Amid the holiday season, it is a fantastic chance to spend time with loved ones and create beautiful moments. However, purchasing presents, preparing meals, and coming up with holiday activities to keep everyone happy are classic holiday anxieties. In addition, there are also extra concerns while caring for an older family member.
How can you be sure that you are serving the needs of your elderly loved one? And what can you do to ensure that they have a nice time? Knowing the answers to these questions may be able to bring you and your family additional Christmas cheer this holiday season.
Even if your aging loved one has moved into an assisted living facility, this holiday is all about spending more time with those you care about. This holiday season, you can feel loved and valued by using these helpful holiday suggestions.
1.) Bring Festive Foods
Bring some holiday food from home for your loved one, but only with the approval of the assisted living staff. Some of your loved one’s favorite holiday traditions, such as Holiday sugar cookies, ham, and eggnog, may be preserved in this manner. In addition, the meal will let your beloved senior know you’re thinking about them. Finally, check whether the meal fulfills your loved one’s nutritional requirements. For example, they might be on particular medications, have specific health concerns, or cannot consume certain foods for other reasons.
2.) Surprise Visit From Family
No doubt, your senior loved one would be delighted to see all of the happy faces in your family. If your senior loved one hasn’t seen their children in a while, invite them along. You’ll have a more holiday-like atmosphere if you can get a larger group together. However, some assisted living homes have restrictions on the number of visitors allowed at a given time, so be sure to get permission from the staff or management beforehand.
3.) Family Home Visit
When enjoying the holidays with an elderly relative, the first thing to consider is where they will be spending the night. With their independence intact, it will be simpler for them to come and celebrate with you at the family home. You’ll need to think about transportation while planning your trip. If your senior cannot travel, it may be a good idea to bring the party to them.
4.) Assisted Living Visitation
If your elderly parent is in an assisted living facility, things will be pretty different. Visitation may be preferable to outings if they have dementia or are otherwise uninterested. However, if they have no cognitive problems and are in the neighborhood, transporting them to their family home may be what they want.
5.) Help Seniors Shop
In certain situations, seniors may not be able to leave their assisted living homes on their own to purchase presents for their loved ones. This might be due to a medical condition or a lack of financial resources. On the other hand, seniors still want to buy presents for their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Ask if you may purchase and wrap items on their behalf, or invite them to go shopping for Christmas gifts as a treat to your senior loved one. Be prepared to deliver presents when the family visits the assisted living facility. Despite residing in a care facility, your senior loved one will be able to join in the Christmas festivities thanks to this.
6.) Holiday Movie Night
Holiday movie nights are another great way to spend the season with your elderly loved one in assisted living. To celebrate the holiday season, gather some of your loved ones around the television and watch some of their favorite holiday flicks while munching on some festive snacks and popcorn. You might invite other members of your family or friends from the neighborhood to join in on the festivities.
7.) Looking at Old Photographs
Holiday images from previous years might jog the mind of your senior, even if their memory isn’t what it once was. Be sure to bring your old photo albums or create a digital slideshow of your most significant memories to show off on your tablet or smartphone.
8.) Family Holiday Dinner
For most people, the centerpiece of their holiday celebrations is a big dinner with their loved ones. When the whole family gets together to eat, drink, laugh, tell tales, and just have a good time, it really captures the spirit of the season. Assisted living facilities recognize that dining together is a big part of family tradition, so they organize and arrange holiday parties full of great food and goodies for families to enjoy with their loved ones. Seniors will never feel left out when everyone joins together for a party!
9.) Opening Presents Together
Giving and receiving presents is a popular family custom, but it is one that elderly loved ones in assisted living homes often miss out on. So rather than just calling a loved one to share your excitement, invite the whole family over for a visit and enjoy unwrapping gifts as a group. That way, no one feels left out!
10.) Make Things Senior-Friendly
This suggestion is mainly about ensuring the well-being of aged family members. Ideally, offer your elderly parent a room on the first level so that they may avoid a lot of steps. Provide them with a location to quickly go to the restroom and other necessities. When you have a lot of people in your home over the holidays, it may be tough to keep clutter at bay and ensure that carpets and mats are non-slip.
Conclusion
It is possible to plan a family holiday that everyone, even the elderly, can enjoy. Don’t stress about getting things perfect or back to how they used to be since there will always be changes or adjustments to the daily routine. It doesn’t matter if you can’t visit your elderly parents because they’re in a far-off assisted living community – there are still ways to connect with them and make the season memorable for them
You may not be able to replicate previous holiday celebrations, but you may establish new traditions and create new memories. Make a point of visiting your loved one’s assisted living facility and spreading seasonal cheer this holiday season to show them how much you care.