AS MORE doors are opened on advent calendars, families are preparing for Christmas but the festive season can be a stressful for people with Dementia.
Home care provider Helping Hands Alcester is offering advice for families on how to make Christmas easier for a loved one with Dementia.
People suffering from Dementia often experience problems with their vision which can make it difficult to spot objects on patterned surfaces.
When planning your Christmas dinner, Helping Hands recommends reducing clutter on the table and using a plain table cloth and plates with a contrasting edge to make it easier to identify the food on the dish.
Placing signs on cupboards to clearly display the contents is another useful tip along with labelling doors to indicate which room they lead to which will make it simpler for everyone visiting.
Using plain rugs on patterned carpets or on shiny floors will also make it easier for your loved one to get around the house.
Families can also make one room a quiet room and close the curtains as soon as it gets dark as reflections can be intimidating for those with Dementia. Mirrors can also be taken down or covered up to reduce reflections around the home.
Routine should not be changed too much over the festive period as these changes can be hardest thing for a person with Dementia to deal with.
Bringing reassuring items from your loved one’s home – such as a favourite mug or cushion – can help them settle in your house.
Families should also allow more time for regular Christmas activities such as dropping your loved one back at their own home as it is possible that after a few days away their own house will feel unfamiliar, so allow an afternoon to spend settling them back in and familiarising themselves with their surroundings.
Finally, music is incredibly important in Dementia care and playing nostalgic carols can bring back fond memories of Christmases gone by for loved ones who may be struggling this season of good cheer.
Visit http://tinyurl.com/qzk6nsc to get a Dementia Toolkit including room cards from the Helping Hands.
