Ideas for Caregiving: Incorporating Items from the Past

Recently, The Sun reported that the Bristol Royal Infirmary has created a ‘reminiscence’ room to treat patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. This really got us thinking! This idea is a great way to address some of the anxieties that people with Alzheimer’s experience. Many of these anxieties arise from disparities between the environment they are currently in and the environment they last remember being in. A lot of the time, people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias lose more recent memories first, so they remember their youth more easily as the disease progresses.

Incorporating items from the past into the room doesn’t just soothe anxieties; it offers an opportunity for people with Alzheimer’s to talk about memories associated with those items. It can create an environment conducive to conversation, and let you learn a little bit more about your loved one.

We understand that it might be challenging to remodel a whole room or other living space, but if you are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, please do try to bring an item or two into a designated space or room to make this concept workable. At the worst, it will be ignored, and at the best, it could let you know more about your loved one and provide some relief from anxiety.

You can read The Sun article by clicking here.