Updated September 14, 2026 · General education, not individual professional advice.
A routine that leaves room for choice
A predictable order can make a day easier to navigate. It does not need to become a strict timetable. Include meals, rest, meaningful activity, and enough time for personal care.
- Keep frequently used objects in a familiar place.
- Use a written reminder, simple label, or demonstration if the person finds it helpful.
- Offer a manageable choice and wait for the answer. Leave room for a different preference today.
Learn more: Alzheimer’s Association: Daily care plan ↗
Bathing, dressing, toileting, and grooming
Privacy and comfort matter in intimate care. Gather supplies, describe the next step, and allow the person to participate. If care becomes upsetting, pause when it is safe and consider what feels cold, painful, embarrassing, or confusing.
- Ask which clothing, hairstyle, helper, or time of day feels comfortable.
- For dressing, set out items in order and allow enough time for easier fasteners.
- Ask a dentist about mouth pain, dentures, and a workable brushing routine. Use the personal-care guide for bathing and toileting.
Learn more: Alzheimer’s Association: Bathing ↗ · Alzheimer’s Association: Dressing and grooming ↗ · Alzheimer’s Association: Dental care ↗
Meals and hydration
Try a calmer table, familiar foods, fewer choices at once, and portions that feel manageable. A plain plate that contrasts with the food may help. Ask about suitable utensils or finger foods when handling food becomes difficult.
- Offer drinks regularly, following any individual fluid or swallowing plan.
- Keep a note of favorite foods, drinks, temperatures, and textures without turning meals into a test.
- New swallowing difficulty, coughing with meals, poor intake, or unintended weight loss needs professional attention. Do not change food textures or thicken fluids without guidance.
Learn more: Alzheimer’s Association: Food and eating ↗
Activities and connection
Start with what the person enjoys: music, a familiar hobby, conversation, nature, faith, or a useful household task. Shorten or adapt an activity as needed; shared time can be worthwhile even when nothing is finished.
- Offer an invitation and accept “not now.”
- For outings, plan transport, accessible restrooms, a place to rest, and a way to leave early.
- Ask the person which friends or activities they want to keep in their week.
Learn more: Alzheimer’s Association: Activities ↗
Source links and educational wording checked on September 14, 2026. This is not a clinical review. For questions about your situation, contact a qualified medical, legal, or financial professional.