The Importance of a Daily Routine for Dementia Patients

We often take for granted the stability provided by a consistent routine. Consider the transition that people go through when they retire. Retirees were on a schedule throughout their school years, and then again for the 40 or 50 years spent in the workforce. With retirement, that schedule disappears and suddenly they have an abundance of unstructured free time. Those in retirement often say that they don’t know what to do with themselves, that they feel lost, or that something is missing. This feeling is exponentially magnified for people living with dementia. Retirement can be a difficult adjustment for those who don’t know how to adjust to the lack of structure or routine. For someone living with dementia, a lack of structure can cause anxiety, restlessness, agitation, and increased confusion.

The daily routine for dementia patients doesn’t have to be rigid. The key is to have your loved one go to bed and get up around the same time every day and perform a sequence of activities in the same order and around the same time every day. Studies have demonstrated that having a daily routine for dementia patients decreases anxiety and improves sleep. Structure also provides your loved one with stability, predictability, normalcy, and a sense of purpose. Having a consistent routine makes them feel safe and secure. In addition, it frees up your mental energy, allows you to have breaks, and gives you the space to engage in self-care.

The importance of providing a daily routine for dementia patients may seem counterintuitive when talking about those with memory impairments. However, just as people have “muscle memory,” everyone has “body memory.” Our body and mind have innate needs; maintaining a consistent schedule is one of them. This doesn’t go away just because your loved one has dementia.

As they lose control over their physical abilities, cognitive functioning, and independence, those with dementia may become increasingly uncertain and fearful. Structured, predictable days decrease their anxiety and stress. Establish and maintain a consistent routine from the time they get up until the time they go to bed. The goal isn’t to be rigid; rather, it’s to provide structure. A consistent schedule provides a degree of normalcy for a disease that causes confusion and uncertainty. Below is an example of a consistent schedule.

Morning
8 AM: Wash face, brush teeth, get dressed
9 AM: Prepare and eat breakfast, clean up. have a conversation, discuss the newspaper
10 AM: Take a break
11 AM: Activity: some chores, take a walk, play a game, do a craft
Afternoon
12 PM: Prepare and eat lunch, read mail, wash dishes
1 PM: Activity: listen to music, crossword puzzles, watch TV
3 PM: Take a break/nap
4 PM: Activity: gardening, take a walk, visit a friend

Evening
5 PM: Prepare and eat dinner
6 PM: Reminisce over coffee and dessert
7 PM: Activity: Play cards, watch a movie, give a massage
9 PM: Get ready for bed
10 PM: Bed time

Remember to do things your loved one enjoys, things they can still do, and things that are of interest to them. Also, try to structure their day so it’s similar to the routine they maintained prior to getting dementia. For example, if your loved one took showers in the morning, have them shower in the morning. Try to have them eat meals around the same times that they used to eat meals. Try to stick with the time frame for getting up and going to bed that they had prior to getting dementia.
With a daily routine for dementia patients, you may find your caregiving role is easier and that there is less friction overall.

If you need dementia caregiver support, please join my dementia support group or schedule your 30-minute consultation.