Creating Normality

Having a general daily routine in Alzheimer’s and dementia care helps caregiving run smoothly. These routines won’t be set in stone, but they give a sense of consistency, which is beneficial to the Alzheimer’s patient even if they can’t communicate it.
While every family will have their own unique routine, you can get some great ideas from your medical team or Alzheimer’s support group, especially regarding establishing routines to handle the most challenging times of day, such as evenings.

• Keep a sense of structure and familiarity. Try to keep consistent daily times for activities such as waking up, mealtimes, bathing, dressing, receiving visitors, and bedtime. Keeping these things at the same time and place can help orientate your loved one.
• Let your loved one know what to expect even if you are not sure that he or she completely understands. You can use cues to establish the different times of day. For example, in the morning you can open the curtains to let sunlight in. In the evening, you can put on quiet music to indicate it’s bedtime.
• Involve your loved one in daily activities as much as they are able. For example, your loved one may not be able to tie his or her shoes, but may be able to put his or her clothes in the hamper. Clipping plants outside may not be safe, but your loved one may be able to weed, plant, or water. Use your best judgment as to what is safe and what your loved one can handle.

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