Spring Arbor Living Blog

Visiting someone who has Alzheimer’s is not a painless experience.  You want to show this person that you care and you still want them in your life, but it becomes difficult to interact with them when they sometimes don’t remember who you are.  Many people struggle with how to spend their visits.  Here are some suggestions below that may help.

One reason why it is difficult to visit your loved one is because you don’t know what to do in the time that you’re there.  Having an activity planned is a great way to spend time with them.  Bring something with you that your loved one likes to do.  For example, reading a favorite book or poetry is a great way to spend time together as well as listening to a favorite artist or composer.  If you can play an instrument, the piano for instance, the experience will be even better.  This will be not only entertaining for your loved one, but for others as well.   

Another suggestion is to bring some treasured items from the past such as pictures.  Talk to your loved one about these items and about the people in them.  You may be surprised about how well their memory is for things that happened years ago.  You can even share stories that happened in their past, they will enjoy reliving these moments.

Games are another fun activity to do with your loved one.  Cards, or even the “brain games” that are made specifically for those who have Alzheimer’s, are a great way to spend your visits.  Even something as simple as painting their finger nails can be enjoyable.  Perhaps you can check with the community and obtain the monthly event calendar.  Plan your visits around the events the community already has in place.  It will be a great way to interact.

Additionally, sharing a meal with your loved one may also be a great way to spend time with them.  This will give you both something to do and not put so much pressure on you. The most important thing here is to keep trying things and find out what works best for the two of you. Don’t spend your time focusing on the things your loved one can no longer accomplish, instead find some fun activities and simply enjoy spending time with one another. Contact us today should you have any questions about Alzheimer's or caring for elderly.

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