Helping Seniors Enjoy the Holiday Season

The busy holiday season can be challenging for any of us, but older adults can find the added activity to be especially draining. Low mood, confusion, and stress may put a damper on seniors’ holiday merriment.

Below are some tips on how to help seniors find joy, relaxation, and connection during this potentially tough time.

Reminisce. Take out the photo album, listen to old records, watch family movies, tell stories of holidays past. Sharing memories can be powerful and engaging for older adults.

Plan for alone time. Set aside a room or area in which the senior can take a break from the overstimulation of family gatherings.

Include the senior. Make a point to invite your senior to participate in as many family activities as they can handle. Simple tasks include setting out dinnerware, folding napkins, and adding ornaments to the tree. Helping out will give them a sense of purpose and usefulness, helping them feel more involved and needed.

Connect. Loneliness can bring on depression, so it’s important for seniors to connect with others during the holiday season. Go out of your way to visit and talk with older people in your life more frequently than you might have done during the rest of the year.