Handling the Holidays with Alzheimer's: Experts Offer Advice

Looking for a gift for your loved one with dementia? The Alzheimer's Association shares thoughtful gift ideas for people in all stages of Alzheimer's in this Washington Post article. Enjoy your time together!

Holiday Visits: A Great Time to See if Mom Needs Assistive Aids

If you don't see your aging parent frequently, holiday visits give you an opportunity to assess his or her living situation. What to look for? You can access online helpful hints in the current issue of Today's Caregiver magazine. Find it at Caregiver.com in the drop-down menu under Magazine. Right now, while the November/December issue is current, click here, then click to view the online magazine. The article is "Holiday Visits: A Great Time to See if Mom Needs Assistive Aids."

Nurses Lending Closets

Although your parent may not use a wheelchair at home, he or she may want one for holiday parties. My mom doesn't want her walker to get in anyone's way at a crowded parties, so she plans to borrow a wheelchair for a week or so. That way she in essence brings her own chair to the party, too. Or your parent may have a safety apparatus, like rails around the toilet, in his or her bathroom at home that would not be present in Aunt Ethel's house, where the family gathers for Christmas. 

To borrow short-term medical items, Google to find local nurses lending closets. If you don't see a list online of what items each has, call around and ask if that closet has the item you need. Reserve it, if possible. Also, plan to sanitize it yourself after you get it home.