22.12.2023
Christmas can be an overwhelming time for your relatives or friends who are living with Dementia but keeping things simple and relaxed can make for a happier and less stressful holiday time for everyone.
For a person living with Dementia a sudden change in routine and /or the environment can be confusing and distressing. The Alzheimer’s Society recommends the following tips to support people during the festive period.
- Put decorations up gradually over a few days so decorations, trees and lights don’t make a too big and sudden change to the person’s usual surroundings.
- Keep it simple and familiar, someone with Dementia may feel overwhelmed over the holiday, so it’s best not to overdo it. Keeping the day’s activities low key will help. Sticking to a familiar routine is a good idea where possible, having meals at regular times and in a familiar setting will help to limit any confusion.
- Get everyone involved, there are many ways to get the person involved from something as simple as hanging tinsel or a bauble on the tree, helping to lay the table, to wrapping a present or doing a little Christmas shopping. The important thing is they should feel included.
- Create a quiet room or space as a large number of guests or visitors can be overwhelming, so ask family and friends to spread out their visits over the festive period if possible. For a person living with Dementia family gatherings can be deeply distressing when you don’t recognise your relatives or remember their names. If things get too busy, take the person to the quiet space where they can relax without loud noise.
- Bring back old memories, whether it’s a song or carol they used to enjoy singing or a classic movie that was always their favourite, join them in watching it or singing along together. Spend time looking at old photos together, maybe create a memory ipad with family photos to trigger memories and conversation. Remember, music, songs and jogging happy memories can be a great way to engage with people who have Dementia.
- Be mindful of food, although many people eat a lot at Christmas, a full plate can be daunting for someone with Dementia who may have difficulty eating. If you are serving, try not to overload their plate, keep to the same size portions and types of food the person normally likes.
- Be flexible, it’s easy to get caught up in Christmas traditions but for someone living with Dementia sudden changes of routine can be frightening and may make them angry, upset or agitated. Try to have a Plan B and be prepared to change your plans if something isn’t working.
- If your relative or friend with Dementia is living in a care home, make yourself aware of the home’s arrangements for Christmas Day as there may be visiting restrictions in place. Planning staggered visits by family and friends over several days will be less overwhelming than if everyone visits on the same day.
For anyone struggling, the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Support Line can be contacted on 0333 150 3456.
The support line opening hours are,
Monday to Wednesday 9am to 8pm,
Thursday and Friday 9am to 5pm,
Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm
The Support Line will be closed on December 24th and 25th and on January 1st.