Choose a Faith-Based Memory Care Community

If it's time for your loved one to move to memory care, choosing a faith-based community provides support for their continued walk with God. Bethesda Gardens Thornton in Thornton, Colorado, offers a faith-based memory care neighborhood staffed by caregivers who are devoted to selfless service. The on-site chaplain provides spiritual care for residents. In the memory care neighborhood, the activity calendar includes daily devotions, hymns and a weekly church service.

Take Your Loved One to Church Services

Attending services at a familiar church may help your loved one feel comfortable. If you're looking for a new church, seek one that's accessible and has seating that's suitable for your loved one. Consider environmental details that might affect your loved one, such as bright lights or loud music. Some churches offer quiet areas where parishioners can go if the service becomes overwhelming. You might also talk to the staff to determine if they're welcoming and accommodating to people with dementia. Consider a house of worship that offers support groups for dementia caregivers so you also benefit from the choice.

Change the Worship Options as Needed

The activity and noise of an in-person service can become overwhelming to some people with dementia. Worshiping in person may become more challenging as your relative's dementia symptoms progress. You might choose to watch a live stream of church services in those situations. Your loved one still hears the sermon, but they're in the comfort of their home.

Read the Bible With Your Loved One

In the early stages of dementia, your loved one may be able to read the Bible on their own. Late-stage dementia often impacts a person's ability to read and comprehend text. Reading Bible passages to your family member allows them to hear the message even if they can't read it.

Choose simple, familiar passages that offer messages of comfort or hope. Hearing Bible verses that are familiar may provide a sense of comfort. You can ask questions or invite your loved one to share their thoughts. Acknowledge what they say without correcting them, even if their interpretation of the message isn't how you perceive it.

Pray Together

Prayer is an activity you can do anywhere and at any time, whether your loved one lives at home or in a memory care community. Praying aloud with your family member may offer them comfort, especially if you recite familiar prayers such as the Lord's Prayer. It may also help to choose a particular time of day to pray, such as before bedtime or when your loved one wakes up, to make it a familiar part of the routine. Saying grace before meals is also a repetitive option that incorporates prayer into the day.

Before praying, try talking to your loved one about their prayer requests. Incorporate their suggestions into the prayers you say aloud. Encourage your loved one to pray as well. Allow them to pray however they see fit without trying to correct them or direct their prayers. Creating a picture board of people or things to pray about may help your loved one think of topics.

Play Worship Music

For some people with dementia, hearing hymns from their earlier years sparks memories. Whether or not a worship song is familiar, it offers messages of faith and can be effective if your loved one enjoys listening to music. People with dementia sometimes benefit from sing-alongs, so having everyone in the room sing along with the worship music may have a positive effect on your loved one. Creating a playlist of religious songs provides faith-filled background music for your family member.

Reminisce on Religious Memories

If religion has always been a large part of the person's life, they may have several faith-based memories and experiences you can use for reminiscing. Talk about religious celebrations or milestones the person experienced. Looking at photos of those events may help them remember the moments. You can also describe the events in detail to help them recall the experiences. Talking about family traditions surrounding faith is another option as you reminisce with your loved one.

Keep Faith Keepsakes Available

Symbols of your loved one's faith may help them reminisce or serve as reminders to spend time with God. Examples include their rosary, Bible or cross. Display the objects where they can see them regularly. Encourage them to use the items when it makes sense, such as praying with a rosary or reading their Bible. You might also talk about special features of the times. For example, some people write important religious dates, such as baptisms, in their Bibles. Looking at those writings offers a way to reminisce and help your loved one connect to the item.

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