Tips on How Spirituality Can Help Your Loved One with Dementia

For a loved one with dementia, spirituality and religious activities can continue to be important sources of comfort, peace and overall well-being. Take time in the early stages of the disease to note your loved one’s favorite prayers, hymns and spiritual rituals. Caring for the spiritual needs of your loved one can create meaningful experiences that stimulate the mind, body and spirit and provide a feeling of joy and reassurance in your loved one.

Spirituality Can Be Expressed and Enjoyed in Many Ways

• Community worship services
• Private prayer
• Hymns and spiritually inspiring music
• Artwork and nature can also be a part of one’s spiritual expression

Ways to Enable Your Loved One to Continue to Experience Faith and Spirituality

Because of dementia’s progressive symptoms, attending normal religious services can become increasingly challenging. However, other options can be useful in enabling your loved one to continue his/her spirituality while remaining socially engaged.

• Consider utilizing special “quiet rooms” to continue to participate in community worship services
• Attend early morning services, which may be less crowded
• Go between regular services and pray together
• Consider setting up a separate worship group with other families with a loved one with dementia

Tips for Initiating Spiritual Engagement with Your Loved One

A variety of verbal, visual and auditory cues can also be used to encourage spiritual engagement at home with your loved one. Useful cues can include:

• Reading scripture or sharing a prayer – particularly one that is meaningful to your loved one
• Asking questions that can encourage your loved one to discuss his/her spirituality
• Using visual cues such as a cross, Star of David, a rosary or other spiritual symbols
• Playing hymns and other songs that reflect spiritual needs
• Reminiscing about religious celebrations

North Woods Village at Edison Lakes is the area’s first single-purpose residential memory care assisted living community dedicated to caring for those with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or other memory impairments as well as providing education, support and resources to area caregivers and their families. The unique, purpose-built architectural design of North Woods Village at Edison Lakes is one element of “New Directions,”^SM the community’s signature memory care program that provides the optimal balance of loving care, dignified support, social engagement, wellness and independence.

For more information on North Woods Village at Edison Lakes and our Caregiver Education & Support Calendar,, please contact us today!