The holidays are a time of celebration, family bonding, friendship and gratitude for the joys that life brings. Unfortunately, the holiday season is also a highly stressful time, particularly for seniors. Depression tends to rear its ugly head during this time of year, and the chaotic excitement of the season can also lead to confusion among older adults, not to mention the pressures involved in staying socially active and festive when it’s no longer an easy thing to do.

If you are in the care of a senior and you want to make sure they enjoy the positive aspects of the holidays – while avoiding the negative ones – we’ve got five great tips for you. Read on!

It’s important to be able to anticipate how your senior will handle the various activities they participate in during the holidays. Are they sensitive to loud noises and chaotic environments? Make sure quiet places are available. Do they tire easily? Plan family visits and other encounters so that your senior can experience full enjoyment without getting fatigued.

Sometimes its difficult for seniors to get into the holiday spirit with all of the hustle and bustle that surrounds them. One of the best ways to connect is to encourage them to share memories of past holiday seasons. Remembering family, friends and important events is a terrific way to tap into the delights that the holidays can bring.

Is everybody gathering at Mom’s place this year? Will there be more people than usual at Dad’s during the holidays? While it’s important to make room for everyone, too much rearranging of furniture and other objects in the home can cause confusion and lead to accidents. A safe, familiar environment is the best context for seniors to enjoy the holidays, so remember to keep their comfort paramount in your mind when it comes to preparing the home for visitors.

Strolling down memory lane can be a great way to get your senior into the holiday spirit, but you should spend time in the moment creating new memories and engaging in new traditions. Doing this keeps the older individual in your care connected to the family and engaged in the evolution of the holiday celebration. Try to strike a balance between the comfort of familiar activities and the excitement of trying something new.

Our schedules and routines are often thrown off course during the holiday season, and this can have a harmful effect on seniors, especially if they must take certain medications on a regular basis. As a caregiver, it’s up to you to make sure your senior experiences the novelty of the season while maintaining consistency with the administration of meds.

Looking to Learn More?

At Always Best Care, we’re all about making sure seniors live their best possible lives, and we can offer assistance when it comes to ensuring a wonderful time during the holidays. If you’re interested in learning more, give us a call today at 1-855 (470) CARE (2273) for your free consultation. We can’t wait to hear from you!