December not only marks the official arrival of winter, but also the hustle and bustle of the holidays! This is a joyous time full of family and tradition, but for seniors, it can be a time that brings up painful memories or feelings of loneliness among other potential issues. There are plenty of things we can all do to include our senior loved ones, as well as planning that can be done to ensure their good health and happiness well into the future.
No matter where you call home, there are many ways to get a healthy dose of the holiday spirit this month. Roxann Rogers-Meyer of Immanuel Communities advises, “The holidays can be a difficult time of the year for seniors living in a retirement community. They may not have family close by to celebrate the holidays and that may bring up feelings of loneliness and isolation during a time that should be filled with joy and anticipation. Immanuel Communities recognizes these feelings and plans a full calendar of activities and events to involve our residents. Our residents, our Pathways participants and our staff will participate in Kids Against Hunger which is a non-profit organization committed to reducing the number of hungry children worldwide. Immanuel has been involved in this program for the past three years and it’s one of the few times staff works alongside with residents to give back to the greater community with their collective donations of time and talent.
Our Immanuel Village Chime Choir will be performing at the Omaha Symphony Christmas Spectacular at the Holland Center in December and our partnerships with area schools provides the opportunity for school age children to go Christmas caroling in our communities. Many of our residents are involved in charitable projects with the Open Door Mission creating toys in our woodworking shop for children spending the holidays at the Mission. Intergenerational activities bring together the adult children, the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren.
Our dining staff creates special menus for the holiday season and many of the special items conjure up memories of the past for the residents. The residents enjoy discussing their favorite entrée or favorite holiday cookie with the servers at our Immanuel communities. Many of our servers consider the residents their second set of grandparents.
Special worship services are planned as a time for residents to gather together as a group dedicated to building and nourishing a strong community, a place where seniors can plan their best possible futures without ever losing themselves. All of our activities and events are designed for the residents and their families to be a part of the Immanuel communities during a special time of the year.”
Sometimes a few easy adjustments are all that’s needed for seniors to be able to enjoy the holidays and winter months instead of suffering through them. “The bustling holiday season is the perfect time to consider hiring a temporary caregiver to help with all elements of holiday preparations,” explains Kelli Donner of Comfort Keepers. “Our Comfort Keepers offer seniors assistance in areas of light housekeeping (including putting up decorations), meal preparation, transportation to social functions and stores, and even addressing cards and gift-wrapping. This might be especially important if your senior loved one lives far away from family. Here are a few things that both loved ones and caregivers can assist with:
Cooking for Holiday Gatherings — Cooking large meals for holiday gatherings may be difficult for a senior to accomplish, as he/she has likely grown used to cooking small meals and could be unable to orchestrate something much bigger. Offer to help plan and prepare the meal together. This takes the pressure off of the senior and provides bonding time for you both. A less stressful alternative may be to host the dinner in your own home or to ask guests to bring favorite prepared dishes to share.
Traveling to Holiday Events or Parties — Occasionally gatherings may require travel, whether in or out of town. Driving, especially at night, intimidates seniors with poor vision. Offer to attend parties or events with seniors, so they feel more comfortable.
Dealing With Loneliness and Isolation — Some seniors, especially those who have lost spouses or beloved friends, experience increased loneliness during the holidays. Others become mildly depressed for the same reason, which can lead to isolation. To help keep this from happening, make sure to visit seniors often during the holidays. Offer to take them to holiday events. Have fun baking holiday goodies together. Even helping address holiday cards and chatting over a cup of warm apple cider can lift everyone’s spirits.
Helping With Presents — Giving gifts has become a hallmark of the holiday season. However, presents can cause seniors stress for various reasons. Offer to join seniors on a shopping trip to assist in choosing gifts and navigating crowds. Or, ask the seniors in your life to provide you with lists and do the shopping for them. Encourage the use of gift bags instead of wrapping presents or plan a present-wrapping afternoon so you can help.
This holiday season while you are enjoying your visits or on the phone with your aging loved ones, make good use of your time by reviewing their living status. If you sense a problem, you and other family members should waste no time in taking the appropriate next steps. As difficult as the process might be, keep reminding yourself that by being proactive, as a result of your observations, you will not only provide safety for your loved one, but will also keep them happy and healthy for years to come.”
Seasonal depression is indeed among the major factors that will affect the overall health and wellbeing of many seniors over the next few months. Lois Jordan, CEO of Midwest Geriatrics, Inc., offers her advice on how to get rid of the “winter blahs”:
“As we head into the snowy days of December, we know our routines are going to change; less daylight, colder temperatures and busy holiday planning. Our tendency may be to stay hunkered down during the winter months and just wait it out. The problem with that is we can easily slip into a ‘winter blah’ before we know it. Isolation, loneliness and feeling left out can creep into our mood and homes if we don’t plan ahead. So how do we sidestep the ‘winter blahs?’ Start with making a winter bucket list. What can you do now that being outside isn’t so inviting or at times too risky to venture out? Here are a few suggestions:
• Clean out your closets. If you haven’t worn it in a year, it may be time to donate it to a clothing closet. • Junk drawers multiplying? Take the drawer out, sit on the couch and find treasures you can’t part with and throw out things that have no future use. • File cabinet needing an overhaul? Save important documents for tax purposes and shred the unnecessary piles of papers. • Write a letter to friends and relatives. Getting a letter in the mail is a surefire way to cheer someone up. • Start a recipe book for your loved ones. You make the best food and no one can do it better. Now give them the secrets! Makes a great stocking stuffer too! • Stacks of photographs piling up in a box? Pick up a few albums and sort them by year or by family or by event and create an album that friends and family can peruse. What a great way to relive the happy moments in our lives. • Bake some goodies to share. • Community calendars are listed in the paper and may provide a great way to go out and socialize, weather permitting. • Visit a nearby senior center, nursing home or assisted living. There is always a need for volunteers.
