How to Organize Your Holiday Shopping If You Have Early-Stage Dementia
It's hard to ignore holiday shopping. Before we have a chance to finish off the Thanksgiving leftovers, marketers are enticing us with Black Friday deals. However, for those elderly loved ones who are living with early-stage dementia, holiday shopping can be difficult.
This guide will help with planning the holiday shopping in Santa Monica for those who are in the early stages of dementia.
6 Tips for Organizing Holiday Shopping
In early-stage dementia, memory loss can make it difficult to plan for anything, let alone the holidays. Deciding where to shop, when to shop, and who to shop for, may seem too confusing. The fear of getting lost while out shopping adds to the already mounting stress.
It is perfectly okay to get others involved to help get holiday shopping done on time.
1. Involve a Friend or Caregiver
A trusted friend or caregiver can help make shopping easier and fun. Discuss what needs to be accomplished with your companion and fill them in on the specific tasks that you need help with. This will help keep holiday shopping relaxing and worry-free.
2. Make a List
Start a running list of every person to buy for. Leave room for pertinent information like sizes (if they are known) and ideas on what to buy for each person. This list will be a constant companion throughout the shopping journey. It will avoid confusion as to exactly what needs to be bought and prevent overspending or forgetting something.
3. Visit Ads
Go online to find holiday advertisements to narrow down where to shop. These days, the majority of shopping can be done from the comfort of one's own home. If physical sites need to be visited to get the perfect gift, ads will alert you to ongoing sales and the locations of good shopping spots around Los Angeles.
4. Schedule Time to Shop
Malls are heavily packed during the holidays, and crowds can cause nervousness for seniors. Once the list is narrowed down in terms of what to buy and where to buy it, it's now time to block schedules and shopping dates on the calendar.
5. Check the List
Check the shopping list from time to time. This will help you anticipate how long the shopping will last. When the majority of the shopping feels done, it is wise to revisit the list once again to make sure nothing is forgotten. However, you need to bear in mind that you should not overwork yourself. If tired, you can continue your shopping the following day or you can ask your companion to do it for you.
6. Celebrate
Once all shopping is finished, thank your shopping companion and buy them lunch or a cup of hot cocoa. Reward yourself and your companion for a job well-done. A small yet rewarding treat, like a movie or a manicure, is a good way to relax and get ready for the coming holidays.
Senior Helpers® Can Help This Holiday Season
Senior Helpers® Santa Monica can help seniors living with early-stage dementia prepare for the holiday season. Servicing Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Marina Del Rey, and Los Angeles, our offices are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
Contact us today to connect yourself or your loved one with a caring companion who can help get the holiday shopping completed.