Although caregivers can provide day-to-day companionship, many seniors still feel isolated during the holiday season. Due to mobility issues, for example, they might not be able to go caroling with family or stand for long periods to make festive meals. To give your senior a positive outlook this holiday season, below are a few ways to incorporate them into your plans. 

How to Include Elderly Family Members in Holiday Celebrations

1. Read Upbeat Holiday Cards

Many people send holiday cards as a way to update friends, family, and acquaintances about what has been going on in their lives. As your family member ages, they may receive cards from peers that include information about illnesses and people who’ve passed away.

To offset the bad news, encourage friends, relatives, and caregivers to send your senior cards with details about joyous events in their lives. You can sit around the fireplace or at the dinner table and read the cards out loud to lift their spirits. 

2. Let Them Help You Create a Holiday Menu

Creating a festive meal together is a holiday tradition for many families. To continue the custom with your senior, ask them to take part in creating the menu. They can include recipes passed down through the generations.

If your senior has arthritis, have them dictate the information to you. When it’s time to cook, bring a comfortable chair into the kitchen. Your loved one can sit and help stir batter, prepare the roast, and perform other tasks without having to stand and place pressure on achy joints. 

3. Plan a Night of Less-Strenuous Activities

Because of arthritis, impaired mobility, and other issues, long car rides to visit relatives might be uncomfortable for your aging loved one. Instead of constantly being on the go this holiday season, encourage relatives to come to your house for a low-key night of celebrating. Everyone can read holiday stories, watch films, play board games, and participate in other activities that won’t be physically or mentally taxing for older individuals.

To help combat feelings of depression in your loved, contact the caregivers at Deer Valley Home Health Services. The agency has been providing in-home elderly care and social services to clients in the St. Louis, MO, area since 2005. Beyond providing companionship, the trustworthy individuals will also prepare meals, supervise medication intake, and execute additional tasks to make life easier for your loved one. Learn more about their services online and call (314) 355-3679 to arrange a meeting in St. Louis. Dial (636) 493-6488 to reach the Olivette location.