Lady-Links: Managing Mardi Gras Fun

The Lady-Links love to have fun with their dear friends, those ladies in various stages of cognitive decline.  Preparations for special events or holidays always provide opportunities for good times, and Mardi Gras is no exception!  One of the things that our retirement community does in concurrence with Mardi Gras  is to make available a space for everyone to create masks, hats, and other decorations to use in the celebration.

For most residents, this is no problem, with lots of choices available adding to the fun. However, for those with dementia, too many choices in a room with lots of noise and activity can be overwhelming.  That’s where the Lady-Links come in!

We wanted our dear friend to have all the fun of decorating a hat but without becoming confused in the process.  Here’s how we did it.

• We limited the choices by selecting the hat, three colors of feathers, two types of flowers, a few coins and beads.
• We brought those items to a quiet location, away from the room where the rest of the activity was occurring.
• We categorized the decorations into groups and allowed our dear friend to show us where she wanted them placed.
• We dabbed a spot of glue on the hat and helped her place the item she chose.

The result was totally her creation….we just managed to make it possible!

Any holiday celebration can be managed so that your loved one or friend with dementia can participate and enjoy the activities.  Management is the key word.

• Manage the location:  make it quiet.
• Manage the supplies:  limit the choices.
• Manage the skill level: make it easy for her to do as much as possible.
• Manage the time: keep it short for maximum engagement and participation.

Mardi Gras Fun

Lady-Links:  Enriching Lives through Love and Laughter