Quick Tips to Consider When Spending the Holidays with a Senior Loved One

The holidays are a special time: getting together with family and friends, catching up on the last year's worth of events, and making new memories together. However, if you have a senior loved one who stays in memory care in San Diego, and has an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis, you may find yourself running into a few additional obstacles.

That being said, it’s important not to let the stress of the holiday season interfere with the quality time you spend together. Read below to review some advice on spending the holidays with a senior loved one.

Tip #1: Plan Healthy Meals

Eating good, nutritious food is great for our bodies. As we age, this focus on nutrition is all the more important, especially if your senior loved one has any sort of medical condition, such as diabetes, or needs to be on a special diet. Be mindful of how much sugar, salt, and fat your senior loved one intakes. If you can, prepare leaner, healthier variations of your holiday meal.

Also, while we all know that cookies and other sweets are usually a staple of the holiday season, see if you can find sugar-free recipes or desserts that include more fruit than sugar. This will also help cut down on any unnecessary, and unhealthy, sugar and fat intake.

Tip #2: Be Positive

While holidays are supposed to be a festive time, it can also create opportunities for your seniors to get sad or lonely and even think about holidays that have come and passed. This can be especially difficult if they have had a spouse or significant other who has passed away and they miss spending time together. It is important to remain positive and supportive during these moments. Be sure to lend a listening ear whenever you can!

Also, winter can be a hard time for those who are prone to seasonal affective disorder, better known as the ‘winter blues’. It is all the more vital to check in with your loved ones, especially if they stay in assisted living or memory care in San Diego. Schedule regular visits, phone calls, and send cards and letters: these acts will prove that they are loved and thought of while lifting their spirits.

Tip #3: Accept Help

If you are the primary caregiver for your loved one with Alzheimer’s, or if you are going to be responsible for hosting them during the holidays, you undoubtedly have a lot on your plate. However, if there is one thing that you should remember, it’s that it’s okay to ask for help.

When checking your senior loved one out of memory care in San Diego to take on a home visit, make sure to go over any necessary information with the staff and get any tips that they might have. Once back at your home, allow other family members and friends to assist when needed. Whether that means helping with caregiver responsibilities, or seeing to prepping the holiday meal, it’s okay to have a helping hand!