If you have a loved one with dementia, you want them to enjoy your family’s holiday celebrations. Striking the right balance of inclusion—without overwhelming them—can be tricky, however. Follow these dementia care tips to ensure you can happily spend the holiday season together. 

5 Tips for Including Dementia Care Patients in the Holidays

1. Find Tasks for Them to Do

Look for simple tasks your loved one can do to contribute to the festivities. Maybe they can assist with decorating the tree or wrapping gifts. Giving them a job allows them to feel included, productive, and independent.

2. Be Open With Friends & Family

If you have friends and family coming by for a holiday party, be open about your loved one’s condition. Before anyone arrives, explain what they should expect and how they can communicate with your loved one. This allows everyone to feel at ease.

3. Create a Quiet Retreat

People with dementia may get overwhelmed by the socialization that the holidays bring. Make sure they have a private place to retreat to when they need a break. 

4. Revisit Old Holiday Memories

Spend time together looking at photo albums. This can be wonderful for dementia care patients as it jogs their memory. Make sure to create new memories, as well, by taking pictures with your loved one. Dementia is progressive, and you can’t be sure what mental state they’ll be in next year. 

5. Adapt Old Traditions

Maybe the entire family used to go see “The Nutcracker” together at a theater or went caroling en masse. As dementia progresses, you may have to adapt these traditions, but you don’t have to ditch them completely. You can watch the show or sing together at home, too.

Provident Village at Creekside provides comprehensive dementia care at their state-of-the-art assisted living facility in Cobb County, GA. They also have a second location at Provident Village at Canton in Cherokee County. Wherever your loved one lives, they will feel at ease. Their friendly, expertly trained staff provides complete memory care services. To schedule an appointment to visit one of these retirement communities, use the online form or call (678) 903-0339 for the Smyrna location or (770) 575-8509 for the Canton office.