RICHMOND, VA - We all look forward to the holidays, but the holidays can be stressful, too. An elderly mother, father or grandparent can have a difficult time coping with the holidays for many different reasons – they might be ill, stuck at home, have difficulty moving about or even suffer from depression. Some seniors may have a hard time celebrating the holiday without beloved family members who have recently passed on.
Even with challenges like these, with a little thoughtful planning ahead, you can help the senior in your life have a great holiday. In fact, most of these tips work for family members and friends of any age!
1. Think ahead. If your elderly parent or grandparent tires easily or gets over stimulated, think about ways to manage this. If the holiday gathering is going to be very noisy or confusing, or last for many hours, consider making a quiet room available to the senior so they can get away and rest for a bit. Simple planning like this can help your loved one enjoy the day so much more.
2. Share stories about the past. Holidays inevitably bring up memories, and “life review” is an important part of the aging process. It’s also a great bonding exercise for friends and family, bringing everyone closer to together. Share family photos too.
3. Include everybody in the festivities. Especially your senior! There are so many things to take care of during a holiday get-together, from folding napkins to washing the dishes later. Being involved gives family members and friends a sense of belonging and purpose.
4. Eliminate obstacles. This is helpful for all of your guests. Remove slippery rugs, small pieces of furniture and anything that might impede someone’s ability to navigate a room safely. At the same time, if your elderly mother, father or grandparent is used to the way your furniture is arranged, don’t change it around!
5. Avoid embarrassing moments. If an older person has trouble with their memory, help them out of difficult conversation moments – the kind of moment where someone might say “don’t you remember?” Lead the conversation elsewhere, and take the pressure off the senior.
6. Assign your senior a companion for the day. If you’re having a large gathering with many people, think about pairing your elderly loved one with a buddy to make sure any special needs they have are met and that things go smoothly for everyone. It can be easy to get lost in the shuffle and confusion of such an event, and if it is your event, trying to host everyone makes it hard to give your senior all the attention she or he needs. Make sure that you have someone assigned to help and watch over your elderly loved one during your holiday celebrations.
Planning ahead with tips like these can help make the holiday wonderful for everyone involved. These tips work well with any event, not just the Holidays, so be sure to keep this list handy for future occasions including birthday parties, family reunions and more.
And, remember, if you’re short-handed or your elderly loved one needs more help than you can comfortably provide during the holidays or anytime, Home Instead Senior Care of Richmond can help reduce your stress and take the pressure off, especially if you’re working full time, have your own family demands or perhaps live out-of-town and away from your loved one.
We provide in-home care and companionship services — plus personal care and even simple things like medication reminders and transportation to doctor or church services — to hundreds of seniors in the Richmond and Tappahannock areas each and every day. Simply call us at 804.527.1100 for a complimentary in-home assessment.
Even with challenges like these, with a little thoughtful planning ahead, you can help the senior in your life have a great holiday. In fact, most of these tips work for family members and friends of any age!
1. Think ahead. If your elderly parent or grandparent tires easily or gets over stimulated, think about ways to manage this. If the holiday gathering is going to be very noisy or confusing, or last for many hours, consider making a quiet room available to the senior so they can get away and rest for a bit. Simple planning like this can help your loved one enjoy the day so much more.
2. Share stories about the past. Holidays inevitably bring up memories, and “life review” is an important part of the aging process. It’s also a great bonding exercise for friends and family, bringing everyone closer to together. Share family photos too.
3. Include everybody in the festivities. Especially your senior! There are so many things to take care of during a holiday get-together, from folding napkins to washing the dishes later. Being involved gives family members and friends a sense of belonging and purpose.
4. Eliminate obstacles. This is helpful for all of your guests. Remove slippery rugs, small pieces of furniture and anything that might impede someone’s ability to navigate a room safely. At the same time, if your elderly mother, father or grandparent is used to the way your furniture is arranged, don’t change it around!
5. Avoid embarrassing moments. If an older person has trouble with their memory, help them out of difficult conversation moments – the kind of moment where someone might say “don’t you remember?” Lead the conversation elsewhere, and take the pressure off the senior.
6. Assign your senior a companion for the day. If you’re having a large gathering with many people, think about pairing your elderly loved one with a buddy to make sure any special needs they have are met and that things go smoothly for everyone. It can be easy to get lost in the shuffle and confusion of such an event, and if it is your event, trying to host everyone makes it hard to give your senior all the attention she or he needs. Make sure that you have someone assigned to help and watch over your elderly loved one during your holiday celebrations.
Planning ahead with tips like these can help make the holiday wonderful for everyone involved. These tips work well with any event, not just the Holidays, so be sure to keep this list handy for future occasions including birthday parties, family reunions and more.
And, remember, if you’re short-handed or your elderly loved one needs more help than you can comfortably provide during the holidays or anytime, Home Instead Senior Care of Richmond can help reduce your stress and take the pressure off, especially if you’re working full time, have your own family demands or perhaps live out-of-town and away from your loved one.
We provide in-home care and companionship services — plus personal care and even simple things like medication reminders and transportation to doctor or church services — to hundreds of seniors in the Richmond and Tappahannock areas each and every day. Simply call us at 804.527.1100 for a complimentary in-home assessment.