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- Talking to a Loved One With Alzheimer’s
- 10 Powerful Ways to Commemorate Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
- Making the Most of Mealtimes for People With Alzheimer’s
- Family Members Provide 100 Hours a Month of Unpaid Care for Alzheimer’s
- Alzheimer’s Caregivers Should Be Screened for Depression
- Alzheimer’s Care Costs Far More Than Heart Disease or Cancer Care
- Obesity at Midlife May Speed Alzheimer’s Onset
- Hello from my mom
- Easing the Behavior Problems of Alzheimer’s Without Drugs
- When Alzheimer’s Leads to Legal Wrangles
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- Daytime Sleepiness May Be Early Warning Sign of Alzheimer’s
- Alzheimer’s Disease Increases the Risk of Falls
- High Blood Sugar Tied to Memory Decline
- Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Gets Closer
- Worried About Your Memory? Alzheimer’s May Not Be to Blame
- Brain Changes of Menopause May Promote Alzheimer’s
- Predicting Who Will Get Alzheimer’s
- Personality Changes Are Not the Earliest Sign of Alzheimer’s
- Midlife Heart Problems Raise Alzheimer’s Risk
- Anemia Tied to Mild Cognitive Impairment Risk
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- Music May Ease the Anxiety of Alzheimer’s
- Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug, Intepirdine, Disappoints in Study
- An Eye Scan for Alzheimer’s?
- Drug to treat Alzheimer’s is Ranked Highest
- Patients Often Fail to Adhere to Alzheimer’s Drug Schedules
- Could Treatments for Diabetes Help Treat Alzheimer’s?
- Pharmacists Can Aid in Alzheimer’s Care
- Two-Drug Combo May Ease the Agitation of Alzheimer’s
- Are New, More Effective Alzheimer’s Drugs on the Horizon?
- Nasal Spray Shows Promise as Alzheimer’s Treatment
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- 2 Hours a Week of Exercise Can Boost Brain Health
- ‘Exergames,’ Which Combine Exercise and Games, May Benefit Brain Health
- Eat Fish, Fruit, Vegetables and Nuts for Brain Health
- Beet Compound Shows Promise Against Alzheimer’s
- A Single Night of Not Sleeping Tied to Alzheimer’s Brain Changes
- Should Alzheimer’s Patients Drink Coffee?
- Can a Salad a Day Help Keep Memory Sharp?
- Fitness in Midlife Tied to Lower Dementia Risk in Old Age
- Doctor’s Orders: Exercise for the Sake of Your Brain
- Positive Beliefs About Aging May Help Fend Off Alzheimer’s
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- Alzheimer’s Rates Could Double in Coming Decades
- Combining Care Program With Medication Reduces Alzheimer’s Symptoms By 750%
- Fisher Center Scientists make two new Significant Discoveries in the battle against Alzheimer’s
- Dementia Rates Are Slowing, but Alzheimer’s Cases Continue to Rise
- Fisher Center Scientists Create a Novel Imaging Technology Allowing the 3D Visualization of Brain Defects That Cause Alzheimer’s Disease
- Negative Beliefs About Aging Could Prime the Brain for Alzheimer’s
- Recognizing Faces Is a Challenge for Those With Alzheimer’s
- Fisher Center Scientists Discover Pathway That may Lead to Alzheimer’s Disease
- Brain Scans Move Closer to Early Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
- Can Vitamin E Slow Alzheimer’s Decline?
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- The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation Earns Coveted 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the 7th Consecutive Year
- Hear Kent Karosen, President and CEO of the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, describe his new book and the power of art therapy
- Fisher Center Scientists link a Mutation That Protects Against the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Newly Inducted Into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Shaquille O’Neal, Joins the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation to Raise Funds for Groundbreaking Research in the Quest for a Cure
- Pat Summitt, legendary women’s basketball coach, dies at 64
- Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan for her Impact on the Fight to end Alzheimer’s
- WRNN Interview
- Fisher Center’s 20th Anniversary Celebration and recent activities
- Featured on NASDAQ’s Billboard
- Online Chat on Reddit.com with Nobel Laureate Dr. Paul Greengard
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Alzheimer’s and the Holidays
December 2, 2004
The activity and festivities of the holiday season pose special challenges for families coping with Alzheimer’s disease. The hurried pace can be trying at times for just about anyone, but for someone coping with Alzheimer’s disease, the change in routine can be especially disruptive. That’s why it’s important to take steps at holiday time to minimize disruptions and simplify the celebration.
A few steps can help to assure that anyone with Alzheimer’s, and those who care for and love them, can have a safe and joyous holiday season.
– Simplify. The change in routine of the holiday season can be disconcerting and upsetting. A tree with blinking lights and loud singing, music, or a football game on the TV can be disorienting for someone with memory loss and confusion. Rethink your holiday traditions, and simplify. Pick and choose those traditions that are most important to you. Simplify the decorations, and avoid flashy lights and raucous noise. For safety’s sake, avoid candles and artificial fruits, which may be mistaken for the real thing.
– Engage the person with Alzheimer’s but keep things at their usual pace. Someone with Alzheimer’s might enjoy simple holiday tasks, such as decorating cookies or putting ornaments on the tree. Or, singing holiday songs and reading a beloved scripture or story at home may be a meaningful alternative to visiting a place of worship. Do not, however, force the person with Alzheimer’s to participate if they resist. Stick to the same daily routine and schedule as much as possible.
– If a loved one with Alzheimer’s lives in a nursing home or assisted-living facility, test the waters by bringing him or her home for a short visit beforehand. For many with Alzheimer’s, being removed from familiar surroundings can be disorienting and upsetting. Even being around family members a person doesn’t see often can make someone with dementia anxious or fearful. If a home visit seems too stressful, arrange for visits by small groups to the nursing home to minimize confusion and upset.
– Apprise family members and relatives who are coming from out of town about the status of a parent, sibling, or loved one with Alzheimer’s ahead of time. That way, everyone will be better prepared during family gatherings.
– Delegate. Let family members and friends help with the chores, like writing cards, baking, or shopping for gifts. Let others watch a loved one while you take in a show or other holiday event.
– Rethink the presents. Someone caring for a person with Alzheimer’s might enjoy a gift certificate for a day spa or massage, or an offer to fill in and provide a few hours of caregiving respite. For someone with Alzheimer’s, a photo album might be far more meaningful than, say, a new sweater. Other gift ideas: A family heirloom; a “Safe Return” bracelet, worn in case an Alzheimer’s patient wanders off; or a donation to an appropriate organization.
With some preparation and simple planning, the holidays can be a joyous occasion for all.
By www.ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer’s Information Site. Reviewed by William J. Netzer, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.