What steps are you taking to make your elderly family members enjoy the holidays better?

How do you remember the holidays when you were younger? You may have fond and happy memories of the holidays then, but as you become older, the holiday responsibilities increasingly fall on you. As it should.

Your elders used to make the holidays special while you, as the younger generation, is the focus. As your elderly family members slowly lose their abilities, you have to take on the responsibilities, which can be stressful.

You may want to provide a way for your elders to enjoy the holidays and feel included. However, their health, living conditions, and their living arrangements may make this challenging.

So how can you make the holidays special for your elderly family members? Read up on these tips.

How to make the holidays special for seniors

1. Make the little details count. Decorating their homes, or inviting them over can mean a lot. Play holiday music to set the mood–it will surely lift everyone’s spirits.
2. Include all generations. It’s important for elders to be around young ones too as this helps uplift them. This bond is also important. Encourage children and elders to spend time together, even just to look at family pictures, decorate, or share stories. You can even make the younger ones write holiday cards to their elders.
3. Host holiday meals and celebrations. Make it a point to have your elderly family member over to share in the festivities. If they can’t go to your place, make an effort to bring the celebration to them. Whether they leave far away or in a facility such as Blessed Home, visiting them during this season can mean a lot.
4. Offer to help. Ask them what they want for the holidays and help them make it happen. Do they want to write Christmas cards to friends and loved ones? Write with them. Or maybe accompany them to buy presents. More than the help, they would appreciate your company and presence.
5. Take time to share stories. This is one of the most special things you can do as a family this holiday season. After all, it’s not everyday that you all come together. Take this time to share your family history with each other. It’s a priceless occasion and it could really bring your family together.
6. Remember, your company and presence is key. Please take time to realize and consider how this stage in your elder family members’ lives can be wrought with challenges they may not readily share. Have compassion for their moods and what they are going through.

Holidays can be a challenge, but looking at what you have instead of what you don’t can help you put things in better perspective–and therefore be more present for others. While not every moment will be perfect, coming from a place of gratitude, compassion, and empathy can mean a lot for your seniors and your whole family.