If your loved one has been identified as having Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, you are aware of how crucial it is to continue to lead a full life. But if you attempt to prioritize social interaction, you might run into difficulties. The person, acquaintances, and other family members might all require direction and assurance on how to spend time together effectively.
If your loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s resides in a memory care unit, it is important that you pay visits to them quite often. The below are 10 ways in which you can make such a visit as meaningful as possible.
Tips for Making Meaningful Visits to Memory Care Units
- Think of their needs and preferences- Include your loved ones in all of your plans, including who will be accompanying you during the visit. Find out what they might enjoy doing when you are there. Think about the best time of the day to meet them.
- Create a memory box together- Collect special items from your loved ones’ past and the supplies required to make a memory box during the visit. Encourage the accompanying visitor and your loved one to share memories or stories about the items.
- Read books together- Depending on where your loved one is in their dementia journey, it may be too challenging for them to read or follow along with an ongoing narrative. Instead, read aloud from a favorite book together. But if they were once avid readers, suggesting they read short stories from their favorite books or authors is a wonderful exercise.
- Think about the power of human touch- If your loved one has trouble speaking but is at ease being touched, offer to give them a hand or foot massage, rub their back, or even just hold their hands. All of these actions communicate feelings of empathy, affection, and belonging.
- Share the pleasure of music- For many people suffering from dementia, music can be a potent memory trigger. Identify their favorite tracks or type of music, then make arrangements to have it performed at the right time in a comfortable setting. Encourage singing along or simply thinking back on recollections from a specific period.
- Spend time in nature- If the weather is nice and your loved one enjoys being outside, go for a stroll, do gardening together, or go to a nearby park. The simple pleasures of the present can be better appreciated by sitting peacefully in the sunshine getting some fresh air.
- Time travel- Sharing old picture albums with your loved one can jog memories and encourage them to reflect on the past. You can ask questions, but make sure the visitor is aware that they shouldn’t make the host feel awkward if they can’t recall a particular name or location.
- Pick favorite activities- Find out the activities your loved one liked before dementia was diagnosed, as well as any that might be suitable in light of present abilities and preferences. Large-piece puzzles, board games, sorting through various items, and even dancing can stimulate the brain while being entertaining. Alternatively you can join them in the memory care unit’s events and activities too.
- Bring in fragrances to evoke memories- For people with dementia, smell is a particularly potent trigger. Scents from holidays, baking, plants, seasonings, perfumes, lotions, and other options from their youth or past are all available for selection.
- Take a drive- Would your loved one appreciate taking in the seasonal changes or a drive through historic neighborhoods? Do not forget to take a virtual journey as well. Today, you can digitally drive by the baseball field where your loved ones might have spent many summer days as well as their childhood homes, schools, and much more.
