Five Tips to Make the Holidays Easier

Senior care  |  December 13, 2021

The holidays are joyous times that boost feelings of togetherness, fond memories of past times and hope for the beautiful future. Family gatherings and even those with friends are sure to lift one’s spirits as new memories are forged among people of all ages.

For seniors, holidays bring certain challenges that present with aging. Some challenges are expected and even common while others may be unique to the individual. In any case, the result may cause feelings of immense stress and upheaval even during times of holiday cheer. If you have a senior in your life, whether family or friend, the following tips will help you identify some of these challenges as well as offer ways to alleviate the stress they may cause.

Cooking for Holiday Gatherings

Cooking large meals for holiday gatherings may be hard for a senior to execute. Offer to assist plan and preparing the meal together. This takes the pressure off the senior of preparing it all alone and provides bonding time for you both! An alternative would be to host the gathering in your own home, or ask guests to bring favorite prepared dishes to share.

Traveling to Holiday Events or Parties

Occasionally gatherings may require travel, whether in town or out. Sometimes, driving (especially at night) may be intimidating for seniors with troubled eye sight. Offer to attend parties or events with the senior so they feel more comfortable about going.

Dealing with Loneliness and Isolation

Some seniors, especially those who have lost a spouse or other beloved elderly friends, may experience increased loneliness during the holidays. Others may become mildly depressed for the same reasons, which can lead to a greater sense of isolation. To potentially prevent this from happening, make sure to visit the senior in your life often during the holidays. Offer to take them to holiday events. Have fun baking holiday goodies together. Even helping address Christmas cards and chatting over a cup of warm apple cider can lift everyone’s spirits.

Presents

The gift of giving has become a fun hallmark of the Christmas season. However, for seniors presents can induce stress for various reasons. Some may be on limited budgets and unable to purchase gifts for all family members, or become simply overwhelmed at the idea of shopping crowded stores. Other seniors may have problems actually wrapping gifts because of arthritis. You can help by suggesting family and groups of friends draw names to alleviate cost burdens for all. Offer to either join a senior on a shopping spree to assist in choosing gifts and navigating crowds. Or, ask the senior to provide you a shopping list and complete that task for them. Promote the use of gift bags instead of wrapping presents, or plan a present wrapping afternoon so you can help.

Hire a Caregiver to Assist

The holiday season is the ideal time to hire a temporary caregiver to help with all aspects of holiday preparations. Companies such as Comfort Keepers® offer seniors assistance in areas of light housekeeping, accompanying seniors to social functions, meal preparation and even helping with Christmas cards and wrapping presents. This might be important if your senior loved one lives far away from family. As caregivers who specialize in caring for the senior population, Comfort Keepers Cambridge can provide help and company to ensure your loved one has a happy holiday season.

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