How to have a dementia friendly Christmas at home.
Christmas is a lovely time of the year to celebrate however for people living with dementia and their families, Christmas can be quite a daunting time. We have created a few tips which will help you have a dementia friendly Christmas at home with your loved ones.
Cosy activities
Stay cosy and warm and plan some enjoyable activities which will keep the person living with dementia stimulated throughout the day. You could bake their favourite childhood cake with them, watch their favourite movie or do a brightly coloured fun jigsaw.
Reminisce
Christmas is a time to spend with loved ones. Take some time in the day to reminisce about Christmases from the past and tell joyful stories. You could even get a photo album out and talk about the photos which will create conversation and happy memories.
Decorations
Try to keep your decorations minimal. Decorations can be wonderful for some people as they enjoy the many traditions Christmas decorating brings, however to some it may be quite confusing. Make sure everything is still accessible and it doesn’t disorientate the person living with dementia.
A quiet space
Ensure there is a quiet space for the person living with dementia, being surrounded by a lot of people may be a too much at certain times throughout the day. If the person living with dementia seems overwhelmed support them in taking a break from the celebrations.
A simple meal
As Christmas Day is a change in everyone’s routine try and keep to the same mealtimes and similar types of food, if possible. This should be slightly familiar to the person living with dementia and may encourage them to eat. Finger food is also a good alternative for Christmas day as a meal may be too over facing.
