Tips for Maintaining the Holiday Spirit with Alzheimer’s in the House - Encore

Hello everybody. Welcome to another new episode

of the truth lies and Alzheimer's show with me, your

host, Lisa Skinner, and today, because this is holiday season

and Christmas is right around the corner, I want to share some

tips, recommendations and advice for everybody, if you are

thinking about including your loved one who is living with

Alzheimer's disease and related dementia in your festivities,

because we all know that the holiday season is that special

time of year for us to celebrate with our family and friends

through sharing and laughter and creating lifelong memories, but

getting everything done On time, as we all know, can be extremely

hectic. Many families struggle with the decision as to whether

to include a loved one who is living with Alzheimer's disease

and dementia in the festivities. They ask themselves and torment

themselves with the question, is this a good idea to bring them

along, to bring them over to my home, or am I really setting

myself up for a potential disaster? Now, a person living

with Alzheimer's disease will often feel a special sense of

loss because of the changes in their behavior due to the

disease, families and caregivers sometimes feel overwhelmed by

trying to balance the maintaining of traditions with

the stress of caregiving. To me, having counseled 1000s of

families over the last 30 years, I have found that it's not only

a difficult decision to make, but it's also a very difficult

question to answer, and I think that we have to kind of look at

it on a case by case basis, because every person living with

dementia experiences the disease differently. So we really need

to take into consideration how the disease is impacting your

loved one and how a change in their environment might affect

their personality and their moods. The holiday season can

also cause the mixed feelings for a family affected by

Alzheimer's disease or dementia, while typically a time for

celebration, families may experience a sense of loss for

the way things used to be and for caregivers, the holidays may

create added work that requires extra planning, extra

preparation and careful communication in consideration

of the needs of a loved One with dementia during holiday

decorating and gatherings. But holidays can also be enriching

times for both you and your loved ones diagnosed with

Alzheimer's disease, as well as family and caregivers and

friends and relatives. Family traditions provide a feeling of

belonging and identity. It's a link with a familiar past that

can be quite reassuring for a person living with Alzheimer's

disease. However, holiday celebrations, which may include

a mixture of other people can cause confusion and anxiety for

people living with Alzheimer's, some situations may be easier

and more pleasurable than others, so it's all about

finding balance in the busy holiday activities with the

special care that will be required for your loved one

coping with the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. So here are

