Stimulating the Senses

We took the assisted living residents to go see Christmas lights the other evening.  I was reminded again how important it is to stimulate the senses for those who have dementia and I was reminded how such universal symbols like Christmas lights can connect people to the here and now.  One of our residents has dementia which has been progressing.  It won't be long and she will need to move from our setting to something specialized for individuals with dementia.  But the night we went to see the lights, she was so on target.  Something about seeing the lights, listening to Christmas music as we drove.  She talked up a storm and was so on track with everything she was saying.  She was so animated talking about past Christmas experiences and traditions and what she loved about Christmas.  When you talk about living in the moment, this was the pinnacle of that kind of moment.  It reminded me of my first love, which is doing and creating activities for residents that give them joy, purpose and meaning in that moment.  And if I can create that kind of joy, for just one resident for just one moment, that is well worth the other annoyances that come up.