đź‘‹ Helpful Hint: Laugh!
When asked how I made it through my years as a dementia family caregiver, laughter sits in a special place at the top of my list. Situations that were difficult and sad were often also strangely ridiculous and funny. Our stress could be as high as our morale was low, and then some zany aspect of life with dementia in the house would send us into fits of laughter, making us all feel like we could make it through another day.
According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter not only reduces stress and lightens your mental load, but causes positive physical changes in your body, too. Laughter stimulates and strengthens your heart and lungs, promotes a healthy immune system and can even relieve pain.
At Zinnia, we created videos like silly jokes, just fun, fun puns with Erin and having fun to tickle the funny bone of you, and the person you support. They’re located in our Fun and Games channel. Give them a try!
The writer Victor Hugo famously said, “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” It’s winter. Life is hard. Let in a little sunshine with some Zinnia videos that were made to make you laugh.
đź“Ł Subscriber Shout-Out: Dianne Y
My husband has dementia. Zinnia has provided countless hours of enjoyment for my husband and I and provided our visiting care givers a way to connect with him.
My husband is now in a long term care setting. I can no longer access Zinnia on his TV. There is a large TV in the common room for the residents. If Zinnia could be connected there could I use my subscription?
In my mind every Care Residence should be using Zinnia.
Dianne, we’re so glad that Zinnia brought joy into your home while you supported your husband with dementia.You are absolutely welcome to keep using your subscription either on a tablet or on your husband’s TV when you visit him. The TV might need a ROKU device to access Zinnia.
We couldn’t agree more that every Care Residence should be using Zinnia : ).
Instead of simply using your subscription we ask Care Residences to purchase a very reasonably-priced community subscription. We are always happy to discuss options with the decision makers within the community.
Thank you for all you continue to do to give your sweet husband the best life possible. He is lucky to have you.
– Allyson
✅ Allyson’s Weekly Care Tips:  Mealtime Success
Zinnia videos in the Activities of Daily Living channel can help model and encourage eating and drinking. These are best watched shortly before you plan to offer food or a beverage, and have been shown in research to be even more helpful when shown on a regular basis.
READ ON for helpful hints around eating and drinking to help you support your loved one with dementia.
When dementia progresses, everyday activities like eating and drinking can become challenging. As a care partner, we want to offer just enough help to allow the person we support to eat and drink on their own for as long as possible. Independence builds confidence and helps a person retain skills longer. Let’s take a look at some ways to promote mealtime success that focus on what a person is still able to do, rather than on skills they’ve lost.
Create a calm, supportive environment. Turn off the TV, lower the music and get rid of visual clutter. Set the table with brightly colored plates that allow food to be more easily seen, and know that sometimes, placing the plate a little further away can make it easier to see, too. Whenever possible, join the person you support at the table. Even if conversation is limited, the normalcy and connection that come from shared meals is important, plus you can model the steps involved in eating and drinking, and gently coach as needed. Sometimes, simply watching you pick up a fork or take a sip can trigger the person you support to successfully make it through a meal.
Routines are supportive, too. Eating at the same time, sitting in the same place, starting the meal with the same blessing, if that’s part of your routine – these all create predictability, which helps reduce anxiety. A well-placed white board with today’s menu and eating schedule can also help set expectations and reduce questions leading up to mealtime.
If eating at restaurants is part of your routine, choose restaurants that are familiar and won’t result in overstimulation. Find a way to let the staff know that you might need extra time and patience. Do whatever you must do to make the experience work for yourself and the person you support.
