Holidays are never an easy time for senior parents living with Alzheimer's. The changes in routine, flickering lights, loud music, and decorative displays stress them, making them vulnerable to anxiety, confusion, and frustration.
Luckily, with mindful planning, seniors can enjoy their first holiday season just as they used to. Use the following tips as a benchmark to organize an Alzheimer's-friendly holiday.
Modify Family Traditions and Tasks
Some people enjoy holidays by giving back to the disadvantaged, dancing to their favorite music, and baking special treats. Others enjoy watching movies with their extended family or conversing by an open fire.
Since loved ones with Alzheimer's dislike noise, flickering lights, and stressful activities, you'd want to eliminate some traditions and activities for their sake. For instance, eradicate fireworks, flickering lights, and anything else that can over-stimulate or piss them.
Engage the Senior Under Care — Do Not Be Too Helpful
Naturally, you might want to treat your loved one with Alzheimer's in a caring way. But, caring too much is not always helpful as it makes the seniors feel ignored, triggering anger, annoyance, and frustration.
Therefore, when planning the senior's first holiday in Racine, Union Grove, or Pleasant Prairie, involve your senior parent in every stage. The involvement makes them feel part of the preparations, minimizing the chances of frustration.
Educate Young Children About Confusion or Frustration
Since Alzheimer's transforms one's personality drastically, children might find it hard to get along with a loved one living with Alzheimer's. Fortunately, you can eliminate the tense relationship by helping the kids understand how the condition could have transformed the senior. In particular, educate them about the confusion which leads to difficulty remembering things and frustration, which triggers anger and aggression.
Use Decorations With Caution
Decorating homes with candles, flickering lights, Christmas tree ornaments, and wall decorations is an excellent way to set the holiday ambiance. But, for a senior parent with Alzheimer's, the decorations could be mentally overwhelming.
For example, animated decorations that play sounds and flicker lights bring discomfort and confusion, compromising the senior's holiday experience. On that account, choose and use decorations with your loved one's situation in mind.
Prioritize Safety
Senior parents with Alzheimer's have an increased risk of injuries. The high-risk results from forgetfulness, fear, changes in vision, or trouble maintaining balance.
For that reason, you'd want to make your home in Racine, Pleasant Prairie, or Union Grove safer during the holidays. Secure Christmas trees to a wall, avoid decorations that could be mistaken for food, get the decorations out of the way, and do not leave burning candles unattended.
Lower Noise Levels
Loud music, conversations, clanking silverware, and other noises raise stress and anxiety levels for seniors with Alzheimer's. Therefore, you'd want to play music and converse at low volume to keep your loved one calm.
As an alternative, provide a quiet room where the senior can rest when other family members celebrate with dance, music, and loud conversations.
Get an In-Home Helper From Senior Helpers Racine to Take Care of Your Senior
With challenges like confusion, poor judgment, forgetfulness, and unpredictable mood changes, taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer's can take a toll on your well-being. That is where hiring a homecare expert comes in handy. The helpers will make a customized care plan that gives your senior parent the highest level of care.
Contact us to learn how we can help your senior have an easy time living with Alzheimer's while taking some burden off your shoulders.