Thanksgiving is all about coming together as a family, sharing memories of years past, and discussing what you are grateful for this year. When you have a family member in memory care in Southeast Denver, you might wonder how you can make your holiday traditions more inclusive and enjoyable for them as well as for the rest of your family.

The wonderful thing about stating what you are thankful for is that there isn’t a wrong answer. That makes it a great conversation starter for someone in dementia care. Why? Because it does not depend on factual memory. Everyone can simply state what they are thankful for without worrying about giving a “right or wrong” answer, and this can spark a brand-new discussion.

To make things even easier for your loved one, it is always a good idea to provide examples. Instead of asking them, “What are you thankful for?” you can rephrase the question to “are you thankful for anything, grandma?” This reduces the amount of pressure they may feel when answering the question.

Want to keep the conversation going? Then try to encourage reminiscing. Just be careful to avoid making your loved one feel like they have to justify their answer.