By Debbie Gardner
debbieg@thereminder.com
Rachel E. Tierney, PhD, RN, is a retired psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist and nurse educator with over 50 years of practice. She has spent her professional career working primarily with adults with chronic and persistent mental illness. When her husband, Jim, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2001, being a caregiver became personal. Thanks to the help of family members and community resources, Jim was able to remain at home until 2009.
After Jim’s death in 2010, Rachel began her ongoing participation with the Alzheimer’s Association annual Pioneer Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Over that past two years, Rachel has been actively involved in the Dementia Friendly Communities coalitions in South Hadley and in Holyoke, offering dementia education programs to various community and governmental groups.
Her professional and personal experience with dementia gives Rachel an insight Prime wanted to tap. Here’s what she shared about helping those with dementia enjoy the holidays:
Q: Cookies, carols and celebrations – every family has their concept of what makes the holiday season. How can a diagnosis of dementia in one of the family members affect a family’s approach to traditional holiday preparations and celebrations?
“An important consideration is the role that the individual with dementia has traditionally played at family celebrations – and to help that person to continue that role as much as possible. Has this person been the pie maker, the host/hostess, the turkey carver, the organizer of family activities? Instead of continuing to be the “leader” in these activities, perhaps the individual could work with another family member in carrying out the traditional activity. Changing the place for family gatherings, especially if that has traditionally been at the home of the individual with dementia, should be seriously considered.”
Q: How do holiday preparations and celebrations look from the perspective of the person experiencing dementia?
“The individual with dementia may have difficulty in completing familiar tasks related to meal preparation and serving. S/he may also be confused and experience sensory overload at large, loud, active family gatherings – or when several conversations are happening simultaneously. Remembering the names of familiar family members, especially those of younger family members, might be a challenge. Wrapping gifts or baking pies require the sequencing of multiple tasks – another challenge for one with dementia.”
Q: What can family and friends do to insure the person experiencing dementia can enjoy the holiday season?
“Family members and friends need to be realistic about what they and the individual with dementia can manage. Short visits with a few people might be more successful than a long day with a large family gathering. Prepare family and friends ahead of time for how they can successfully communicate with and be helpful to the individual. “Limit distractions and sensory overload such as those from the radio, TV, or boisterous playing grandchildren. Plan family gatherings early in the day, respecting the individual’s daily routine as much as possible. Include a sing-along of favorite holiday songs or read a favorite holiday story out loud. Suggest useful gifts that would be helpful to the individual – stamps, greeting cards, DVDs, CDs, easy to manage clothing with Velcro closings rather than buttons or zippers. Photo albums, memory books and scrapbooks may provide many hours of pleasure for the individual with dementia.
“If you are the primary care partner, request a gift for yourself that will give you some respite.
Ask another to stay with the individual for a block of time. Encourage a gift certificate for you to have a massage, manicure/pedicure, chore services, round of golf or theater tickets. Be sensitive to the needs of the individual with dementia in deciding when to leave, or ask others to leave, an event.”
