Making Thanksgiving Dementia-Friendly

With Thanksgiving approaching, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is offering seven tips to help families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related illnesses ensure their Thanksgiving celebration is dementia-friendly.

“Families caring for a loved one with a dementia-related illness deserve to join together and celebrate Thanksgiving, and there a few simple steps they can take to make that celebration as joyful as possible,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s President & CEO. “Being proactive and prepared are the best tools caregivers can use to give their loved one a Happy Thanksgiving.”

AFA offers the following tips to help make a Thanksgiving celebration dementia-friendly:

• Prepare your loved one. Try to familiarize them with the guests beforehand by showing photos, sharing stories, or arranging a phone or Facetime chat prior to the celebration. You could also make an invitation to the event to share with your loved one so they know details and that it will be happening.
• Prepare your guests. Consider sharing beneficial information with guests about your loved one—such as ways to communicate with the person, what they respond well to, and what may cause distress—especially if they have not seen the person recently. This will help facilitate positive interactions and engagement.
• Factor the person’s routine into the scheduling. Changes in daily routine can be challenging for someone living with dementia, so to the greatest extent possible, plan the celebration around that routine. For example, if the person usually takes an afternoon walk, build in time for that.
• Hold the celebration early. Individuals living with dementia are prone to “sundowning,” a syndrome which can cause agitation and confusion in the late afternoon-early evening as the sun sets. This can be compounded when adding a celebration with a house full of guests. Consider holding the celebration earlier in the day so your loved one feels more comfortable. 
• Plan for help. Preparing and holding a holiday gathering can be stressful even without the additional responsibilities of caring for a loved one with dementia. Relatives and friends are often eager to help, but may not know how. Don’t be afraid to let them know what you need, whether it’s asking them to bring a dish, help with cooking, shopping, or decorating, or spending time with your loved one while you are preparing for the celebration. 
• Keep your loved one involved.  Make adaptations that enable your loved one to participate in the celebration by focusing on what they can do, rather than what they cannot. Invite them to help by preparing ingredients for a simple dish, setting the table, decorating, and other activities. Playing familiar music or going through old photos are great forms of reminiscence that can bring joy and foster positivity during the celebration. For intergenerational activities, try singing familiar songs together, doing art activities, and having a snack together.
• Have a quiet space available. Prepare a quiet place away from the crowd where the person with dementia can go if the celebration becomes too much for them. Have familiar comfort items available (i.e., favorite blanket, sweater, stuffed animal) that will help them feel safe and comfortable. Try to control the flow of visitors when possible; those in early stages are better able to interact than those in later stages.

About Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA)

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide support, services and education to individuals, families and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias nationwide and to fund research for better treatment and a cure. Its services include a National Toll-Free Helpline (866-232-8484) staffed by licensed social workers, the National Memory Screening Program, educational conferences and materials, and “AFA Partners in Care” dementia care training for healthcare professionals. For more information about AFA, call 866-232-8484, visit www.alzfdn.org, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.  AFA has earned Charity Navigator’s top 4-star rating for six consecutive years.