Staying active every day is important and even more so in the winter months. Be purposeful in getting as much natural sunlight as you can. Open those blinds, sit near the window and read a book. Before you know it, spring will be here again and the ‘winter blahs’ will be a thing of the past.”
“Depression is very common in isolated seniors, especially during the holidays,” agrees Jim Janicki of Hillcrest Health Services. “Visits from family, day trips to stimulating holiday destinations, making crafts, watching nostalgic holiday movies together or even a drive to see Christmas lights can help rejuvenate an aging adult and counter potential effects of depression. More visits to the local senior center would also help alleviate the feelings of isolation.
Holidays are often the most fun time to be in a community like Hillcrest Country Estates or Hillcrest Mable Rose. There is so much to do every day to keep residents engaged, especially with the many outside groups that visit our communities to sing carols, bake, host parties and visit with residents. Seniors who remain isolated at home don’t have the benefit of the exciting lifestyle a senior living community offers, especially during the busy holiday season.”
He adds, “As out-of-town family members return to visit their aging loved ones, they should pay special attention to warning signs such as the condition or cleanliness of the house, their loved one’s behavior, grooming and eating habits, and whether they seem to be more forgetful. While forgetting small details may not be a cause for concern, watch out for more significant signs that staying home alone may be detrimental to their ongoing health. Making a move earlier to a safer environment, like an independent living community, will likely ensure they will stay independent longer.”
For seniors to stay independent, they must also stay healthy and active. “It is important for seniors to remain active during the winter months and holidays!” emphasizes Kristina Krumme of Elk Ridge Village. “If you are taking a senior out be extra careful with slipping on the ice and make sure they are comfortable with going out first. You may have to think of alternate ideas instead of going out and about in inclement weather. It is crucial that seniors remain in contact with family and friends during the winter months because often times, less contact can intensify feelings of isolation and loneliness. Even a short phone call more frequently is better than no contact. You may even consider teaming up with other family members or friends and scheduling assigned calling days to mix up the contacts. Our Caregiver Support Group is a good resource for families and their loved ones to utilize.
Even though the holiday season can be pretty busy, it is very important to take time to visit elderly loved ones. As we all know seniors have their daily routines, so try to be respectful of their schedules. The holidays can be hard for seniors, especially if they have lost a spouse and this is their first Christmas without them. The precious time that you spend with your elderly loved one is not only good for them but good for you too! We offer a guest room that family members can rent and stay onsite right here at Elk Ridge Village and join in on the fun! We also have a few other beautiful rooms that families can use for get-togethers.”
She adds, “Winter isn’t always the most ideal time to move, but you may want to take it into serious consideration if you see a loved one start to decline or become isolated–or maybe even to be proactive and move before the decline and isolation settles in. A move to a retirement community can really help a loved one out day-to-day. As well as worrying about snow removal, winter storms, house maintenance, who is going to get the groceries, trips to church and doctor’s appointments, and so on.
This may also greatly help seniors stay active and connected socially through the tougher winter months. At Elk Ridge Village we have a wide array of activities, events and special services offered to the residents and their loved ones during the holidays. This includes holiday lights tours, holiday crafts, religious offerings, and we even recently had a boutique hosted on-site for the residents to get a jump start on holiday shopping. It is also important for seniors to get some exercise during the more sedentary winter months. At Elk Ridge Village we offer Range of Motion, Tai Chi, Yoga and much more! Of course Santa will show up and we have a Holiday Resident Party with great food and fun games.”
While it certainly makes sense to be proactive in addressing any potential issues before they arise or escalate, that may not always be possible. Unfortunately accidents and emergency situations do happen, and for seniors, the risk increases significantly during the winter months. “Sometimes our journey in life takes us down a road that’s different from the one we planned,” explains Joanne Carlberg of Good Samaritan Society-Millard. “Maybe it’s an accident, surgery or stroke that’s moved your course. To recover physically, you may need special expertise and equipment. To rehabilitate the human body is no small undertaking. Our licensed therapists take a comprehensive approach with each client to help ensure effective and individualized treatments. How positive and determined you are can make all the difference. Working together, our 24-hour skilled nursing and multidisciplinary teams focus on helping people of all ages recover as quickly as possible and return home.
The rehabilitation services provided at Good Samaritan Society-Millard include; physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Our team completes home safety assessments to determine if modifications or adaptive equipment would improve their daily living activities. Proper techniques, re-training and interventions with supportive follow-up treatments help clients to become as independent as possible. With patience and compassion, we encourage clients to reach their therapy goals, and then exceed them. The ultimate discussion on living arrangements is between the clients and their families. We are here to support them mentally and emotionally.”
So as we are all enjoying the holiday season with our family and friends, it is important to be especially thoughtful of the seniors in our community who may not be able to do the same this year. A little holiday cheer goes a long way, and spreading it around can make a huge impact in the lives of others as well as your own. Also, make sure to take the time during the holidays to observe your senior loved ones, address any issues as needed, and to make plans for the future—because there’s no better time than the present! Some adjustments may be simple and others may be very difficult, but rest assured the sooner any issues are addressed the easier the adjustment and the better the outcome. We are blessed to live in a community where there are so many wonderful resources and support for seniors, not only during the holidays but all year long. If you have questions, they have the answers. If you have a problem, they can offer one or more solutions. Instead of going it alone, we urge everyone to reach out and utilize the assistance that is available. We wish you all, young and old, the happiest of holidays and a great start to the new year!