Loved Ones with Dementia: Holiday-Themed Learning Activities That Truly Work
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🎄Can Someone With Dementia Still Learn During the Holidays?
Holiday gatherings often bring warmth, music, tradition, and family all together. When dementia enters the picture, many people wonder:
“Can my loved one still learn, engage, and enjoy these moments?”
The answer—supported by research and guidance from top health organizations—is yes.
People with dementia do continue to learn, especially through emotional experiences, senses, routines, music, and familiar activities.
The holidays actually offer some of the richest opportunities for this kind of learning.
🌟 What Health Experts Say About Learning With Dementia
The National Institute on Aging teaches that even with cognitive decline, the brain still has the ability to engage, respond, and adapt. Cognitive health includes more than memory—it's about interaction, problem-solving, and participating in daily life. (Scroll down for link).
Holiday takeaway:
Learning doesn't disappear.
It simply shifts into emotional learning, routine learning, and participation-based learning.
Here are simple, meaningful activities that support connection and learning during the holidays:
🎶 1. Music-Based Learning
- Sing or hum simple carols
- Use bells or light percussion
- Sway together in time
- Play favorite songs from their childhood
Music is one of the strongest pathways for emotional and procedural memory.
🍪 2. Sensory-Friendly Baking
- Stir batter
- Sprinkle sugar
- Smell cinnamon, vanilla, pine
- Touch soft dough or finished cookies
Even one step creates pride and engagement.
🎁 3. Low-Demand Helping Jobs
Give them just one task at a time:
- place bows on gifts
- hand out holiday cards
- sort ornaments into colors
- fold napkins
- choose between two wrapping papers
This encourages learning by doing—without overwhelm.
📸 4. Holiday Memory Lane
Use memory-friendly prompts:
- Show photos of past holidays
- Share simple stories
- Look at favorite ornaments
- Let memories come naturally—no quizzing
Reminiscence supports emotional learning and belonging.
🧩 5. Learning Through Children
Kids make interaction easy and warm.
Try:
- matching games
- coloring holiday pages
- building with blocks or Legos
- ringing jingle bells in rhythm
Play is a beautiful teacher.
🎄 6. Gentle Movement
- sit-and-stretch
- clap along to a song
- short stroll to see lights
- simple dancing or rocking to music
Movement boosts mood, attention, and learning.
❤️ Final Thought
Dementia changes memory, but it doesn’t erase the ability to:
- feel joy
- connect
- participate
- learn through experience
- appreciate tradition
- grow in small, meaningful ways
The holidays aren’t about perfection—they’re about presence.
With simple supports, your loved one can continue to learn, feel included, and be part of the moments that matter.
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