The Caring Corner®
Senior Care Advice for Orange County: 6 Ways to Avoid the Caregiver Holiday Blues
As the holiday season approaches, family caregivers can face real senior care struggles that can be magnified during Christmas. Many miss out on holiday parties, shopping and preparing for the holiday. There are some steps that you can take to prevent the holiday blues or to help a caregiver.
Ask for help! See if friends or family will stop by to give you a break. See if a senior center will allow your loved one to visit during a holiday party. You can also hire someone to visit for a few hours so you can get away.
Spend some time outdoors. Enjoy some time walking around the block in the fresh air looking at holiday lights or getting exercise with a brisk walk.
Have realistic expectations. Don’t try to create the perfect holiday. You might have to opt for gift cards instead of holiday shopping and cut-back on some of your baking. This will allow you to free up time for the holidays.
Say yes to a weekly holiday activity. Try to accept a weekly holiday invitation to a party or special festivity that you enjoy every year. Turing down invitations can make you feel isolated and alone. You can take your loved one to the party too or get some respite care so you can enjoy some time away.
Daily exercise helps! Try to take a walk each day or have a few indoor activities that you can do like yoga or Tai Chi. These can make a real difference and improve your mental and physical health.
Get your rest. You don’t have to accept every invitation. You do need rest and shouldn’t stress yourself out. Stress can cause both mental and physical illness. It is okay to say no and get a good nights sleep.
If you need an in home care giver for your elderly loved one in Chapel Hill or Durham, we can help. Care givers are screened and go through rigorous background checks.
