Interacting with a family member who has memory loss due to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease can be stressful on everyone. Especially if you are going home for the holidays (or they are coming to your house) and haven’t been around them for a while. I always recommend that my clients hire an Alzheimer’s coach for a few sessions, but there are some great books about making life with someone with memory loss easier for every one.
These tips come from Beverly Moore’s book, Matters of the Mind and Heart.
1. Provide visual cues for tasks. Put a spoon in her hand and say “stir the batter”, rather than just saying “stir the batter” and expecting her to go find a spoon and know what to do with it. This helps the person stay involved in cooking projects.
2. Mirror the visual cue. Act out the task you want them to take part in before expecting them to do it on their own. If you are making cookies, use the cookie cutter a few times before handing it over to them.
3. Remove distractions. Don’t have the TV or radio on while you are cooking or eating, as this can be distracting and confusing. Avoid chatty talking if she’s concentrating on an activity.
4. Do the activity with them. A person with dementia cannot do a task on their own for an extended period of time without guidance.
5. Create a pleasant experience. People with dementia will remember how they felt, even if they can’t remember what they did. By creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, they will know it feels good to be around you and that they enjoyed themselves, even if they can’t recall specific events.
Leanna, great post about Alzheimer’s, especially important around the holidays when families are coming back together.