Thanksgiving is a holiday traditionally spent enjoying a good, hearty meal with your loved ones. Many families have many different traditions around this holiday, but almost all of them involve food and companionship. For seniors aging in place, companion care at home providers can help make these holidays easier when their family cannot visit.
Why Holidays are Hard for Seniors
If your loved one is living alone independently, the big family holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas can feel a lot different to them than they do to the rest of the world. The holidays might be a reminder of the isolation they struggle with or the loneliness they feel on a day-to-day basis.
Here are a few reasons seniors are more likely to feel lonely on the holidays:
- Their significant other is no longer with them. If your loved one is a recent widow or widower, the holidays can be especially tough.
- Their children live far away. If their kids have all moved to different parts of the country to raise their families, they might have few family connections nearby.
- Their finances don’t allow typical holiday splurges. The holidays can feel especially isolating when your loved one can’t afford to go to the theater to watch a holiday show or buy all the fixings needed for a Thanksgiving meal.
- Their health makes travel difficult. Your loved one may have a weakened immune system that shouldn’t be exposed to a lot of people or may have mobility issues.
Four Ways for Your Senior to Celebrate Thanksgiving When Family is Far Away
If it looks like your elderly loved one will not be able to join you or other family members this Thanksgiving, there are other options for him to help him feel connected with his community, including companion care at home services. It may not be the same as having the family gathered around the table and slicing the turkey, but the day can still be wonderful for your senior.
Volunteer
Your loved one is not the only one who doesn’t have a family to visit on Thanksgiving. He might enjoy volunteering at a location that serves meals to those less fortunate. By serving others, he can be grateful for what he has, and he might even make a few friends while he’s doing it.
Join a Community Meal
Many senior centers have community meals that can be enjoyed by anyone. You can help him find all of the available options, so he’ll know where to go and when. If he cannot drive, a companion care at home provider can help him arrange transportation or possibly drive him herself.
Go Out to Eat
Some restaurants are still open on Thanksgiving and offer delicious meals to enjoy on that day. Your loved one may enjoy having the server all to himself and be able to connect with them as he eats.
Create a Grateful List
Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks so even if your loved one is far from family this year, he can create a list of all of the things he is thankful for from his home to his community to the important people in his life. He can even spend the day writing letters to each person he is grateful for, thanking them for being an important person in his life.
Reducing Isolation all Year Long with Companion Care at Home
Remember, if your loved one regularly feels isolated or lonely, a companion care at home provider can come to his home and spend time with him, reducing his feelings of isolation.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Companion Care at Home in Orinda, CA, please contact the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care today at (415) 463-1400
Aviva In-Home Care provides exceptional senior home care in the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Burlingame, San Mateo, Hillsborough, Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Berkeley, Lafayette, Orinda, and surrounding areas.
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