Tips to Help Seniors Cope with the Holidays

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It’s a festive time of year, but it’s also very stressful — especially for older people. It can be very overwhelming with all of the shopping, too much food, too many parties and too many memories.
We need to be sensitive to those feelings so everybody has a good time. Here are  several tips for folks to get through the holiday season.

Set reasonable expectations: That’s the most important thing. Take your cues from your guests. Don’t push them to do everything — to go on every shopping trip, out to dinner. Stick to their schedule, too. If they’re used to eating at 5 p.m. and you eat at 9 p.m., that can be a trigger and cause tension.

Remember that downtime is very important: The most important thing is to give them time to rest and give them a place to escape to.Give them a walking path, a place that’s safe to walk, their own room, a place to take a nap. And give them a break from the grandkids. That’s the dirty little secret. Grandparents want to be with their grandchildren, but not all the time. The 12th rendition of jingle bells with the dogs barking and the kid on the piano — it’s not that cute.

Plan activities for everyone: Maybe your mom doesn’t want to go tobogganing or caroling in 30 degree weather, but would enjoy baking or playing charades.

Include old and new traditions: Traditions are a mixed bag, because, obviously, they can bring back memories,” she said. But, on the other hand, they can also be comforting.  You can also adapt old traditions. If the old tradition was chop down the tree, maybe the new tradition is everybody decorates the tree together.

The key is to ask. Don’t be afraid to talk about it. There is no right or wrong way to celebrate the holidays.

Assess health: It’s not just physical health, but mental health. It’s loneliness. This is a time of year that brings up a lot of memories. You want to look and see are they eating right? Are they not sleeping? Are there changes in sleep patterns? Are they lethargic? If someone is grieving, listen to their stories, give them a hug. Don’t pretend the person who passed away doesn’t exist.

Remember those who aren’t with you: If they’re far away, send small packages. In particular to those in nursing homes many have family that don’t come to visit. If you have family in a nursing home, don’t forget them. If you don’t, it could be a project to visit those you don’t know.

Anticipate safety and comfort needs: (Seniors) may not want to ask, because they don’t want to be a burden. For instance, if your loved  has had pain and can’t walk well at the moment, offer them a  wheelchair. That may make the trip more bearable.
Give the gift of time: They want to be with you. Don’t spend all day cooking. Order in, buy theater tickets and be with them. If you’re alone or you can’t be with an older person this holiday season, volunteer.