Christmas for seniors can be a time of anxiety and stress. Mobility may bring additional challenges as people age. For some seniors, the holidays may bring emotional challenges, and reminders of the past.
We can make our Christmas gatherings a little friendlier for our seniors with a little extra planning. You can follow these steps to make the holidays more enjoyable for the older generation.
6 Steps to Make Christmas for Seniors More Enjoyable
Be Inclusive – Everyone wants to be included in the holiday activities. If they are able, offer them the chance to cook, visit, or play with the kids. Try to offer things that they can participate in. Make sure that you are engaging with the oldest members of the family, and they aren’t feeling isolated. This can make the holiday more meaningful.
Look at Pictures – Photos from the past offer seniors the chance to relive their favorite family events. It gives them a chance to exercise their memory, and everyone a chance to bond and connect over the memories and traditions that have been forged over the years.
Prepare the House – Make sure you have done everything to account for accessibility issues before the holidays. For those who are in a wheelchair, ramps and other equipment can be rented for temporary usage. This is an important step in making sure seniors feel welcome for the holidays, and it is a critical part of Christmas for seniors. For those who are still walking, you’ll also want to take added measures like removing slippery throw rugs or other potential hazards.
Be Considerate – As you talk about the past, make sure you do so in a way that is considerate. For instance, you wouldn’t want to give them a hard time about forgetting an event that happened in the past. You also wouldn’t want to give them a hard time about any of their physical limitations.
Get the Holiday Spirit – If you have young and old together, maybe you can take them on a drive to see nearby holiday lights. This can be a bonding experience that the whole family will love. It’s these traditions and spending time together as a family that can make the holiday season something truly special.
Give them a Place to Rest – The senior in your family may need a place to quietly rest and recharge their batteries. If there is a bedroom out of the way of the main gathering, this can be an ideal place for solitude.
The holidays can be a great time to bond with the whole family. It can be a magical time for grandparents to forge a bond with their grandkids. But making sure that our seniors are taken care of during the hustle and bustle is an important part of planning for the holiday.
Christmas for seniors can be a warm and inviting experience. We can help you make some last-minute accessibility changes to your home before the holidays. Contact us today!
