With the festive time of year, the holidays are often filled with joy and getting together with our loved ones. While it may be a time to celebrate, the Alzheimer’s Association recognizes caregivers and the additional obstacles and stress during the holiday season. We encourage anyone impacted by the disease to read the tips for gift giving, winter weather safety and other facets to consider during the holiday celebrations.
- Preparation & Planning During the Holidays“>Holiday Planning
- Alzheimer’s Association Offers Holiday Gift Guide for People Living with Dementia and Caregivers
Holiday shopping and gift-giving can often be challenging, but even more so when shopping for a person living with dementia. There more than 100,000 people living with Alzheimer’s disease. Depending on the stage of dementia, some well-intentioned gifts may no longer be appropriate or practical for the person.
“Selecting an appropriate gift for someone living with dementia requires careful thought and consideration,” said Shannon White, Chapter Executive. “You want to start by considering where the person is cognitively so you can choose a gift, they are able to use and enjoy. One of the best gifts you can give is simply spending time with the person.”
To help holiday shoppers, the Alzheimer’s Association has released its 2024 Holiday Gift Guide, offering gift ideas for individuals living in the early, middle and late stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The guide also includes gift suggestions aimed at keeping those living with dementia engaged and involved in everyday tasks, as well as gift ideas for the 11 million family members and friends across the country serving as unpaid caregivers for these individuals.
5 gifts for people living with Alzheimer’s – in the early stages:
- Dry-erase calendars and white boards with colorful markers are a perfect way to list reminders or day-to-day activities.
- Label makers can help people with memory challenges stay organized and keep track of everyday household items and belongings.
- Gift cards for ride-sharing services or a favorite activity (movie, restaurant, golf) allowing the person to remain active.
- GPS trackers (bracelets, watches, keyrings) can keep people living with dementia safe while allowing them to stay independent. These devices provide real-time location updates of your family member. Smaller trackers can be used to help keep track of frequently misplaced items including keys, wallets and phones.
- A “memory” calendar featuring family photos – write in special family occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries.
5 gifts for people living with Alzheimer’s – in the middle-to-late stages:
- Music playlists that include the person’s favorite artists or songs.
- Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that is easy to put on, remove and wash, such as sweat suits, slip-on blouses/shirts, non-slip socks, Velcro shoes, wrinkle-free nightgowns, nightshirts or a fluffy bathrobe.
- Framed photographs or a photo collage created specifically for your loved one. Insert the names of the people in the photos to help with identification.
- Soothing gifts that can help with anxiety like a handheld massage ball or a soft blanket.
- Adaptive dining accessories such as no-spill cups, plate guards and silverware with specifically designed handles that enable greater independence during meals.
5 gifts to help with everyday tasks and keep the person living with Alzheimer’s engaged:
- A memory phone that can store pictures with the names and contact information of family and friends.
- Puzzle and activity books are a great way to keep a person living with dementia cognitively engaged. Some books are developed specifically for people with cognitive challenges. Select books that are appropriate for the person’s cognition level and offer fun without being overwhelming.
- Card/Board games offer an opportunity to involve other family members and friends, allowing others to spend time with the person living with dementia. Some games offer various skill levels, which can keep the caregiver, other family members and the care recipient engaged at cognitively appropriate levels.
- An outing to a movie, play or concert, sporting event, museum or possibly an organized holiday shopping trip with friends and family.
- Engage your loved one in making homemade gifts for the family, painting ornaments, decorating stockings, table setting, scrapbooking or other activity gifts.
5 gifts for dementia caregivers:
- Time is the most important gift you can give a dementia caregiver. Spend time with the person living with dementia and allow the caregiver a chance to run errands, go to their own doctor’s appointment, participate in a support group or engage in an activity that helps them recharge. Even one hour could make a big difference in providing the caregiver with some relief.
- Self-made coupons for cleaning the house, cooking a meal, mowing the lawn or shoveling the driveway.
- Gift cards and certificates for restaurants or meal delivery, laundry/dry cleaning services, lawn care services, computer/technology support, house cleaning services, and personal pampering services such as massages and pedicures.
- Books. In addition to giving novels on the caregiver’s “must read” list, there are a number of books on caregiving and maintaining self-health.
- Self-care items such as a bundle of personal care items (moisturizers, bath bombs, foot creams, scrubs, soaps).
For more holiday gift ideas, visit ALZ Mission Marketplace: Purchase with Purpose at alz.org/marketplace. With each item purchased, a portion is donated to the Alzheimer’s Association, funding critical research, care and support, and awareness initiatives. All donations made via the Greater Kentucky & Southern Indiana Chapter website stay local, please visit alz.org/kyin. For more tips on how families affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia can safely enjoy time with family and friends during the holidays, visit alz.org/holidaytips.
Travel Tips: Safety Suggestions for Families Facing Alzheimer’s
Holiday travel can be hectic for just about everyone who does it, but it can be especially challenging for more than 100,000 people living with Alzheimer’s in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Even short trips to visit family and friends during the holidays can be stressful for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. While not all living with Alzheimer’s are able to travel, people living with early- and mid-stage Alzheimer’s often do want to attend family gatherings and holiday celebrations. Careful and thoughtful planning can help ensure safety, comfort and holiday enjoyment for everyone involved.
