30 Nov Senior Loved Ones Holiday Tips

For most of us, holidays are wonderful time to share the joys of family and friendship. But for many older adults holidays can be very stressful, perplexing, and even depressing if their mental, physical and emotional needs are not taken into consideration. Here are some simple tips to follow for your senior friends and loved ones:

• Stroll down memory lane. Holidays can help your senior friend and loved ones who may have memory troubles. Use picture albums, family videos and music, even theme songs from old radio or TV programs, to help stimulate memories.
• Create new memories. Elderly and seniors need new things to look forward to. Add something new to your holiday celebration such as taking a drive to look at holiday decorations or window-shopping at the mall.
• Catch some sun. Making time for activities that will increase exposure to daylight during the holidays gives you a boost of happiness.
• Reach out. Loneliness and depression can occur during the holidays especially for older adults because they may not have anyone to share their feelings with. Reaching out to older relatives and friends who are alone is something all of us must prioritize, not just during the holidays but throughout the year.
• Avoid embarrassing moments. You may have a senior loved one who has short-term memory loss. If an older person forgets a recent conversation, don’t make it worse by saying, “don’t you remember?” This type of careless comment would only embarrass our senior loved ones and can ruin the holidays for them.

These are all simple yet helpful tips. Try to take some time before the holidays to think about your elderly and senior loved ones. There are always ways to help them feel better especially during this time of year.

Make your loved one smile these holidays!

Article written by: Laura Flenner