12/03/2021
Helping Seniors Get Through the Holidays
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), older adults are at higher risk for depression especially if socially isolated.
If you know of a friend, neighbor, or aging parent that might be feeling lonely or depressed, there are steps you can take to help lift their spirits.
Here are a few suggestions for helping to reduce loneliness during the holiday season and really applies to all of us.
1. Take the time to listen when your loved one wants to talk. Listening can help process what may or may not be bothering them.
2. Take the time to tell your friends, neighbors, or elderly loved ones how important they are. Seniors may feel like they are not needed and have nothing to contribute to holiday festivities like they used to.
3. Take the time to ask friends or other family members if they can send holiday cards, photos, videos or drawings from grandchildren to help lift their spirits.
4. If your loved one resides in a long-term care facility, check with the Activity Director to see if the community can arrange for children to do virtual or distanced visits with them. Younger generations bring smiles to seniors every time.
5. Check with your loved one’s religious organization to see if they can offer spiritual support.
6. Take the time to safely decorate their living space with some fun holiday touches. If you can’t join them in person, a video chat allows everyone to connect while the decorating commences.
7. Take the time to bring your loved ones some of their favorite holiday treats to enjoy and share with their friends.
8. By far, the most important thing that any of us can do is to make our seniors feel loved, needed, wanted, and included in the holiday season.
