The holidays can be a wonderful time for residents to be with their family & friends for a celebration. The holidays can also be a sensitive time for people living with dementia who may experience different, strong feelings about the holiday season.
Here are some strategies to consider:
1.) Plan Ahead. Will the resident be having visitors at the home, or will they be leaving to be with family & friends? For residents who will visit with family & friends be sure to communicate the visitation times with the team in order to support them in getting ready; and to be sure if they are leaving the home the supply needed is ready, such as medications and any care supply required.
2.) Understand each residents personal feelings about the holidays. Do they traditionally celebrate holidays? If not, create a separate meaningful activity schedule for residents who do not wish to celebrate holidays. This is to ensure the resident does not feel overlooked.
3.) Be sure to identify any negative triggers. What may trigger any negative holiday memories, such as certain music, traditions or certain people from their past? This information can usually be gathered by the resident or the resident's main representative.
4.) Be patient with family & friends. Some visitors may not have seen their loved one for a long time. People are often surprised at how much change has occurred since the last time they were together. It is important to allow them time to process the changes their loved ones may have experienced.
5.) Accommodate family & friend visits. It is usually beneficial to everyone for the provider to communicate directly with one family or friend representative about the planning for each holiday visit and events. Pro-actively schedule the visits for each resident when possible so they don’t overlap with other residents visitation times. It is also a good idea to have a signal with the designated family member if the resident may become too overstimulated and in need of a quiet break in a designated area. And most importantly, have fun!
