Help to Make the Season Bright for Alzheimer’s Patients and Their Families

The strong imagery of the words that begin the holiday song, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,” first recorded by Nat King Cole, include the lyric:

“Everybody knows a turkey and some Mistletoe
help to make the season bright…”

The song is filled with many sentiments that can stir memories during these very family-oriented holidays, including this line: “…to kids from one to ninety-two.” When you have a loved one in an assisted living facility, making the season bright for that family member and all the other loved ones you care for during holidays can be a lot to juggle, particularly as many families actually have members ranging from 1 to 92. At the Alzheimer’s Association website, we found a recent article that offers this advice:

“A holiday is still a holiday whether it is celebrated at home or at a care facility.”

The article is a wonderful reminder that the holidays can be celebrated with family members no matter where they may be, and this really applies to any time of year. The article goes on to offer these tips for ways you and your loved one in an assisted living facility can celebrate the holidays together:

• Consider joining your loved one in any facility-planned holiday activities
• Bring a favorite holiday food to share
• Read a favorite holiday story or poem out loud
• Sing holiday songs and ask if other residents can join in

At Primrose we are partial to the last one in particular. Songs are powerful mediums for stirring memories and we have seen this power every day as we engage with our residents. Songs can also stir emotions, often taking the form of remembrances of past holidays we have shared with our loved one who is dealing with the symptoms of dementia and/or Alzheimer’s. Take time out to sing with your loved ones this holiday — it’s a powerful way to engage, spread some cheer, and bring a smile to your face and that of your loved one.

Happy Holidays from Primrose

Thank you to the Alzheimer’s Association for this information. To read the complete article visit: Holidays and Alzheimer’s Families