some tips most people living with dementia, and we've talked

about this many, many, many times over the course of truth,

lies and Alzheimer's, they do better with routines and with

familiarity. So here's a tip, keep them in familiar locations

that are free of noise, that's free of being hectic. That has

too much clutter and will cause them to feel stress. An overload

of stimulation can trigger emotions that can escalate into

a potential catastrophic reaction that you might not be

able to manage other tips for coping with the holidays and

Alzheimer's disease could include determining what stage

your loved one is in in the progression of the disease. Now,

if your loved one is in the early stages of their disease,

it's often much easier for them to cope with a change in their

environment versus a person in the mid to later stage of the

disease. As the disease progresses, the person living

with dementia becomes more and more confused and less able to

understand what is happening around them. They can also

become easily agitated and or frightened in a world that no

longer makes sense to them, and they may rely on their instincts

of fight or flight as a response to these surroundings. So if you

decide to include your loved one, you may want to limit the

amount of time they visit with the family. If you notice any

changes in their demeanor, such as, they all of a sudden become

nervous. They're full of anxiety. They become irritable,

or a sudden change in their level of confusion. Those are

telltale signs that they are not coping well with their current

environment. You can also pay close attention to their body

language and demeanor to determine if they are

increasingly becoming upset, you should have a dedicated family

member or caregiver be with your loved one at all times during

this festive occasion to watch for signs of distress and to

keep reassuring them that they are safe and that you will be

taking them home shortly. Also, what I have found is that you

need to take charge and set your own limits. Be clear about them

with others. You do not have to live up to the expectations of

anybody of your friends or your family, and as a caregiver,

understand your situation is very different. Now you need to

find time for the holiday activities that you like to do,

like taking a walk in the neighborhood to see the holiday

decorations, or baking cookies. Taking care of the caregivers is

also a very important way for us to celebrate the holidays. Some

additional tips that you'll find helpful to be mindful of if you

are including your loved one in your holiday celebrations, this

can be a wonderful way for us to create meaningful memories, even

as they navigate The challenges of Alzheimer's disease. So keep

it simple. Opt for a calm and cozy environment. Large

gatherings, and I can't understate this or loud noises

can and will be overwhelming. Smaller gatherings may be more

appropriate for your situation. If possible, bring your loved

one to familiar spaces where they may feel comfortable,

because this will help reduce their anxiety and confusion.

Choose a time of the day when they are usually more alert and

less fatigued. For many this might be mid morning or early

afternoon, engage in their senses. Use familiar sense like

the aromas of holiday foods, music that they would recognize

and identify with decorations that may evoke positive

memories. This can help them feel connected to the

celebration. Keep conversations with everybody who is in

attendance. Simple. This is very important. Engage in light, easy

conversations, avoid complex topics that may confuse your

loved one, share happy memories or stories from their past and

involve them in the activities, simple activities like

decorating cookies, folding napkins or looking through photo

albums can help your loved one feel included without it being

overwhelming to them. And I want you to prepare for confusion by

being patient and ready to reassure them that if they do

become confused and anxious, you'll have a quiet space where

they can take a break. This may help diffuse that situation and

limit the duration. Don't keep your loved one there too long. A

couple of hours may be sufficient, allowing them to

enjoy the moment without becoming fatigued. When you live

with dementia, you lose sense of timing. So five minutes could

seem like five days to somebody with dementia. So just that's a

little bit of an exaggeration, but they do tire easily and

become bored easily and become anxious easily. If you're

bringing your loved one home from a care facility, make sure

you inform the staff about your plans. They could give you

insights or suggestions based on her recent behaviors and needs,

and then prioritize their safety. Always ensure that the

environment is safe and free from hazards, and also consider

any dietary restrictions and ensure their comfort. Try to

capture the moment. Take photos or videos to help create lasting

memories, not just for your loved one, but for the family as

well. Always, be flexible. Be prepared to adapt your plans

based on your loved one's mood and behavior. If they seem

overwhelmed, it's okay to cut the visit short. And then here's

some tips, useful recommendations from the Mayo

Clinic. In mind for holiday season during preparation,

planning, decorating and celebrating by creating an

appropriate environment during the holidays for the person with

dementia, you will create a safe and calming space. So one with a

ways to do that is to tone down the decorations, avoid blinking

lights or large decorative displays that can cause

confusion. Avoid decorations that cause clutter or require

you to rearrange a familiar room. Substitute electric

candles for burning candles. If you light candles, please don't

leave them unattended. Avoid fragile decorations, or

decorations that could be mistaken for edible treats, such

as artificial fruits, and if you have a tree, secure it to a

wall. And then this is something that is really helpful to play

familiar music, familiar or favorite holiday music may be

extremely enjoyable for people living with dementia. It can

trigger wonderful memories. Some of them might even remember the

lyrics to the songs from their past, but in adjust the volume

so it's relaxing and not overwhelming and causing

distress. Finally, by being mindful of your loved one's

condition and creating a supportive environment, you can

help your loved one enjoy the holiday season while also making

meaningful memories with your family that will last you your

lifetime. So those are the holiday tips that I have for you

this holiday season. Thank you for joining me here on the truth

lies and Alzheimer's show. I'm Lisa Skinner, your host, and I

will be back next Tuesday with another new episode of the truth

lies and Alzheimer's show. And I hope you all have a wonderful,

happy and healthy week till next time see you then. Bye, bye.