Older Adults and the Holidays
The holidays are a cherished time for family activities, thoughtful gifts, and essential visits for your older loved ones. Please join us now in embracing the season's joy while ensuring the well-being and independence of your senior family members by reviewing a few suggestions from your friends at Overture Home Care.
First, if you have trouble finding activities for the whole family during the holidays, when that whole family might include very young children, teens, middle aged adults and seniors, here are a few ideas we’ve come up with for activities and events that will warm everyone’s heart:
host a game night
play family bingo
share family stories of what the holidays were like when each generation was growing up
take the family stories one step further by sharing photos of past holidays — or a popcorn-fueled video presentation, using your phone to turn photos into a free movie!
hold a baking day
share favorite family recipe for everyone to take home
volunteer together
host a canned food drive
serve food to the homeless
learn how to crochet and donate hats or scarves
or work together to collect hygiene kits for the homeless
If you’re stuck on what to bring your loved ones when you visit them, we also found a great article that features an up-to-date list of the 50+ best holiday gift ideas for seniors. The list includes products and special activity suggestions for independent older adults as well as thoughtful and comforting gifts for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other significant care needs. Click here to check out the list.
Finally, holiday visits to the homes of older family members are a great opportunity to enjoy the seasonal spirit together, and also to check in on your loved ones’ health and evolving needs. We hope that you’ll take a moment before your visit to review one of our most perennially important blog posts: Checking In and Looking Out. And then please, enjoy every moment you have with your family, but keep your eyes open for warning signs that your loved ones might need help, and be prepared to initiate a heart-to-heart talk about health concerns and care needs that your loved ones might not have wanted to burden you with.
For a free consultation to find out how the compassionate caregivers from Overture Home Care can help bring safety, companionship, and peace of mind to your family this holiday season and beyond, please call us 24/7 at (817) 887-9401 or (214) 887-9401.