Tuesday, Oct. 22nd 2019

Senior Memory Care Kansas City Tips For Managing The Holidays

Senior memory care Kansas City is mentally, physically and emotionally challenging, especially during the holiday season. These are meant to be happy, joyful times for getting together with loved ones and celebrating the season. However, seniors with dementia both can feel abandoned, unloved and alone.

Many seniors have trouble adjusting to living away from their family. They miss their homes and the memories of spending the holidays with loved ones. Restricted mobility, progressive cognitive decline and other health conditions can cause seniors to feel they are a burden, and it is not uncommon for them to become depressed and lonely, which can lead to withdrawal and isolation

For family members, the holidays are an opportune time to visit and observe your loved one’s daily habits. It is important for you to recognize the symptoms of holiday depression that your parent may be exhibiting. You can witness how they interact with others and assess ways to help them feel included in some capacity.

Approaching your visit to senior memory care Kansas City with a positive, proactive attitude can help make the holidays less stressful, happier and more joyful. Following are several tips to help you plan and prepare for the holiday season with your family member, regardless of their level of ability.

Tips For Helping Seniors Manage The Holiday

Establish New Traditions. When traveling is no longer an option, bring the family to them. Senior memory care Kansas City hosts various holiday activities. Plan for out-of-town family members to visit and participate in scheduled events, or meet halfway at a new location outside the facility. Arrange small gatherings for other family members (especially grandchildren), older friends and neighbors to drop in. These are effective ways to bring some holiday cheer to seniors.

Reminisce Together. Sometimes it isn’t the holiday itself but memories of happier times that contribute to a senior’s feelings of loneliness and depression. Help revive happy memories by recreating some of those memories. Bring out home movies that you can watch together or look at family photo albums. Sharing memories with your loved one can be a valuable way of sharing family history with younger generations and is enjoyable for everyone.

Take Action. Find things that your loved one can participate in that involve physical activity, such as baking cookies, decorating their personal space, or making holiday crafts. Encourage participation in senior memory care Kansas City group activities to get your loved one moving. If they are able, dance with them to favorite tunes, or stroll through the neighborhood with them to enjoy the holiday lights.

Stimulate and Socialize. Help your parent stay mentally and socially engaged in the local area. Accompany them on outings to see the brightly lit homes and businesses in the area, or attend a play, musical event or a holiday shopping trip to the mall. These are all good ways to keep them involved and active.

Logistics and Planning. If you live far away from senior memory care Kansas City and an in-person visit isn’t possible, plan ahead to ensure your loved one won’t be spending the holidays alone. Talk to other family members, former neighbors and friends of your loved one, and arrange for them to visit. Have an adult grandchild take them out to lunch, or arrange for older family members or friends to take them to church or out to dinner. Further, involve staff members at senior memory care Kansas City who can assist with video calls that can be arranged in advance.

Holiday traditions and activities can be adapted in countless ways, and flexibility can help ensure your loved one is healthier and happier, more active and stays engaged. Whether you are able to visit along with the whole family or it’s just you alone, you can do a lot to ensure your parent isn’t spending the holidays alone. The most important thing is that they know that you are thinking of them and committed to helping them feel loved, valued, and included.

Senior Memory Care Kansas City Clover Care Home

Experts agree that family interactions have a significant effect on seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Spending time with loved ones result in fewer behavioral problems and lessen the likelihood of depression and isolation. Clover Care Home offers many activities and life enrichment events during the holidays that benefit seniors. We are dedicated to providing for the needs of our residents in compassionate and meaningful ways.

Clover Care Home provides quality senior memory care in Shawnee, KS, Johnson County, KS, Wyandotte County, KS, Kansas City, KS and Kansas City, MO, and surrounding communities. Senior adults can have a very rewarding life here – a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, eating right, and getting proper sleep.