When a grandparent lives with dementia, maintaining meaningful family connections becomes even more precious. The bond between grandchildren and their grandparents can remain strong and nurturing, even as memory challenges evolve. At Hovi Care, we’ve witnessed how these special intergenerational relationships can bring joy, comfort, and stimulation to our residents. Creating positive visiting experiences requires thoughtful preparation and understanding—both for the grandchildren and for the person living with dementia. This guide will help you foster these valuable connections while ensuring visits remain enjoyable and enriching for everyone involved.
Why are family connections vital for dementia care?
At Hovi Care, our foundation was built over 30 years ago on a simple yet powerful principle: elderly services provided from a family to a family. This value remains at the heart of everything we do today. We’ve observed that maintaining family connections, particularly between grandparents and grandchildren, creates a sense of continuity that benefits people living with dementia in numerous ways.
Family visits help preserve identity and personal history. Even when memory falters, the emotional connection often remains intact. Grandchildren bring fresh energy, spontaneity, and unconditional love that can brighten even difficult days. These interactions stimulate cognitive function through conversation, shared activities, and the natural reminiscence that occurs when family gathers.
For people living with dementia, regular family contact helps maintain their role as a grandparent—a meaningful part of their identity that deserves to be honoured and preserved. At Hovi Care, we’ve seen how these visits become cherished moments that contribute significantly to our residents’ quality of life and sense of belonging.
Preparing grandchildren for dementia visits
Open, honest communication forms the cornerstone of our approach at Hovi Care. This principle extends to how families can prepare children for visits. Age-appropriate explanations help grandchildren understand changes in their grandparent without feeling confused or frightened.
For younger children, simple explanations work best: “Grandma’s brain works differently now, so sometimes she might forget things or act differently, but she still loves you very much.” Older children can handle more detail about how dementia affects memory and behaviour, while reassuring them that their presence is still meaningful and appreciated.
Before visits, it’s helpful to:
- Share memories of the grandparent from before their diagnosis
- Look at family photos together
- Explain that sometimes their grandparent might seem confused or say unexpected things
- Reassure children that dementia isn’t contagious
- Teach them that patience and flexibility are important during visits
This preparation builds emotional resilience and helps children approach visits with realistic expectations. At Hovi Care’s elderly care services, we encourage families to maintain transparency while focusing on the positive aspects of these intergenerational relationships.
Creating memory-friendly environments for visits
The environment plays a crucial role in successful family visits. At Hovi Care, our spaces are thoughtfully designed to be cosy, stimulating, and secure—principles families can apply when planning visits.
Consider these environmental factors:
- Choose a quiet space with minimal distractions and background noise
- Ensure good lighting that doesn’t create glare or shadows
- Keep the setting familiar when possible
- Have comfortable seating arranged to facilitate conversation
- Maintain a comfortable temperature
Timing matters too. Schedule visits during the time of day when your loved one typically feels most alert and receptive. Keep visits shorter rather than longer, especially for young children or those new to visiting. This helps prevent overstimulation while keeping the experience positive for everyone.
For home visits, designate a specific area with familiar objects, family photos, and mementos that might spark conversation or reminiscence. These environmental considerations create a foundation for meaningful interaction while supporting the cognitive needs of the person living with dementia.
Nature-inspired activities for grandchildren
At Hovi Care, we incorporate elements of nature to create Green Care experiences that evoke positive recollections. These nature-based principles can inspire wonderful activities for grandchildren and their grandparents to enjoy together.
Simple gardening activities provide sensory stimulation and gentle movement. Even indoors, planting seeds, arranging flowers, or simply feeling different textures like smooth stones or soft leaves can create meaningful moments. For outdoor visits, a gentle stroll in a garden offers natural talking points about flowers, trees, or birds.
Other nature-inspired activities might include:
- Creating nature collages from leaves, petals, or pictures
- Bird watching from a comfortable window
- Arranging seasonal decorations together
- Looking at nature books or magazines
- Painting or drawing natural scenes
These activities connect with long-term memories while providing simple, achievable ways for grandchildren to engage. The sensory aspects of nature—scents, textures, colours—often resonate deeply with people living with dementia, making them excellent conversation starters and shared experiences.
Technology tools that enhance intergenerational bonding
While traditional activities remain valuable, thoughtfully integrated technology can create new avenues for connection. At Hovi Care, we incorporate technologies that support rehabilitation, therapy, and entertainment—an approach families can adapt for visits.
Digital photo frames or tablets can display family photos, sparking conversations about shared memories. Music streaming services allow grandchildren to create playlists of their grandparent’s favourite songs, which can prompt reminiscence and even singing together.
Simple, intuitive games on tablets can provide structured interaction without frustration. Look for apps designed specifically for people living with dementia that feature large, clear graphics and straightforward gameplay. These can create enjoyable shared experiences regardless of cognitive ability.
For distant family members, video calls maintain connections between in-person visits. Grandchildren can share school projects, musical performances, or simply chat face-to-face. These technological connections help maintain relationships even when physical visits aren’t possible.
The key is selecting elderly-friendly technologies that enhance rather than complicate interaction. The focus should always remain on the relationship, with technology serving as a tool for connection rather than a distraction.
Managing expectations and emotional responses
At Hovi Care, we honour each resident’s individuality and respect their unique needs. This personalized approach is essential when helping grandchildren navigate the emotional aspects of visits.
Children may experience various feelings when visiting a grandparent with dementia—confusion, sadness, frustration, or even fear. Acknowledge these emotions as normal while providing reassurance and support. Help them understand that any changes in behaviour or memory aren’t their fault and don’t mean their grandparent loves them any less.
After visits, create space for children to process their experiences through conversation, drawing, or play. Answer questions honestly while emphasizing the positive aspects of the visit. This reflection helps children develop emotional intelligence and resilience.
For teenagers, who may feel the loss more acutely, encourage journal writing or participation in support groups. Their deeper understanding of the situation may lead to more complex emotional responses that need adequate support and validation.
Remember that visits may not always go as planned. On challenging days, be prepared to adapt or shorten the visit while reassuring the grandchild that such variations are normal and expected. This flexibility helps maintain positive associations with visits rather than creating pressure or disappointment.
Establishing meaningful visit routines
At Hovi Care, we provide tools for social, cognitive, and physical rehabilitation to help seniors lead enjoyable lives filled with meaningful experiences. Families can apply this principle by creating consistent visiting routines that benefit both seniors and grandchildren.
Establish a recognizable structure for visits, perhaps beginning with a warm greeting ritual, moving to a shared activity, and concluding with a special goodbye. This predictability creates security for the person living with dementia while helping grandchildren know what to expect.
Consider creating a special “visiting kit” with grandchildren that might include:
- A favourite family photo album
- Simple games they enjoy together
- Art supplies for creative projects
- A familiar object that holds special meaning
- Music they can enjoy together
Consistency in timing also helps—regular visits at similar times create anchoring points that the person with dementia may come to anticipate. For the grandchildren, this routine builds the visit into their normal expectations rather than making it seem unusual or intimidating.
Through these thoughtful approaches, visits can become treasured rituals that strengthen bonds across generations. At Hovi Care, we’ve seen how these meaningful connections enrich the lives of people living with dementia while creating lasting, positive memories for grandchildren.
The time spent together—whether reminiscing, creating, or simply being present—forms an invaluable part of family life that transcends the challenges of dementia. With preparation, understanding, and love, these intergenerational connections can continue to flourish, bringing joy and meaning to everyone involved.
