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The holidays can be an exciting time for everyone; family and friends gathering together to share in the magic and joy of the season. With all of this love in the air we often forget that the holidays can put a lot of extra stress and anxiety on our loved ones that need a little more help to get through the day. Here are a few tips to help you keep the blues out of your holiday experience:
Having the conversation about whether or not your loved one needs homecare can be tricky. A lot of senior citizens avoid the conversation as long as they can because it’s hard to admit that they need help. Starting this process by understanding the home care language can take a lot of pressure off the ones who need help but don’t know where to find it.
Understanding whether or not your loved one needs help can be half the battle. The best way to figure this out is by taking the time to notice any changes in the individual’s routine. Most people in this age group have patterns of behavior that they stick to, providing them with comfort from the familiar daily routines. If you or your family members have made any significant changes during this time, it’s good to take notice of how your family member’s mood and behavior have changed accordingly. Noticing these changes before they become permanent can significantly alter the long-term happiness of the person in question.
It sounds silly, but companionship can have the biggest impact on our mood. In the elderly community, especially if the person in question has been widowed, just having someone to keep company when everyone else goes home can have a beautiful impact. Feeling love by your children, grandchildren, and friends is great on Christmas morning. But having someone in the home before and after the presents are open ensures that the smiles and laughter continue.
Staying idle can be difficult for everyone. Watching the lives of people you love alter while you stay in the same place can make the holidays hard on our elderly loves one. Although it’s not voiced, sometimes all you need is an encouraging change of pace to make things exciting again! This year to keep the holidays fresh and exciting, start a new family tradition for mom and dad that give them something to look forward to.
Find the right people with the values that are important to you can be half the battle. When figuring out what your family needs don’t assume that you know what they are looking for. Show an interest in what they need by using their questions to weed out agencies before introducing them to new people. Not all home care agencies are the same and you want to make sure that whoever is in their home is going to make them feel comfortable, and the added effort will be appreciated.
So you know that their mood is different but why now? Don’t assume that you know everything that is going on in their world. Sometimes all it takes is someone offering them a listening ear to make a difference in the day.
Narrow down your options for help by getting to know the specific differences between what each home care agency has to offer. Do they offer long-term support, do they have nurses on staff, and can they help you find somewhere else to go if their home is no longer safe? Long-term planning gives everyone involved peace of mind, no sense in starting the process over each time the situation evolves if you don’t have to!
We don’t like to talk about it, but the holidays can be stressful! Don’t know how you’re going to be able to take care of mom and dad while they are in town? Schedule your home care assessment now before the holidays make your work week too busy to handle. This way everyone has fun without unnecessary stress.
