All of our communities give our seniors a better quality of life!
The holiday season brings joy to families everywhere. For our loved ones in assisted living, it can also bring stress and anxiety. Many seniors with mobility issues or conditions like dementia do not want to spend moments of celebrations alone and often worry about missing out on family gatherings.
Here are a few tips on how to make holidays with family in assisted more comfortable and just as happy.
Plan Ahead
Deciding whether to take your loved one home for the holiday or spend time with them in the assisted living community is a question many family members ask. The simple answer lies in whether you and your elderly can handle the transportation and attend to physical needs at home.
Having a talk with your loved one and the people in the community who takes care of them will give you an insight into if they can enjoy more festive or intimate events at home or if they are prone to get disoriented by sudden changes from living at the assisted living community and going back home with you.
Make New Traditions
Traditions that everyone can participate in are important when you have elderly people in the family. New traditions can reassure your loved ones that they are not forgotten.
Try things like decorating their room together, accompanying them to the community holiday event, helping them think of gifts, and wrapping them together.
Take a Walk Down Memory Lane
Holidays remind us of happy memories which can sometimes cause holiday blues. Some of our elderly loved ones may miss happier times and it is important to acknowledge these feelings and deal with them in a healthy way.
Activities like watching home movies or pulling o
