How to Help People with Memory Loss Enjoy the Holidays

The following essay is covered in The Conversation, an online publication.

The holidays are a great time for people to spend time with their family.

If you could restore memories in some of the people you care about, what would you do?

A process called reminiscence therapy could be used. Positive experiences are encouraged to be discussed in reminiscence therapy.

In preparation for the holidays, we wanted to explain this technique and encourage readers to use it to connect with loved ones with dementia.

The benefits of happy memories

Almost 9% of American adults are over the age of 65. Informal and formal family members can experience a range of physical and psychological outcomes when caring for a loved one who develops dementia. Asking the person about certain times in their life is usually what it entails. Around the holidays, older adults may already be ready to discuss holiday-themed memories due to the influx of sensory cues, including the smell of holiday cookies, and seasonal music.

Quality of life, communication and mood can be improved by using reminiscence therapy for dementia, according to an analysis of several studies. People who engage in reminiscence therapy with their loved ones report that the experience is positive for them, too, and can be an effective way to deal with difficult communication.

A study found that caregivers felt closer to their loved ones with dementia when they practiced reminiscence therapy. Informal care costs were less expensive than caregivers who felt more distant from their loved ones.

Ask for details

There are some tips to use. Asking questions may help older adults remember holiday memories. It's for example:

What were your family traditions around the holidays when you were growing up? Did you have a Christmas tree? When and who would decorate it? Were there particular foods you would make and eat around the holidays? Did you ever travel for the holidays? What was your first holiday season with your spouse like? What were your holiday traditions when you were a parent?

What is your favorite New Year’s Eve memory?