How to avoid dementia-related stress during the holidays
The holiday season can be a stressful time for many, but for the nearly 12 million family members and friends serving as unpaid caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, the holidays can be especially challenging.
There are 452,000 caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease in Ohio. Feeling depressed was reported by 27.3% of caregivers and 62.8% have a chronic health condition according to the 2025 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report.
“When you add the stress that the holidays may bring to the stresses resulting from daily caregiving, many caregivers may feel overwhelmed by maintaining traditions while also providing that care,” said Dayna Ritchey, program director for the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Cincinnati and Miami Valley Chapters. “We offer support and helpful tips on how families with loved ones who are living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia can safely enjoy time with family and friends during the holidays.”
Unique challenges facing dementia caregivers during the holidays
The holidays are often filled with opportunities for togetherness, sharing, laughter and meaningful moments. But they can also bring stress, disappointment and sadness. A person with Alzheimer's may feel a special sense of loss during the holidays because of the changes he or she has experienced. At the same time, caregivers may feel overwhelmed maintaining traditions while providing care.
“In the mild (early) stage, a person with Alzheimer's may experience minor changes,” said Ritchey. “Some may withdraw and be less comfortable socializing, while others may relish seeing family and friends as before.”
The Association says the key is for family members and friends to check in with caregivers. A simple “How are you doing?” or “How are you coping with everything?” may be appreciated. Plan the holidays together and focus on the things that bring happiness and let go of traditional activities that seem overwhelming or stressful.
Ritchey says “As the disease progresses into the moderate (middle) and severe (late) stages, consider rethinking your holiday plans. Every person living with dementia is unique. Develop plans that work. It can involve trial and error.”
Tips for reducing holiday stress
• Make sure others know. Let guests know what to expect before they arrive and tell them how they can help. For example, what activities can they do with the person living with Alzheimer’s and how best to communicate with them. Simultaneous conversations can be challenging for people living with Alzheimer’s so try engaging them one-on-one.
• Build on traditions and memories. Take time to experiment with new traditions that might be less stressful or a better fit with caregiving responsibilities, such as watching seasonal movies. For example, if evening confusion and agitation are a problem, turn your holiday dinner into a holiday lunch.
• Involve the person with dementia. Involve the person in safe, manageable holiday preparation activities that he or she enjoys. Ask him or her to help you prepare food, wrap packages, help decorate or set the table. (Avoid using candies, artificial fruits and vegetables as decorations because a person with dementia might confuse them with real food. Blinking lights may also confuse the person.)
• Plan ahead. When attending a holiday party, prepare the host for special needs, such as a quiet room that is away from noise and distractions where the person can rest when they get tired or overwhelmed.
• Adjust expectations. Call a face-to-face meeting or arrange for a group discussion via telephone, video chat or email for family and friends to make sure that everyone has realistic expectations about what you can and cannot do during the holidays.
• Let others contribute. As a caregiver, do only what you can reasonably manage. Have a potluck dinner or ask others to host celebrations at their home. Consider breaking large gatherings into smaller visits of two or three people at a time to keep the person with Alzheimer's and yourself from getting overtired.
• Adapt gift giving. Provide people with suggestions for useful, safe and enjoyable gifts for the person such as comfortable, easy-to-remove clothing; CDs of favorite music; favorite foods and photo albums of family and friends.
The Alzheimer’s Association 2025 Holiday Gift Guide offers gift ideas for individuals living in the early, middle and late-stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The guide also includes gift suggestions aimed at keeping those living with dementia engaged and involved in everyday tasks, as well as gift ideas for family members and friends serving as unpaid caregivers for these individuals.
To help caregivers and families navigate holiday-related challenges, the Alzheimer’s Association offers tips and resources to ensure an enjoyable holiday for all at https://www.alz.org/help-support/resources/holidays.
For the first time, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. is more than 7 million. That includes 236,200 in Ohio, according to the 2025 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures. Deaths due to Alzheimer’s more than doubled (142%) between 2000 and 2022, while deaths from the leading cause of mortality (heart disease) decreased by 2.1%.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s or other dementia and to access free local support and resources, visit alz.org/cincinnati or call the Greater Cincinnati Chapter at 513.721.4284 or the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.