Helping Your Senior Loved One Through the Holidays

The holiday season is a time for families to gather for joy and celebration. But senior members of the family may face challenges that impact their willingness or ability to participate. It’s important to ensure your older loved one feels included, supported and cared for during this busy time of year. Consider the following tips to help your loved one through the upcoming holidays, ensuring they stay connected with family and friends.

1. Keep Them Connected
For seniors living alone, loneliness can intensify during the holidays. Help them stay connected with friends and family by writing holiday cards or letters or facilitating phone or video calls. If your loved one has local friends, invite them over for a cup of tea or a small holiday treat. Ensuring that they stay connected to their friends and family will provide a sense of community and prevent feelings of isolation.

2. Make the Home Accessible for Holiday Visits
If your loved one is visiting during the holidays, ensure that your home is safe and comfortable for them by clearing obstacles from hallways, stairs, and living areas. Ensure that your available seating is comfortable and high enough to make sitting and standing easier. Consider bathroom accessibility. If needed, install temporary grab bars in bathrooms, or rent a portable commode if your loved one has difficulty with mobility.

3. Help Plan Visits and Gathering
Many seniors look forward to family gatherings but may be overwhelmed by the logistics of getting there. Help coordinate transportation for them, like offering a ride or arranging accessible transportation to fit their mobility devices. Once together, arrange to have smaller, quieter gatherings if your loved one gets overwhelmed with large, noisy events. Also, ask if virtual options are something your loved one would prefer. They may need assistance in setting up a phone or video call, but it’s still a way to have them participate remotely.

4. Help with Decorating and Holiday Preparations
Decorating helps bring in the holiday spirit but can be a daunting task for an older adult. Assist your senior loved one in making their home festive by putting up decorations together. Hanging their string lights and setting up their tree ensures their safety from possible falls. Use simple, easy to hang decorations that won’t require frequent adjustments. Ask if they have a favorite holiday tradition and see how you can incorporate it into the decorations you set up in their home.

5. Be Mindful of Health and Comfort
Keeping up with holiday activities can make it easy to overextend one’s energy. Keeping your loved one’s health and comfort in mind is essential and ensures they find the holiday season enjoyable. Provide quiet spaces for rest and encourage your loved one to take a break during gatherings. Be attentive to signs that they are tired.
When making the holiday meal, consider any dietary restrictions your senior may have and prepare dishes that cater to their preferences or health conditions. In the excitement, medications can easily be forgotten. Offer gentle reminders to take their prescribed medications on time.

Helping your senior loved one through the holidays doesn’t have to be complicated. Small gestures, thoughtful planning, and a little extra support can make a big difference in ensuring they enjoy the season just as much as everyone else. That’s the true spirit of the holidays!