The merry gift-giving season is around the corner. Families gather around the lighted tree to unwrap presents, peek into stockings stuffed to the brim with delightful notions and simply enjoy the special moments of Christmas morning.
Senior relatives look forward to the holidays, along with their younger family members. Gifting elderly relatives may differ slightly than presenting toys or luxury items to kids and young adults. After all, older people have enjoyed a lifetime of material holiday presents. Grandpa would probably rather not see another pair of cotton socks under the tree with his name on it. What could they need that they don’t already have?
Togetherness.
As the elderly age, the close ties that gave meaning to their lives gradually diminish. Spouses and friends pass on and adult children move away. What’s left is an empty house as the holidays approach. Bring cheer to senior relatives and help them ease into the rest of their life’s journey with thoughtful, heartfelt holiday gifts.
Help Decorate for the Holidays
Families, from the adult children to the grandkids, who bring over boxes of colorful ornaments, shimmery garlands and bright stockings can help decorate a senior’s home. The shared laughter and exchanged stories while putting up charming décor give the seniors feelings of warmth and extra cherished memories. The senior’s home is spectacularly prepped for the holidays, too.
In addition to decorating with traditional ornaments, personalized photo ornaments are lovely gifts for seniors. Gift the elderly loved one in your life a beautiful ornament featuring photos of the kids or the entire family.
Give Personalized Mementos
Grandpa enjoys assembling the occasional puzzle. Gift him a personalized photo puzzle, perhaps of the family or special place, and putting together those tiny puzzle pieces suddenly takes on new meaning. Even better, spend time with grandpa, helping to assemble the custom photo puzzle. He’ll be grateful for the brainy challenge and the pleasant company.
Aunt Lorraine’s memory is gradually declining. Help her stay on top of doctor’s visits with a customized photo calendar. Each month, the family’s faces will smile back at her—and remind her of scheduled appointments.
Gift Experience
Mom loves to have her hair done. A gift certificate to a beauty salon is a prized gift. Make the event even more memorable by setting up a date when you can accompany mom and get your beauty needs met together.
An aging aunt and uncle may relish the meals served at their favorite restaurant. Present them with a gift certificate for their number one food establishment of choice. When you are in town, satisfy their appetite for companionship by joining them for a meal together.
Offer to help an older relative cook her traditional holiday meal. The weighty pot roast will be lifted—as well as her holiday spirits.
Present Holiday Tunes
The older loved ones in your life who are inspired by music will be thrilled with a pre-loaded MP3 player. Simply add the mood-boosting tunes the senior enjoys, and show them how to power it on.
A live event is soul stirring. Arrange for your local school’s chorus to serenade the senior loved ones at a nursing home. Even more heartwarming is to gather the senior’s friends and sing holiday medleys before the warmth of the living room fireplace.
Make Aging Easier
Senior folks are the first to recognize that life is no longer as easy as it was a few years ago. Motion sensor lights take the hassle out of seniors finding their way in darkened hallways or simply fiddling to find the light switch.
Aunt Carol loves to cook, but her arthritis keeps her away from the stovetop. Stuff her Christmas stockings with handy kitchen tools: an automatic can opener and an automatic jar opener. Both gadgets function without requiring a strong hand grip.
Even when a family member or a caregiver provides transportation for your elderly loved one, he’ll still likely need to exit the car. An auto assist grab bar helps the senior get out of the car with confidence.
Share the Care
Focusing on loved ones during the holiday season is important, and so is giving back to the community. Spend time with the seniors in your life by arranging to serve holiday meals together at local soup kitchens or assembling gift baskets to donate to needy families. The warmth of the season blossoms when sharing the caring.
Introduce Technology
Staying connected now is easier than baking pie. Show your loved one how to video chat with friends around the country with a simple tablet or via Skype. Companion tablets are easy to use, even for those aged 85 and up. Certain tablets offer additional beneficial features that make medication management, appointment reminders and regular wellness checks a piece of cake.
Call Assisting Hands
Assisting Hands Home Care services are flexible. Arrange for senior care on short notice; respite care, long-term care, 24-hour care and live-in care are also available. Professional caregivers from Assisting Hands Home Care are trained and skilled in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, as well.
When you are too far away to spend the holidays with an aging loved one, don’t leave the senior in the cold. Compassionate caregivers offer your elderly relatives pleasant companionship to keep the holiday blues away.
Families in the Batavia, Illinois, community have the opportunity to ensure their elderly loved ones receive the most optimal in-home care from the Assisting Hands Home Care team. Assisting Hands Home Care is dedicated to improving the daily lives of senior citizens during the festive season as well as every day of the year.
