Arguably the most devastating aspects of Alzheimer's disease is its ability to disrupt the connection between an individual and their sense of self. As the disease progresses, it becomes more and more difficult for a person to remember and relate to the experiences that make them who they are.
Research has shown that listening to certain types of music or viewing pictures and videos of important life events can help temporarily reconnection an individual with Alzheimer's with their memories.
The pivotal nature of weddings in the lives of most people makes them ideal candidates for facilitating memory recall in people suffering from Alzheimer's. Viewing a recording or looking at pictures has been shown to spark both memory recovery and conversation in these individuals.
With all of the pomp and pageantry surrounding the royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on May 19, 2018, this could make for an ideal opportunity to help individuals with Alzheimer's reconnect with their own wedding memories. Sitting down and watching the wedding coverage with an elder could be a way to ignite a dialogue about the important weddings in their lives. They may remember their own nuptials, or the ceremonies of close friends and family. Either way, it would be a wonderful opportunity to spend some quality time with the elder you care for.
Learn more about techniques for communicating and reminiscing with loved ones who have Alzheimer's disease: