We all know that life isn’t fair, but sometimes it seems like the odds are overwhelmingly against us. Ask any family caregiver who has been diagnosed with a chronic or potentially fatal disease. Their own health and the future of the loved ones who depend on them hang in the balance, which only compounds the distressing news.
It can be easy, when your loved one appears to be a shell of the vibrant human being they were in their youth, to treat them with less respect or awareness of the human being that they still are. Even if they cannot express themselves in the way that they used to, the person you love is still in there and deserving of being treated with respect and dignity.
Holidays are a time for fun, food, music, decorations, and gatherings of family and friends. Even though someone may be living with dementia, they will still want to participate in lifelong traditions and celebrations. However, due to cognitive changes, holidays for people with dementia won’t be the same as they were in the past.
The holidays are often a time of celebration, family and excitement. But for individuals living with dementia and the caregivers who support them, the holidays can present new challenges. For an individual living with dementia, the holidays can present physical, mental and emotional factors that may disrupt their day-to-day activities.
