Christmas can pose difficulties for the 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, but there are strategies that can help.

NHS England has this advice on how to make Christmas easier to cope with for someone with dementia.

• Put decorations up gradually so it doesn’t come as too much of a change
• Help people who are frail or living with dementia feel included by getting them to assist with hanging a bauble or other simple tasks
• Spread out family visits to keep things low key and familiar
• Don’t overload on food – a full plate can be difficult to tackle for somebody with dementia who might have eating difficulties
• Be flexible with planning – be prepared to change plans if something isn’t working