Holidays and Alzheimer’s

The Caregivers Corner:
 

By the time we hit 65, 1 out of 6 of us will be suffering from some form of dementia (severe memory impairment). By the time we reach 85, the odds are almost 50%. The most prevalent form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. For those families dealing with this, the holidays can be a particularly stressful time of the year.

The Alzheimer’s Association has some useful tips for dealing with this disease during the holidays. Two of the links are:

• Holiday Tips (Click Here)
• Suggestions for creating happy, contented, and memorable holidays (Click Here)           

Here’s a Brief Sampling:

• “Don’t feel compelled to hang onto established family traditions if they’re are no longer practical,” …. Be willing to substitute or start a new activity that may become a tradition.”
• Familiarize friends and family with changes in behavior and appearance that they may notice in your loved one. Give them tips for communicating and how to watch for increased anxiety or situations that might cause frustration and methods for helping calm your loved one down.
• Invite children to visit only briefly or hold events that are adults only.
• Consider multiple small holiday meals with fewer people.
• Make name tags for everyone attending.
• Celebrate early in the day to reduce the likelihood of “Sundowners Syndrome” (evening confusion).
• Keep the lights on to keep the room bright and the television off.

Families can call the Alzheimer’s Association at 727-578-2558 or the 24-hour Helpline at 1-800-272-3900 to answer questions about warning signs and to assist persons with dementia and caregivers. The Helpline will be open all Christmas day and News Year day, as well as year round.