn’t it great when…” or “This year is just as great as the time when….” It may help jog a person’s memory, and it will help prevent the loved one from feeling uncomfortable that they have forgotten something that is special to you or your family.
If possible, ask your loved one to help you with preparations such as stirring dough or filling a pitcher of water so that they can feel useful. However, safety is always the top priority.
The following are holiday safety tips to help loved ones and caregivers during the Thanksgiving holidays:
– Make sure a loved one doesn’t touch a hot stove or hot bowls.
– Keep sharp utensils out of sight and out of reach.
– Don’t have bowls of hard candy on display. Protect loved ones from choking hazards.
– Have no loose rugs on the floor. These can be tripping hazards.
– Try to limit loud conversations; these can agitate the loved ones.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!