The Importance of Routine in Dementia Care

Dec 18, 2024
The Importance of Routine in Dementia Care
One of the best — and easiest — things you can do to support a loved one living with dementia is to help them create and maintain reliable routines. Here’s why familiar daily patterns and task-oriented habits are so beneficial.

Routines bring a sense of order and calm to what might otherwise be a hectic day. But for someone with dementia, routines aren’t just a helpful habit — they’re an invaluable anchor in a world where daily life can be confusing, anxiety-inducing, and overwhelming.    

Maintaining routines is one of the best ways to support a loved one who’s living with dementia. Here, Dr. Garrigos and our geriatric care team at Socrates A. Garrigos, MD, PA, explain why this simple strategy is so beneficial — and offer helpful tips on creating familiar daily patterns. 

Daily structure helps minimize stress

Familiar patterns of “routine behavior” form the foundation of everyday living. For many people, consistent routines help facilitate the start and end of each day and everything in between — from work and exercise schedules to mealtime and downtime. 

A routine consists of a series of regular habits that form a predictable daily pattern. For those living with Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia, dependable routines — both general daily routines and specific task-oriented routines — can help them feel: 

  • Comforted and calm; less stressed and worried
  • Secure and prepared; a greater sense of control
  • A sense of normalcy and continued independence
  • Like each day holds something to look forward to
  • Reassured and less agitated during difficult days 
  • More rested; routines help support better sleep  

In most cases, living with the progressive cognitive decline of dementia means eventually needing the ongoing assistance and support of a dedicated caregiver. 

Establishing reliable routines early on in your loved one’s dementia care plan increases the chances that those routines will integrate into their long-term memory, helping them preserve their independence and autonomy longer. As dementia continues to advance, routines can serve as a bedrock of comfort that neutralizes aggression, restlessness, and agitation.  

Familiarity as the basis of daily routine 

When you’re working to help your loved one establish a reliable daily routine, it’s always best to begin with familiar patterns — the more familiarity their days hold, the better. As you work together to create a daily routine, consider the following:

  • How they currently structure their day
  • Which times of day they tend to function best
  • Their likes, dislikes, abilities, and interests

Sleeping, eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting routines form the basis of any daily schedule. Paying close attention to these routines before dementia progresses makes it easier to support their maintenance later, when your loved one may be less capable and independent. 

Your loved one’s daily routine should include ample time for additional activities, including exercise, household chores, social visits, spiritual practices, intellectual pursuits, leisure activities, and hobbies. Even if certain activities happen daily (i.e., exercise), their routine should be flexible enough to accommodate their preferences. 

Supporting your loved one’s routine

Routines can be for specific tasks or the entire day. A morning routine, for example, might include helping your loved one get ready for the day (i.e., bathing, oral care, grooming, and dressing), breakfast (including your loved one in meal prep and cleanup as they’re able), and a calm post-mealtime activity like taking a walk or listening to music. 

A task-based routine includes habits around a specific task, like getting dressed. This step might involve laying your loved one’s clothes out on their bed in the order they need to put them on or handing them each garment, one at a time. 

Supporting your loved one’s routine means:

  • Never rushing them through any task or activity  
  • Letting them retain autonomy and do as much as they can
  • Providing a limited number of simple choices, if possible
  • Breaking complex tasks down into a series of simple steps
  • Proving ample opportunity for rest time throughout the day

Remember, as dementia progresses, your loved one’s abilities change. With creativity, thoughtful problem-solving, and flexibility, you can adapt your daily routine to support these changes.

Routine can improve quality of life, too

Routines aren’t just about managing the essential tasks of daily life; they are also used to support a better quality of life. For example, you might incorporate their favorite music into their morning routine as they prepare for the day. Or you might create a new evening routine of having a healthy snack while looking through photo albums together. 

While your loved one can still partake in many things, try cultivating an enjoyable weekly routine — choosing one afternoon each week for an outing to the park, a card game, lunch at a local café, or watering the garden. 

If you’re supporting a loved one with dementia, we can help. Call or click online to schedule a visit at Socrates A. Garrigos, MD, PA, in McAllen, Texas, today.