Combat post-holiday loneliness in the elderly with a few easy steps.
The holidays can be filled with a whirlwind of busyness for the seniors we love, with family get-togethers, holiday parties, faith-based events and services, and deciding on the best gifts for the ones they love. Yet after the ornaments are packed away and families have resumed the daily busyness of life, many seniors encounter a typical but little-discussed concern: post-holiday loneliness.
Although naturally seniors who live alone are most vulnerable to feelings of seclusion and sadness when the holiday activities are complete, all seniors are prone to a case of the blues, as they look to the year ahead while reminiscing over years past. It’s critical for family members to establish a plan to help their senior loved ones enjoy a positive transition. Give some thought to the following recommendations to combat loneliness in the elderly:
- Plan for the next get-together. Set a date in the coming weeks for another family function, providing the older loved one and the rest of the family with something fun to anticipate. For instance, plan an informal New Year’s resolution check-in party for the last week of January, during which each person can report on his or her progress towards resolutions that were made, and each bringing a dish to share a potluck meal.
- Create a chain letter. Split the family up into groups of five, and assign a number to each person who’d like to participate, i.e., #1 – 5. The person with #1 commits to writing a short letter in the first week of January, mailing it to the #2 person, who reads and then contributes to that letter and mails to the #3 person – and so on. The last person in the sequence adds to the letter and sends back to the first person to read, and then a new chain can be started. Receiving ongoing mail with news about family members is a great pick-me-up for older individuals.
- Engage the services of Advanced Home Health Care. Advanced Home Health Care’s skilled care companions are a wonderful solution to senior loneliness! Our caregivers are proficient in helping seniors to remain socially and physically active through a wide range of enjoyable activities, according to each person’s interests:
- Reminiscing and conversations
- Puzzles, games, and crafts
- Exercise programs
- Transportation and accompaniment to fun outings
- And much more!
Let us help relieve post-holiday loneliness for the seniors you love, and preserve a sense of community, purpose, and connection all through the year with our top-rated dementia care in Burlington, Iowa and the surrounding areas. We’re available for once-weekly visits up through and including full-time, live-in care and companionship. Call us at 800.791.7785 and request a complimentary in-home consultation for home care or dementia care in Burlington, Iowa or the surrounding areas to determine what will work best in your particular situation, and help make your loved ones’ coming year the best one yet!
