Choosing routines is detrimental when planning how to care for someone with dementia. From the time the person wakes to sleeps will need to be given opportunities that are routine activities. Think about your routines everyday. A person with dementia will often depend on routines. There are times that you will be spontaneous. But the challenge is to not take away the routines that are important to the person. Take it as a victory that the routine helps to positively keep the person habilitated as long as possible. Providing the routines can be hard when behaviors come up. What I think you should do is figure out how to make it work. Remember that everyone with dementia is different. This is not a cookie cut plan. Acknowledge that you have to make a social and physical routine. Don't make it a secret to yourself or others what you are doing to make routines. The goal is to make routines work for the person you are caring for.
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