Tips for Convincing the Person with Dementia to Attend - Part 1:
Convince yourself first. Take a tour of more than one center and discuss any objections you anticipate the person with dementia might have. The staff of the centers should be experience at enticing reluctant people to attend and at managing newcomers’ anxieties. Find out how they do this.
Give a convincing reason. Some people attend because they see the center as their “club” or “class” or “job.” Some go for a particular activity or to be with other people. Some attend to help others, as a volunteer would.
Enlist the help of an “expert”. Sometimes it helps to have the person’s physician or clergy or family friend talk with them about the merits of attending.
Look for a hook. Arrange for the person to visit the center when there is an activity scheduled that they might enjoy or even try out on the spot. Perhaps there is a day when more men or more women are attending and if that would influence their attending, stop by then.
