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With the Christmas holiday just a few days away and New Years right around the corner, many of us are filled with excitement and looking forward to spending much needed quality time with loved ones and friends. Although this is considered to be the most festive time of the year, it’s important to keep in mind that the holiday season may look a lot different now for the senior adults in your family.
Unfortunately, there are groups of people who will not find themselves filled with holiday cheer. Instead, they will experience feelings of isolation, loneliness, and sadness. Seniors who no longer live at home are included as one of these groups. Staff members at senior living facilities work hard every year to help spread the holiday cheer for their community members, but it’s not quite the same as spending time during the holidays surrounded by family and friends. While some seniors who reside in an assisted living facility are still able to travel to other locations for holiday events and festivities, those who reside in skilled nursing facilities most likely are not.
If your senior family member is physically unable to travel for the holidays, it’s important to still find stress free and heartwarming ways to help them celebrate.
Although these recommendations may not be the ideal way you wish to spend the holiday with your senior loved one, they can help lift the spirits of your family member. The below suggestions can help ease some of the stress that comes from spending holidays away from home, and reminds your loved one that you still care about them and love them, and that they are still very important in your life.
Keep Things Positive
The holiday season is a time of celebration for most people. We come together with family and friends to enjoy all of the festivities and fun that comes with this time of year. For some senior adults, however, it is a reminder of the things they can no longer do and the loved ones who are no longer here to celebrate with. Holiday movies, commercials, and various themed events put the fact that they may no longer be able to visit loved ones or participate in certain events front and center in their minds. While they may understand that your holidays will continue on as usual, discussing all of the plans that they aren’t able to be a part of should be kept to a minimum. Instead, talk with them about all the good memories you have shared through the years, and remind them often how important they still are to you and your family. If they are able to give you gifts, accept them with grace and gratitude. It may be something that is not very important to you, but it probably means a great deal to them.
Create Special Holiday Visits
If your senior loved one is a member of a senior living community and unable to visit you during the holidays, why not bring the festivities to them? Chances are, the facility has areas designed specifically for larger gatherings and events. The space you choose may already be decorated for the season. If so, bring a few personal holiday touches to make it feel more like home. If not, arrive a little early and set up a few decorations yourself. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or complicated – some festive table linens or a small tree will do. Coming together as a family and adding a few personal touches can really lift your senior loved one’s spirit during the holidays.
Help Organize an Event for the Community
Time or distance may unfortunately make it impossible to visit your senior loved one during the holidays. There are still things you can do to help spread holiday cheer. Contact a local preschool to see if they will bring the children to do holiday themed arts and crafts with seniors in the community. A local middle or high school may be willing to bring their student choir to sing carols for the seniors in the facility.
You can also sponsor a holiday themed party in a public area of the assisted living facility for the seniors where your loved one resides. Holiday themed treats and beverages will lift everyone’s spirit and help set a more festive mood. Your senior family member will have a sense of pride knowing the event was sponsored by you for them. It not only makes them feel special and spreads holiday cheer, it also helps to remind others in their community that they are not forgotten during the holidays.
Remember the Reason for the Season
While the season is full of love, laughter, and holiday cheer it can also be a very busy and stressful time of year. It’s easy to get wrapped up in all the hustle and bustle of the holidays. We are pulled in so many different directions that we may accidentally put our senior loved ones who are no longer at home at the bottom of the priority list. A lot of older adults have more time on their hands to reflect on all that they are missing out on, and the loved ones who have passed on. It’s important to remember that your senior loved one needs a little extra love and support during the holiday season.
With 3 distinct levels of care, Elderberry Healthcare helps seniors who need minimal support in our Assisted Living, around the clock nursing care in our Skilled Nursing Unit, and Transitional Rehabilitation services for post-operative patients. We are happy to help you create a memorable and stress free holiday season for your senior loved one. Contact us today to learn more.