You Aren't Cheating: 5 Helpful Shortcuts for Holiday Traditions When You're Overwhelmed by To-Dos
The holidays are an excellent time for seniors to spend time with their loved ones. However, some of the ordinary holiday preparations may cause more fatigue than clients experienced in the past and cause them to feel a sense of loss or failure. Luckily, there are many shortcuts to incorporate into the holiday traditions routines to ensure seniors feel their best during the holiday season. The goal is to simplify the holiday traditions when possible, which will amplify the merriment and give seniors more free time to celebrate.
1. Look at the Menu and Check to See if It’s Too Complicated
Many senior clients have culinary skills, but the odds are highly likely that their family and guests aren't expecting a 12-course holiday dinner. Many people celebrate the holidays at their parents' house because their parents have always hosted the holidays and handled the meal preparation themselves. Go ahead and take a look at what they have planned for the holiday traditions.
Are there ways to simplify or change the dishes they plan? Can you or other family members help them make different parts of the meal and freeze them ahead of time? If so, try to reduce the stress they experience on the holidays by suggesting less complicated dishes or preparing them ahead of schedule. If this is done in advance, then it can circumvent the feeling of failure in the holiday traditions if the main meal doesn't come out effortlessly.
2. Volunteer to Handle the Guest List
Many people with senior loved ones never realized how much effort went into inviting all the guests, keeping track of who was attending, and sending them the right mail at the right location. If the clients don't change the dinner preparations, then offer to take over the invite list and consider sending out the invitations online to reduce the cost of sending invites and hear back from their guests sooner.
3. Decorate With Them Ahead of Time
Many senior citizens struggle with limited mobility, and getting up and about to put up the decorations may remind them of it. To avoid this, help the seniors decorate and handle the ladders, heavy boxes, and other items for them. Most people won't notice or mind someone else doing the heavy lifting or someone else taking the initiative. It's very easy to embrace the festive spirit and act as though that is driving the momentum without calling attention to what the seniors are doing.
4. Consider Using Professional Cooking Services for Holiday Traditions
If your senior still wants an elaborate meal for their guests, then tell them how bakeries, groceries, and many shopping malls offer prepared meals for the holidays. Some businesses even offer catering. For seniors who really value impressing people over the holidays, don't forget to ask them whether they would consider professional cooking services since some people would like that if it's from an upscale business.
5. Keep One Family Recipe or Tradition Alive
No matter what level of mobility the senior is at, take a moment and ask them about a special family recipe or tradition that they have always celebrated. If you ask them which one is the most important to them, then try to include it in the holiday regardless of the situation. For example, if they have always baked cookies, then help them make them for their guests. They will feel happy that one tradition has lasted.
About Us
Senior Helpers® in Concord, Lowell, Tewksbury, and Westford love keeping the holiday spirit alive with our senior clients. Contact us in our Massachusetts office for more ideas on how to make the holidays easier for senior citizens.