New Year’s Eve is an exciting, fun and nostalgic tradition for many of us. It’s a chance to take a look back at the past year and celebrate everything that has happened. It’s also a chance to look forward to a new year (and this year, a new decade) and dream about all the possibilities and experiences that wait for us. Generally, we think of celebrating New Year’s with noisemakers, fireworks, champagne and large and happy groups of people. However, if you’re celebrating the event with a loved one who has dementia, this New Year’s Eve may look a lot different than the ones we see on television.
“As with any holiday or beloved tradition, New Year’s can bring up a lot of emotions and feelings – some positive, and some negative,” says Michelle Pelham, Executive Director at Bridges® by EPOCH at Nashua, a memory care assisted living community in Nashua, NH. “We as caregivers may feel sad, frustrated or angry about the changes that have occurred in the past year, or feel sad as we think about the future and what’s in store for our loved ones. For the individual with dementia, celebrations can bring up sadness or pain as well. However, these celebrations can be a time to reminisce over happier times, spend time together with those we love and enjoy the moments we have together.”
If you will be ringing in the New Year with a loved one with dementia, there are many ways to make the evening rewarding and fulfilling for everyone involved, says Amanda. “Parties are always fun, no matter what your age or situation, and New Year’s Eve is an excellent time to get together, talk, play games and eat good food as you wait for the ball to drop.”
Here are some dementia- and family-friendly tips and ideas for making this a New Year’s Eve to remember.
1. Make New Year’s Resolutions.
What says “New Year” more than “New Year’s Resolutions?” This is a fun activity for just about everyone and can be jazzed up with a few little twists. If you’re going the simple route, print out a list of prompts or examples from the Internet and go around the room asking everyone what their resolutions are. For a little added group participation or competition, you can turn making resolutions into a game. Have people write down their resolutions on slips of paper, then put them into a basket and draw them out one at a time. The person who matches the most resolutions to the resolution-maker wins a prize.
2. Share stories of New Year’s past.
While your loved one with dementia may not be able to remember what happened yesterday or even last year, long-term memory tends to last – so it’s possible that reminiscing together will help spur long-ago memories and create conversations. Bring out some old photos from your past New Year’s celebrations and talk about what you remember and the people in the photos. Ask everyone in your group to talk about some of their favorite New Year’s memories or traditions – you may be surprised and learn a lot about each other.
3. Go global.
Did you know that in Spain, people eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve? And in Turkey, people sprinkle salt across their front doorstep to ensure abundance and peace in the upcoming year. Every country celebrates New Year’s Eve in different ways, and it can be quite fun to incorporate an international approach into your evening celebrations. Choose a tradition that you think is interesting, or look into your ancestry and celebrate the way your forefathers and foremothers did back in the day. For added fun, ring in the New Year with different countries as midnight chimes in their time zones.
3. Play New Year’s Bingo.
Games are a great way to pass the evening and get everyone involved in the festivities. One great game for all ages is New Year’s Bingo. Best of all, all you have to do is go online to find everything you need. Download and print out bingo sheets that have festive images and words on them. For markers, use festive candies like Hershey’s Kisses or M&M’s (they double as a sweet treat).
4. Go on a scavenger hunt.
A New Year’s scavenger hunt is another easy way to get your guests up, moving, laughing and making memories. Before your gathering, hide various items around your house, and then pass out lists to guests and watch the fun unfold. Here are some ideas of New Year’s-themed items to hide:
- Noisemakers
- Streamers
- Banners
- Party hats
- Champagne glasses
- Boas
5. Dance the night away.
Music is one of the best ways to reach and connect with people who have dementia. Create a playlist of festive songs – particularly ones that your loved one has always enjoyed. Bring out musical instruments, clear off the floor and throw a little dance party. Ask other attendees what some of their favorite songs are and play DJ to really get things rocking.
6. Be flexible.
Parties can be difficult for people with dementia. Staying up until midnight may be out of the question for your loved one. No matter – who says that you have to wait until midnight in your time zone? Feel free to change the countdown to 7pm, 8pm or whenever is best for your loved one. Thanks to the Internet, it’s possible to stream New Year’s Eve celebrations around the world, so find one that works for your bedtime and get ready to count down. Or, if evening celebrations just aren’t going to work, you can hold a New Year’s Day party. It’s all up to you. Whatever you do, be sure that you celebrate and be sure to have your cameras and cell phones ready to capture every magical moment.
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