Keeping seniors with dementia happy and safe from COVID-19 for the holidays

The holidays may be the best time to get together as a family, but not during these days when all precautions are laid out to avoid the continued spread of COVID-19.

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This doesn’t mean though that celebrations can’t be done and the merriment must be put aside, especially with seniors with dementia in the family who need constant companionship. There are still a lot of ways to stay connected with family users living miles away, as well as with friends and relatives who want to make their warmth felt during the season.

Here are some ways to keep seniors with dementia happy and contented during the most festive time of the year.

Virtual reunions

Nowadays, get-togethers are best done virtually.

It might take a bit of time before we can do face-to-face gatherings as part of Christmas celebrations again, but it’s a hardly a problem for seniors living with dementia especially with a wealth of tech platforms available. Facetime, Zoom, or Facebook Messenger calls can be very valuable and important in keeping seniors with dementia connected with the world, particularly during this season.

This is especially true for elder family users receiving in-home dementia care and have missed family get-togethers due to the virus.

Observing distance from others as a safety measure during our Christmas celebrations does not mean seniors living with dementia must live in isolation. As mentioned in one of our previous blogs, being able to stay socially engaged through technology allows elder people receiving in-home dementia care to enjoy a healthy outlook in life and a sense of community.

Get busy with writing or crafts

Creativity plays a very important role in the health and wellbeing of seniors living with dementia.

At home, you can schedule a holiday-themed arts session with them (or even do it virtually with other users of the family as well). You can also ask them to write letters and messages for family users and relatives, which you can send to them via email or social media afterwards.

At GCS, for example, we also give out watercolor books as part of the activities that our senior clients with dementia can do to stay engaged and get their creative side happy.

If you have children at home, they would surely love to get involved. Reuser that, as discussed in one of our previous features, being constantly active with children gives elders a sense of purpose while also reducing their feeling of isolation due to aging.

Whip up a delicious Christmas dish

Since staying at home for Christmas celebrations is the safest and most ideal scenario for Christmas celebrations for seniors with dementia, why not take some time to help rekindle their love for cooking (if they used to be the resident family chef in the past) by preparing a Christmas feast with their favorite recipe?

Baking or cooking is one say to stimulate the brains and evoke happy, heartfelt old memories of the past, particularly for seniors receiving in-home dementia care. It’s a nice way to make them reminisce their yesteryears while also allowing them to share stories and a few anecdotes with you. Just make sure to take note which food items are best recommended for seniors living with dementia right here (See: 5 of the best food items for dementia patients).

How about you? How are you spending your holiday celebrations safely at home with your elder loved ones?

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Keeping seniors with dementia happy and safe from COVID-19 for the holidays