When someone is living with dementia,
it is important to create an environment that supports them to do the things that they like to do.
This is also true for you.
It is important to try and maintain routines and activities that are familiar to the person living with dementia, and to adapt them as their abilities change.
What is a routine?
A routine is something that a person does every day or almost every day.
It is important to try and continue the routine of the person living with dementia for as long as possible. This is reassuring and can reduce stress at home. Be aware of the person’s usual routine. If there has not been a routine, for example
in the evening, then it is helpful to develop one and follow it regularly. This might include drinking a cup of tea, listening to soothing music, or saying prayers.
It is helpful to have routines for other times of the day as well, such as immediately after getting up from bed in the morning, when having the midday meal or planning what to do in the afternoon.
The simpler and easier these routines are to follow, the more likely they will reassure the person living with dementia and reduce stress at home.
Morning time: starting the day
It’s helpful to have a set time for waking up and then several things to do in sequence to get the day started. Think of bathing, brushing one’s teeth, getting dressed and then sitting down for breakfast. As dementia progresses, the person you care for will need help with each of these activities but one way to lower stress is to keep the basic routines as similar as possible.
During the day, it’s also important to try and make time for activities that the person living with dementia enjoys, such as visiting a friend or another family member, going for a walk, reading, playing games, or listening to the radio. These activities will depend on the person’s prior interests and current abilities.
In the early stages of dementia, your family member or friend may be able to do things that they like to do with minimal guidance. However, as the disease progresses, activities will need to be changed or modified so that they can still enjoy them. It’s important to be flexible and creative in figuring out the routines and then adapting them as needed over time.
Let’s look at an example
Maitha has dementia and is used to drinking tea immediately after getting ready in the morning. Her daughter Sahar
really wants to encourage her mother to walk every day, as recommended by her doctor. Sahar is not aware of her
mother’s usual routine, so when she tries to get Maitha to go for a walk right after breakfast, Maitha refuses.
