Dementia-Friendly Summer Routines: Tips for Caregivers

School's out for the summer, you're planning your vacation and the schedule is full of graduations, cookouts and other events. While all those summer activities are fun for most people, those with dementia may have a difficult time with them. Change is hard for people with dementia, which is why it's important to still fall into a summer routine when you're a caregiver. Even with careful planning, there are bound to be times you just can't stick to the usual schedule. Making those transitions as easy as possible can help keep your summer memories more positive for everyone.

How Summer Changes Family Routines

If you have kids and also serve as a caregiver for someone with dementia, you're suddenly experiencing a change in the daily routine. The kids are either home or going to daycare for the summer. It's also a common time for families to take vacations, which throws off the routine and thrusts your loved one into unfamiliar environments.

Many people are busier and involved in different activities in the summer. You might spend time on the water or hiking while the weather in Loveland, CO, is prime. Community festivals, farmers' markets and other one-time and recurring events might change your daily routine. Even the longer days might throw off the routines, especially when it comes to bedtimes.

Why It's Important to Maintain Routines for Loved Ones With Dementia

Having routines in place makes a person with dementia feel comfortable and more in control. That familiarity can reduce anxiety and prevent confusion and frustration. The routine often allows a person with dementia to have more independence because they know what to expect, and it often improves behaviors.

Tips for Dementia-Friendly Summer Routines

The following tips can make it easier to create and stick with a summer routine that helps your loved one with dementia adjust.

Identify Barriers to the Usual Routines

For you, the changes of summer might come naturally. You expect to be busier and might even enjoy the spontaneity. However, it's helpful to recognize the schedule changes that will likely happen to anticipate how your loved one with dementia might react. You might be able to minimize the impact to prevent your loved one from becoming frustrated or overwhelmed. For example, if you have a late event, you might ask another family member to care for your loved one instead of taking them with you.

Pay Attention to Nutrition and Hydration

Busy summer schedules could change your mealtimes or result in more eating out. Eating and drinking with dementia can be challenging anyway, so those disrupted meals could make the problem even worse. As much as possible, keep your mealtimes the same in the summer. If you are going to a neighbor's house or will be out and about at that time, try to still eat at the normal time, even if that means bringing a prepared meal you know your loved one will eat.

Maintain a Consistent Bedtime

Sleep and cognitive health are closely related. Adequate sleep could help manage symptoms of dementia, support cognitive functioning and minimize negative behaviors. When possible, stick to the regular bedtime you've established for your loved one to avoid throwing off those routines. It's tempting to stay up later and do things outdoors in the summer, but stick as closely to a normal bedtime as possible.

Consider a Move to Memory Care

If the change in routine over the summer is too much for your loved one to handle, it could be time to consider memory care. Part of the services included in dementia care are creating and maintaining comforting routines. Bethesda Gardens Loveland in Colorado maintains healthy routines for residents. Knowing your loved one has that structure can give you peace of mind and provide you with more flexibility in your summer activities. Just make sure you get into a routine of visiting or calling your loved one, and stick with the schedule, even when your summer gets busy.