Tips on How to Help Someone With Alzheimer’s Through Reminiscence Therapy

Discover how to help someone with Alzheimer’s in a simple and unique way: reminiscence therapy.

Did you ever experience that jolt of a past memory that immediately pops to the front of your mind, perhaps through a scent, a song, or a picture? For those with dementia, the power of long-term memories is especially impactful, as short-term memory becomes weaker. And if you’re looking for ideas on how to help someone with Alzheimer’s, tapping into this idea is a great place to start. In fact, it’s become a growing trend in creative Alzheimer’s care: reminiscence therapy.

One extreme example is the transformation of a 9,000-sqft building in Chula Vista, California. The building is now an interactive 1950s town, including storefronts like a diner, a movie theater, and a healthcare clinic, all operating just as they would have been in that era. If you explore the facility further, you’ll discover a 1959 T-Bird, large-scale military airplane models, and a business office where staff work away on manual typewriters. 

In reality, this amazing facility is an ultra-engaging adult day/memory care unit. Scott Tarde, CEO, shares, “It definitely made sense to me to create an environment that resonated strongly with people, instead of just four walls and a television.” 

Dr. Daniel Bateman, geriatric psychiatrist at the Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center, agrees, explaining: “It’s cutting edge and it’s exciting work. One of the great pieces about the concept is that it really focuses on maintaining the dignity and the humanity of people with dementia, which can often be lost.”

At Hired Hands Homecare, the leading provider of home care assistance in Pleasanton, CA and the surrounding areas, we bring creative concepts like these on a smaller scale into the homes of seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia, with specialized, person-centered dementia care. We get to know each person’s life story, and incorporate those details into our care plan to ensure that life is lived to the fullest every single day. 

In addition, our skilled dementia care team is experienced in utilizing creative approaches to managing the many challenging symptoms of the disease, including:

• Wandering
• Agitation and anxiety
• Sundown syndrome
• Repetitive behaviors
• And more

Our dementia care services are customized to your particular needs, offering assistance with:

• Meal planning and preparation
• Light housekeeping and laundry
• Companionship for meaningful activities, conversations, exercise, hobbies, and more
• Running errands
• Transportation and accompaniment to medical appointments and fun outings
• Medication reminders
• And more

We’re available whenever you need us, including overnight – so you can get the uninterrupted rest you need. Call us at (866) 940-4343 to learn more and to schedule a free planning meeting, right in the comfort of your home.