For many of us, our best memories are tied to the scents of the holidays, especially our favorite desserts and dishes. Just think about the scent of grandma’s pumpkin pie or mom’s Christmas cookies. Our sense of smell can evoke vivid memories, affecting our mood, which in turn, makes it a powerful tool to help older adults. For those living with memory loss, smell helps them feel connected to loved ones. It gives older adults the desire to connect and engage more with holiday events happening around them.

In fact, our sense of smell has a stronger link to memory and emotion than any of the other four senses. While everything our eyes, ears, sense of touch, and taste experience goes to the brain’s relay station, scents are processed directly in the olfactory bulb, which is attached to the memory and emotion part of the brain. This explains why the scent of your favorite dish floods your brain with happy memories and evokes a pleasant emotional response almost instantly! For people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementia, the scent of the holiday fare being prepared can have profoundly positive effects on their memory and emotions.

That’s why it’s so important you include loved ones living with memory loss in your holiday baking and meal preparations. The aroma of the ingredients, the familiar tasks of preparing the dish, and the scent of it cooking is sure to invoke many happy memories.

In addition, it will remind them of their connection to family and friends and inspire them to be more involved in family holiday events. Go beyond the kitchen and take your loved ones for a special outing where they may find the delicious scent of baked goods, like at Elizabeth’s Sweet Treats in Monument. There you’ll be greeted by the delightful scent of freshly baked cakes, cupcakes, and cookies that are sure to send a rush of happy memories!

Many senior living communities like Jackson Creek understand how the scents of the holidays can positively influence residents’ moods, evoke good memories from holidays past, and help them look forward to celebrating with their friends and family this time of year. If you are looking for a memory support community for your loved one, be sure to check out the daily menu, sample a meal if possible, and ask about the experience and expertise of the director of culinary services. Learn about holiday celebrations and see if families can be included so you can continue to make great memories with your loved one.

Elizabeth Girling is Vice President of Operations for WellAge Senior Living, which manages Jackson Creek Senior Living in Monument. She has worked in senior living for two decades and is a certified Montessori Dementia Professional.

Elizabeth Girling

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