Columbia Alzheimer's Expert Gives Tips for Care During Holidays

As you get ready for the celebrations this weekend here are some ideas and tips for you and your loved one with Alzheimer's and like dementia. Involve the person with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) You may want to begin slowly, let the person help in small ways:

• Prepare food
• Wrap packages
• Hand you decorations
• Set the table
• Put stamps on letters

Avoid Using:

• Candies for decorations or putting out large boxes of candy
• Artificial fruit/vegetables or other decorations that look edible
• Real candles

Maintain as normal routine as possible. Holiday preparations can become disruptive and confusing.

• Build on past traditions and memories
• Sing familiar holiday songs
• Rent a classic movie
• Reminisce

Adapt gift giving. Encourage people to buy useful gifts for the person:

• Comfortable easy to remove clothing
• Tapes and CD's of favorite music
• Videos of family members
• Photo albums

Warning about unsafe gifts:

• Dangerous tools, instruments, utensils
• Challenging board games
• Complicated electronic equipment
• Pets

Take care of yourself, take time for you. Search for and use community recourses, services, patient and caregiver support groups. Develop a bulletin board for listing tasks and responsibilities so that if someone ever asks "What can I do to help?" Respond with specific idea. Let friends and family know what you would like for a gift:

• Certificate to restaurant
• Certificate for laundry or dry cleaner
• Maid service for day or week
• Sitting with your loved one
• Movie tickets
• Spa day

Let friends and family know:

• Celebrate over lunch or brunch rather than an evening meal
• Work around evening confusion
• Consider serving nonalcoholic drinks
• Have fun and allow AD person to have fun
• Keep the room bright during the day until evening about an hour before bedtime and then start dimming the lights. This will help keep sun-downing at a minimum

 Adelle Stanley 803-730-1220 Director of Dementia Programs Agape Senior Services

Of all the things in life that matter, Family, Friends and Faith are the most important. Treasure these and you will always be rich.

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Romans 12:6-10 ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. .