It’s the start of the holiday season! This is the time of the year for family gatherings and expectations of making special memories. Holiday traditions are something that many families look forward to throughout the entire year. But many families are faced with the challenge of how to include a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease in their holiday celebrations.

Including a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease in celebrating the holiday season is possible for all, but some adjustments may be needed. These adjustments will vary depending on the stage of the disease. It is important to be patient and remember that even the smallest of gestures can make the holiday meaningful.

Here are 5 tips for including your loved one in holiday celebrations:

1. Arts and crafts. The good thing about art and crafts is that there are no rules! If your loved one is able, create a new tradition by making some festive decorations or even some handmade holiday cards together. You can grab some supplies from your nearest craft or dollar store and have fun!

2. Chef it up. Cooking activities are always a fun way to make memories. You can enlist the help of your loved one to help with the cooking or baking depending on their ability. If needed, you can make this as simple as buying a premade sheet of cookie dough and some cookie cutters.

3. Kick back and relax. One underrated way to involve your loved one in the holiday festivities is to simply sit back and enjoy each other’s company. Put on some music that you both enjoy and relax, or have a dance party, whichever works best! You could also put on a movie or football game and watch it together. P.S. It’s advisable to watch a movie earlier in the day if your loved one is likely to have sundowning symptoms.

4. Provide some help. If you are planning on having a large family gathering, it may be helpful to provide visual cues for your loved one. Giving everybody a name tag can help reduce frustration in trying to remember the names of people they may not have seen in a while. Also, it could be helpful to have a designated recharging spot for your loved one. Having a section of the room that is designated as a ‘quiet zone’ could make a huge difference if they begin feeling overwhelmed.

5. Get some fresh air. Go on a nice walk with your loved one. Pointing out houses with fun decorations could make for some great conversation starters. Make the walk interesting by playing a collecting game or you could simply just walk. Make sure to take a picture along the way for a memory keepsake.

These were just a few suggestions for ways to include your loved one in holiday celebrations. Hopefully, they have sparked your imagination for even more ideas. Also, please remember that for many individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia, having a regular routine is essential to them having a good mood. Try to schedule activities around the time your loved one is usually most active. This will allow a bigger window for you to include them in the holiday fun!