How to support someone living with dementia at Christmas
Tips on Planning your Christmas
Christmas is an exciting time for many, but it can be overwhelming for others. For every person who is enjoying the busy shops, bright lights and gift exchanges, there will be others who struggle with the entire festive season. This could be because they lost someone dear to them at Christmas, or because they’re living with a condition that affects their enjoyment, such as dementia, anxiety or depression.
For most people, getting together with loved ones for Christmas brings feelings of happiness, but for people who are living with dementia it can bring confusion, anxiety and disorientation as the house suddenly looks, smells and sounds different. One way around this is to prepare for Christmas by thinking about the reality of someone living with dementia and making a few adaptations.
Decorate gradually
Decorating extensively in one day may be what marks the start of your Christmas, but for someone living with dementia, such drastic changes to their surroundings could cause confusion and anxiety. Putting the decorations up gradually over the course of a few days may make the process less stressful, especially if they’re able to help.
Keep food portions small
Dementia can affect an individual’s appetite, and seeing a huge plate of food in front of them may make them feel intimidated. Starting small is the best way to go, as they can always have seconds if they would like them. It’s important to leave room for afters too, as well as all of those essential Christmas nibbles that we can’t seem to do without!
Create a safe space
Christmas gatherings invariably bring additional noise, and for someone living with dementia, this can be overwhelming. Creating a quiet space for them somewhere in the house where they can go and feel safe is essential to maintaining a Christmas that works for everyone, and the whole family should respect the fact that they may need to take a break.
Bring a little nostalgia
Looking back over Christmases of years past can be a great memory aid for someone living with dementia, and it will also help them feel more included. Photograph albums, favourite music, or classic films may all help someone feel comfortable and more at ease, and it’s a way for the whole family to sit together and share some precious time remembering.
Acknowledging the past
It can be confusing and upsetting for someone living with dementia if they cannot understand where loved ones who have passed are, and it’s important to broach the subject carefully. Distracting someone by showing them pictures to stimulate conversation is a helpful tactic, and discussing fond memories may help them focus on the good times.
Keep them involved
Keeping the person involved, while being mindful of the adjustments we can make, will help them to avoid loneliness at Christmas. It is easy to become isolated when living with dementia and a busy room of unfamiliar people may make things worse. Activities and conversations that can include the person are essential and can be enjoyable for all generations.
An alternative to Christmas
It’s important to remember that not everyone celebrates Christmas, whether for religious reasons or just because they don’t enjoy it. Many people find the commercialisation of the season to be distasteful and don’t have the means to spend excessively. Perhaps your loved one has always felt that way, but they put on a brave face over the years so that their family would have a good time. You may think that their dementia is what’s causing them not to want to celebrate Christmas, but there’s a possibility they always felt that way, and now it’s becoming more obvious as their social barriers are eroded. Getting into the world of someone living with dementia is essential when it comes to helping them to live as well as possible, and working out how best they’d like to spend Christmas is essential to avoid increased anxiety.
How Helping Hands can help at Christmas
If you or one of your loved ones is living with dementia and you’re not sure how you’re going to cope with Christmas, you should talk to us. Helping Hands have been supporting people living with dementia since we were established in 1989, so it’s no wonder we’re one of the UK’s most trusted home care providers. Our dedicated carers help our customers to live as independently as possible at home and help their families feel reassured that they’re receiving expert dementia care.
We can support throughout the festive period if you’re planning a holiday or if their regular carer needs to take a break, and we can offer visiting or live-in care from a few hours to 24-hour support. Our carers will support with every aspect of their daily routine, helping them into their gladrags for Christmas day, sprucing the house up or preparing them a small Christmas lunch at home. Talk to us today about you and your loved ones’ needs so we can help to arrange a Christmas that suits everyone.
