Dementia Care How-To: 9 Ways to Make Holiday Visits with Loved Ones Better
Sarah Akin hopes this holiday that caregivers give themselves a little grace — and that visiting family do the same. Akin, who is 35 and lives in San Francisco, cared for her father until his death from early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2021 at age 62. She said the holidays can put extra pressure on family, especially caregivers, to act a certain way or to be on high alert for cognitive changes.
“When I cared for my dad, I learned to not take on too much of the holiday stress and did what worked for me,” Akin said. “If that meant skipping a family visit, I learned how to be honest with myself and others and asked them for their compassion and understanding.”
Despite learning how to protect herself from a dreaded bout of caregiver burnout, Akin found herself comforting well-meaning relatives at family gatherings when they didn’t know how to respond to a loved one with memory loss, pushing her closer to the edge of mental and emotional exhaustion.
“I wish more people knew that if you’re visiting a relative with Alzheimer’s who you don’t see often, remember the disease is every day for them and their caregivers, and that being sensitive with comments and reactions is really important,” she said.
For families navigating a loved one’s dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis, the holidays can often put cognitive declines in the spotlight, especially for those who don’t regularly interact with the person living with dementia.
Carol Bradley Bursack, a dementia caregiving expert, elder care columnist and author of Minding Our Elders, suggests understanding how the disease affects a person’s perception…
Perfect Christmas gifts!
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Stay connected with Memoryboard: Designed by caregivers. Memoryboard helps families share reminders, messages, updates, and photos on an easy-to-use screen designed for people with dementia. Peace of mind for families, independence for loved ones.
Leslie Kernisan, MD, MPH, has opened up support! View two free caregiving webinars that can help you help your older parents (and yourself).
Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories: “…This book is for all of us; let it help you cope! Thank you to the author and everyone she spoke with!” …Dolores
