For more information on our recent data notice, please click here

Menu
Search

Holiday Tips to Include Memory Impaired Persons And Those with Behavioral Problems

 

November 07, 2005  |  

With the holidays approaching, persons with memory impairment or behavioral problems may not feel comfortable in large family gatherings. However, there is much that loved ones can do to make these individuals a part of the holiday celebrations.

Daniel Sewell, MD, director of the Senior Behavioral Health Unit at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center, offers several suggestions for helping persons with memory impairment or behavioral problems to get the most enjoyment out of family gatherings during the holidays:

  • Plan ahead. If the individual is vulnerable to over-stimulation, limit the activities or length of time in which he or she is included. For example, don’t let dinner continue on for multiple hours.
  • Establish a quiet room in the home, so that the family member can step out of the hustle and bustle for a calm moment.
  • Budget in naptime, especially if the loved one is accustomed to daily naps.
  • Assign a family member to be that day’s companion to the elderly member, to monitor how he or she is doing and to make sure they feel comfortable.
  • If the get-together is in the home of the person with memory impairment or behavioral problems, don’t rearrange the furniture. This could be a source of confusion and anxiety. If the get-together is in a new place, remove slippery throw rugs.
  • Don’t put out a lot of finger foods, like sweets, especially if the individual has a problem with impulse control. This could lead to sugar-induced hyperactivity or an upset stomach.
  • Limit or eliminate alcohol consumption, which can provoke bad behavior or interfere with medications.
  • Break down complicated tasks and involve the individual in a simple, helpful preparation task, such as greasing one of the cooking pans or peeling potatoes. This aids self-esteem and helps him or her feel a sense of contribution to the day’s celebrations.
  • Engage everyone, including the memory-impaired, with reminiscing. Often, individuals with memory problems can recall the past but forget recent events or conversations. By getting them to talk about the past, younger family members can be exposed to their roots and the memory-impaired will feel validated for their perspective on family history.
  • Avoid criticism that can embarrass or shame the older person. For example, when they forget a recent conversation, refrain from saying “don’t you remember??”
  • Don’t forget the regular schedule of medications in the hustle and bustle of the holiday.
  • If you’re traveling by air, plan on how much time you’ll need – then double it. Rushing is very stressful for everyone. Airport services, such as wheelchair accommodations, might be in short supply with the heavy load of travelers at the holiday season.

“All of these suggestions need to be individualized for each person and their specific needs,” Sewell says. “These folks can get lost in the shuffle and chaos of happy family gatherings. So, just be sensitive and loving. And plan ahead.

#  #  #

News Media Contact: Debra Kain, 619-543-6163

Note to broadcast and cable producers: UC San Diego provides an on-campus satellite uplink facility for live or pre-recorded television interviews.  Please phone, or e-mail, the media contact listed above to arrange an interview.

UC San Diego Health Sciences Communications HealthBeat: /news/


Related Specialties



Media Contact

Share This Article


Related News

3/28/2023
New UC San Diego Health bladder cancer detection procedure uses blue light and imaging dye to make cancer cells glow pink in clinic and operating room settings.
3/27/2023
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health examined a new treatment approach for endometrial cancer.
3/22/2023
UC San Diego researchers describe why SARS-CoV-2 subvariants spread more rapidly than the original virus strain, and how an early treatment might have made people more susceptible to future infections ...
3/20/2023
UC San Diego Health expanding care to patients with a multidisciplinary clinic in Bankers Hill that will provide specialized care in a centralized location.



Follow Us