5 Tips To Help Seniors Enjoy The Holidays

Find community: When researchers study the areas around the world in which people live the longest, time after time they find that they have one thing in common: community. The holidays are a great time to make an extra effort to include your loved one in family activities, or welcome them into your religious congregation or circle of friends.

Share memories: When was the last time you asked your parents or grandparents to tell you a story about their childhood? The holidays are a great time to ensure family stories and tales are passed down from generation to generation – your parents will love telling them, and your children will love hearing them.

Create a positive environment: If you know your mother or father becomes overwhelmed when too many people are around, or when the room is too loud, be sure to control your home environment during the holidays so they will be safe and comfortable.

Be inclusive: Everyone enjoys the feeling of being needed. They may not be able to do everything, but there are plenty of activities in which the elderly can participate and help when it comes to planning for the holidays. Find was to include them and they will appreciate how it feels to be needed.

Give them gifts: Don’t forget your older family when it comes to gift-giving and polyannas. Encourage your children to make presents for them, or to join you in picking something special out for them. They will treasure your gifts!

Carol Pardue-Spears

Carol has worked in the healthcare field for more than forty years. As a Certified Nursing Assistant, she worked for El Camino Hospital in the cardiac unit, Los Gatos Community Hospital, The Women’s Cancer Center in Los Gatos and several home health and hospice agencies. Carol founded Family Matters in 2002 to fill a deficit she witnessed in high-quality, in-home services and care.