Wellness | December 12, 2023
Make the Holidays Easier for Seniors | Here are five tips to make the holidays easier for seniors. The holidays are joyous times that inspire feelings of togetherness, fond recollections of past times, and hope for the future. Family gatherings and even those with friends are sure to lift one’s spirits as new memories are forged among people of all ages.
For seniors, many times holidays bring about certain challenges that present with aging. Some challenges are common while others may be unique to the individual. In any case, the result may induce feelings of immense stress and upheaval even during times of holiday cheer. If you have a senior in your life, whether family or friend, the following tips will help you recognize some of these challenges as well as offer ways to alleviate the stress they may cause.
Cooking large meals for holiday gatherings may be hard for a senior to accomplish. The reasons may vary from not being accustomed to preparing large meals to the orchestration it involves to pull it off. Offer to help plan and prepare the meal together. This takes the pressure off the senior of doing it all alone and provides bonding time for you both! An alternative would be to host the dinner in your own home or ask guests to bring their favourite prepared dishes to share.
Occasionally gatherings may require travel, whether in town or out. Sometimes, driving (especially at night) may be intimidating for seniors with troubled eyesight. Offer to attend parties or events with the seniors so they feel more comfortable about going.
Some seniors, especially those who have lost a spouse or other beloved elderly friends, may experience increased loneliness during the holidays. Others may become mildly depressed for the same reasons, which can lead to a greater sense of isolation. To potentially prevent this from happening, make sure to visit the senior in your life often during the holidays. Offer to take them to holiday events. Have fun baking holiday goodies together. Even helping address Christmas cards and chatting over a cup of warm apple cider can lift everyone’s spirits.
The gift of giving has become a fun hallmark of the Christmas season. However, for seniors presents can cause stress for various reasons. Some may be on limited budgets and unable to purchase gifts for all family members, or become simply overwhelmed by the idea of shopping in crowded stores. Other seniors may have problems wrapping gifts because of arthritis. You can help by suggesting family and groups of friends draw names to alleviate cost burdens for all. Offer to join a senior on a shopping spree to assist in choosing gifts and navigating crowds. Or, ask the senior to provide you with a shopping list and complete that task for them. Encourage the use of gift bags instead of wrapping presents, or plan a present-wrapping afternoon so you can help.
The bustling holiday season is the perfect time to consider hiring a temporary caregiver to help with all elements of holiday preparations. Companies such as Comfort Keepers® assist seniors in areas of light housekeeping, accompanying seniors to social functions, meal preparation and even helping with Christmas cards and wrapping presents. This might be especially important if your senior loved one lives far away from family. As caregivers who specialize in caring for the senior population, Comfort Keepers® can provide help and company to ensure your loved one has a happy holiday season.
Our senior home care agency offers in-home care focusing on aging in place. Our services include dementia care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, and palliative care. Comfort Keepers can assist seniors with living transition services, personal care, companionship care, and more!
Do you need a home care solution for yourself or a loved one? Have you been thinking about retirement homes and their alternatives as a solution? Comfort Keepers® enables seniors to maintain happy, healthy lives in the comfort of their own homes. In-home care services are available in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, and the surrounding areas.
Our in-home caregivers ensure our senior clients have the best quality of life. The Interactive Caregiving™ program ensures that a senior’s safety, nutrition, mental well-being, and everyday needs are met. This program brings joy and good health to each client’s home.
If you are concerned about the health and well-being of a loved one we can help! Comfort Keepers offers 24-hour care and delivers top-quality and compassionate care for seniors. We are dedicated to safety technology solutions that foster independence and enhance well-being.
Our care centers around companionship for seniors. Empathetic care originates from the soul and allows us to meet our client’s requirements. The seasoned in-home caregivers employed by Comfort Keepers are carefully chosen based on their empathetic qualities.
Contact the Comfort Keepers® North Vancouver and West Vancouver office at (604) 998-8806 to learn more about our unique in-home care solutions for seniors.
© Copyright 2025, Comfort Keepers | Privacy Policy | Code of Ethics | Call: (604) 998-8806