The holiday season is a wonderful time for many people – bringing together friends and family for one of the biggest celebrations of the year. However, it is not the best time of the year for many people, including seniors, who may struggle with social situations due to poor health, bereavement, or the challenges of visiting loved ones who live far away and are not near Clearwater.
There are multiple steps that can help to reduce the stress of the holiday season, no matter who you are. We’ll look specifically at some of the ways to reduce the holiday stress felt by seniors, in particular at this time of year.
Keep Traveling to a Minimum
Older people may be put off by the idea of traveling long distances to spend the holidays with their families. This is usually not a reflection of poor relationships with their families but instead a reflection of their own health or abilities to make long journeys. It is likely that they have made long journeys during the holiday season for many years by this point, and the energy required to do it again might feel too much. If you are eager to include your senior relatives in the holiday celebrations, consider choosing a venue close to them or suggest any parties and gatherings are hosted at their homes with the support of you and your family.
Consider Barriers in Social Settings
Holiday stress can be exacerbated by common health problems in senior people that hold them back from being fully involved in the celebrations. For example, seniors with hearing loss might feel isolated or excluded in a social situation – leading them to feel anxious and worried about how the day will go and whether they will be left out. Consider whether there are barriers that are specific to your senior relatives and ask what steps you could take to help ease these concerns. Speak to other people to ensure they are aware of the need to include senior family members and help to reduce the all-too-familiar holiday stress.
Avoid Financial Pressures
Many senior people are keen to express their love and admiration for younger relatives through gifts and other treats during the holiday season. However, they may feel extra pressure to dig deep into their pockets if you are planning a large family gathering this year. Make sure that they know there is no pressure for them to spend lots of money on gifts and other material items that might lead to even more holiday stress at this difficult time of year.
Consult Them in Your Plans
If you are planning to invite seniors to your holiday celebrations, consider consulting with them beforehand to understand their requirements. As well as gaining a better understanding of how to reduce holiday stress for the senior people in your family, consulting them could also help them feel more included and invested in the holiday season. Get to know more about their daily habits and requirements so that you can reassure them they will be taken into account as the holiday plans shape up. This can boost the mental health and well-being of many seniors who might feel increasingly isolated or alone at this time of year.
Supporting Your Senior Family Members
If you are looking after a senior family member near Clearwater or you want to support them more this holiday season, following these simple steps could help you get together with all your family while keeping holiday stress to a minimum. If you want to support aspects of seniors’ health to help them feel less isolated and alone, consider encouraging them to take a hearing test at Countryside Hearing Aid Services and consult their doctor regularly.
Picture Credit: 123rf.com