If you are a friend or family member of someone with dementia, you may be thinking about ways to enjoy the upcoming holidays with them. Below are a few strategic adjustments you can make to the environment and your own communication to help promote meaningful connections this holiday season.
Setting the Scene
If you are the care partner, consider hosting or attending the festive event in the morning or whenever cognition is at its best for the person with dementia (PWD). Additionally, putting out pleasing sights, sounds, or smells associated with the holiday can help trigger fond memories and bring to mind what the day is about. For example, setting out a familiar decoration, playing a song you commonly sing around the holidays, baking fresh rolls so the smell wafts from the oven. These elements offer not only a positive atmosphere; but also, they have the potential to leverage the PWD’s intact long-term memory and can be a jumping off point for conversation. Keep in mind, you do not have to do it all. Whatever ideas you come up with, pick what seems the most simple and pleasant to put into practice.
Supporting Conversation and Connection
If you have noticed a change in the PWD’s conversation abilities, adjusting how you express yourself can help to meet them where they are. That may mean simplifying and slowing how you speak (e.g., using short sentences, asking yes/no questions, waiting patiently for a response). It may also mean enhancing your message with sensory-rich language (e.g., the spice of the hot cider, warmth of the fireplace) and/or supporting it with visual cues (e.g., gestures, written words). Noticing and acknowledging nonverbal forms of expression, such as sounds and facial expressions that convey feelings, is another valuable way to create a sense of shared connection. In the end, engaging in a conversation topic that is familiar and meaningful to the PWD, such as reminiscing about a past, personal event, can help encourage meaningful discussion and social participation. As mentioned, if you have concrete elements in the environment (e.g., a photo album) to help introduce and facilitate the recall, even better.
We hope everyone has a happy holiday season!
If you try (or have tried) any of these tips or others, please feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.
