The holidays can bring joy—and overwhelm, especially when dementia is in the picture. In this episode, Teepa Snow walks through her 8 Ss for creating holiday moments that are meaningful, manageable, and matched to the person living with brain change. From keeping gatherings short and simple to understanding sensory and circadian needs, Teepa shares practical ways to prevent distress and build celebrations that truly satisfy everyone involved.

Whether you’re a family member, a friend, or a professional care partner, these insights will help you create connection—not chaos—this holiday season.

In this holiday-themed episode, Teepa emphasizes adapting celebrations to be meaningful and manageable for a person living with dementia. A great next step is the Seeing it From the Other Side: Part 1 – Caregiver Stress & Dementia Coping Strategies DVD, which provides care partners with practical ways to navigate stressful situations. It helps you distinguish what’s typical versus atypical in brain change and make respectful choices that set everyone up for a positive experience. By learning these coping strategies, you’ll be better prepared to keep gatherings short, simple, and sensitive to sensory and routine needs – just as Teepa advises in the podcast.