As the fall season moves on, times can get pretty busy and trying to keep up with activities for the family can get pretty frantic. It is not unusual for an event to slip a busy person’s mind. Luckily, in this day and age, there are many hi-tech ways to keep on top of special dates and to keep schedules lined up. There are times when even the most organized of schedules can get mixed up.
Now imagine that you are coping with a dementia related disease such as Alzheimer’s. You may have an elderly loved one who suffers from Alzheimer’s and they are having a difficult time keeping up with special events in the family and remembering dates like birthdays and anniversaries. Because of this, your loved one probably feels pretty bad when they are late to family get-togethers. Senior Helpers of Santa Barbara can help your loved one cope and remember those important dates.
Even with normal aging, remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates can be difficult. We all have so many things going through our brains at once that it’s difficult to remember dates, but these dates can be the best times to help your senior stay more involved and really show their friends and family members that they care.
Here are a few fun ways to help your aging loved one remember those special dates. Some like keeping it old school by simply write down important dates on a paper calendar that hangs in a highly visible spot such as on the refrigerator or near the telephone. Sit down with your aging loved one and make a calendar of these important events. Be sure to include all birthday, anniversaries, weddings and other activities that they would want to remember. This way they will see all the dates at the start of each month. A fun way to spend time with an elderly loved one is to help them prepare birthday cards at the beginning of each month. Even sending them out early is a fun way to show family and friends they are remembered. A caregiver from Senior Helpers of Santa Barbara can help with such tasks as these! There are also many craft stores and places like Target or Wal-Mart where you can buy boxes of 10 or more generic birthday cards. Have your loved one sign her name to them, put them in envelopes, ready to go, and at the beginning of each month the correct number of birthday cards can be selected to be mailed out. Simple and efficient.
Technology may be a far-fetched idea for a loved one who has not already had much experience with it. If your loved one has used a smartphone before and is comfortable with it, you can use technology to fill in a special app or the calendar to remind them of these special dates.
If you would like to learn more about dementia and Alzheimer’s in-home care, call Senior Helpers of Santa Barbara to speak to a senior care specialist today 805-687-7777! Senior Helpers Santa Barbara provides a wide range of services including Alzheimer’s and dementia care, personal assistance, companionship, and so much more to all areas of Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, Santa Ynez, and Carpinteria, California.