When planning your holiday destination, consider these tips from the Alzheimer’s Association to provide for a more calming travel experience for someone living with Alzheimer’s:
- Evaluate best mode of travel: Based on needs, abilities, safety and preferences, decide what would provide the most comfort and the least anxiety. If the destination requires air travel, the Alzheimer’s Association provides these tips on alz.org.
- Pick a practical destination: Consider everyone’s needs and desires as you plan your trip and discuss the plan with the person living with dementia. Elaborate sightseeing trips or complicated tours may cause anxiety and confusion. And it is always important to consider destinations that have easy access to emergency health services and pharmacies.
- Simplify your travel itinerary: Try not to overload the person with many directions or too much information.
- Carry with you an itinerary that includes details about each destination. Give copies to family members or friends you will be visiting or to emergency contacts at home.
- Travel during the time of day is best for the person. For example, if he or she becomes tired or more agitated in the late afternoon, avoid traveling at this time.
- Allow plenty of time for rest and don’t over-schedule.
- Keep travel necessities close: If traveling by air, keep necessary medications, up-to-date medical information, a list of emergency contacts and photocopies of important documents in your carry-on baggage. For longer car trips, make sure water and snacks are available.
- Brief your host: If you are staying with family or friends, make sure everyone knows what to expect. If you will be staying in a hotel, consider informing the staff ahead of time of your specific needs so they can be prepared to assist you.
- Be prepared: Environmental changes or new locations can cause anxiety and agitation in people with Alzheimer’s. These events can also trigger wandering. Monitor your loved one closely for signs of stress or confusion. Keep them close to you in crowded, unfamiliar places.
“The holidays should be a fun and relaxing time for friends and family, including people living with dementia,” said Shannon White, Chapter Executive. “By keeping your loved one’s needs top of mind for all travel decisions can allow for less stress and confusion and provide a joyous time for all.”
Preparation & Planning During the Holidays
Unique challenges facing dementia caregivers during the holidays
- The holidays are often filled with opportunities for togetherness, sharing, laughter and meaningful moments. But they can also bring stress, disappointment and sadness. A person with Alzheimer’s may feel a special sense of loss during the holidays because of the changes he or she has experienced. At the same time, caregivers may feel overwhelmed maintaining traditions while providing care.
- In the mild (early) stage, a person with Alzheimer’s may experience minor changes. Some may withdraw and be less comfortable socializing, while others may relish seeing family and friends as before. The key is to check in with each other and discuss options. A simple “How are you doing?” or “How are you coping with everything?” may be appreciated. Plan the holidays together, focusing on the things that bring happiness and letting go of activities that seem overwhelming or stressful.
- As the disease progresses into the moderate (middle) and severe (late) stages, consider rethinking your holiday plans. Everyone is unique and finding a plan that works can involve trial and error.
Tips for reducing holiday stress
- Make sure others know. The holidays are full of emotions, so let guests know what to expect before they arrive and tell them how they can help. For example, what activities can they do with the person living with Alzheimer’s and how best to communicate with them. “Cross talk” or simultaneous conversations can be challenging for people living with Alzheimer’s – try engaging them one-on-one.
- Build on traditions and memories. Take time to experiment with new traditions that might be less stressful or a better fit with your caregiving responsibilities, such as watching seasonal movies. For example, if evening confusion and agitation are a problem, turn your holiday dinner into a holiday lunch.
- Involve the person with dementia. Involve the person in safe, manageable holiday preparation activities that he or she enjoys. Ask him or her to help you prepare food, wrap packages, help decorate or set the table. (Avoid using candies, artificial fruits and vegetables as decorations because a person with dementia might confuse them with real food. Blinking lights may also confuse the person.)
- Plan ahead. When attending a holiday party, prepare the host for special needs, such as a quiet room for the person to rest when they get tired, away from the noise and distractions.
- Adjust expectations. Call a face-to-face meeting or arrange for a group discussion via telephone, video chat or email for family and friends to discuss holiday celebrations. Make sure that everyone understands the situation and has realistic expectations about what you can and cannot do. No one should expect you to maintain every holiday tradition or event.
- Let others contribute. Give yourself permission to do only what you can reasonably manage. Have a potluck dinner or ask others to host at their home. You also may want to consider breaking large gatherings up into smaller visits of two or three people at a time to keep the person with Alzheimer’s and yourself from getting overtired.
- Adapt gift giving. Provide people with suggestions for useful, safe and enjoyable gifts for the person such as comfortable, easy-to-remove clothing; CDs of favorite music; favorite foods and photo albums of family and friends.
- The Alzheimer’s Association 2023 Holiday Gift Guide offers gift ideas for individuals living in the early, middle and late-stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The guide also includes gift suggestions aimed at keeping those living with dementia engaged and involved in everyday tasks, as well as gift ideas for the 11 million family members and friendsacross the countryserving as unpaid caregivers for these individuals.
Additional Resources
To help caregivers and families navigate holiday-related challenges, the Alzheimer’s Association offers tips and resources to ensure an enjoyable holiday for all at https://www.alz.org/help-support/resources/holidays.