5 Ways to Help Seniors Beat the Winter Blues

For seniors aging in place, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in prolonged periods of isolation. The situation is cause for concern for both seniors and long-distance family caregivers. In fact, stress and depression are on the rise due to social distancing rules, flu season infections, and the prospect of spending the holidays alone. During these difficult times, seniors need encouragement and support more than anything else. Below are five ways to help seniors beat the winter blues.

Hire a Home Caregiver

Many seniors have family members who live in another state or hours away. Often, these relatives feel a lot better after hiring a caregiver to check on their loved ones. 

A professional caregiver can provide assistance in many ways. They can run errands, help with activities of daily living (ADL), and perform light housekeeping duties. Many of them like to consider themselves as friends or companions to their elderly charges. 

They are happy to spend time chatting and offering support when needed.

Encourage Your Loved One to Find a Hobby

Give your loved one a sense of purpose. Think up creative ways to break up the monotony of daily living.

A great way to motivate a senior is by encouraging them to take up a new hobby such as quilting, scrapbooking, painting, gardening, or even ballroom dancing.

Plan Meals Together

Now is a great time to try new recipes and bake some delicious treats. If seniors are still preparing meals for themselves at home, try a new recipe together in the kitchen. 

If getting together is out of the question, there’s another way to have fun.

Once a week, share a new recipe, and make it in your own kitchen. Then, share the plated dish with one another through mobile device images, FaceTime, or Zoom. You can even encourage your home caregiver to get involved. However, if your senior needs help planning her meals, you can also schedule a day out the week to help her figure out a plan. 

Now that most grocery stores offer delivery services, you can call ahead and place an order for the necessary ingredients. Your loved one will appreciate your foresight and thoughtfulness.

Encourage Your Loved One to Get Regular Exercise

Exercise is something everyone needs on a daily basis. Encourage seniors to get at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity. A short brisk walk or a quick jog around the yard may be enough to get the heart rate up and blood pumping. 

Exercising to workout videos with a home caregiver can also make exercise a fun and exciting experience. 

Schedule Video Calls

Stay in contact with your loved ones. It’s a great way to help them beat the winter blues. Schedule a video call at least twice a week to see how they are doing. 

Take time to really listen to what your senior is telling you. Talk about personal goals and your hopes for the future. 

You can also reminisce about the past and all the fun activities you enjoyed together. Make plans to do something exciting in the near future. It's always good to give your loved one something to look forward to. 

To find out more about hiring a home caregiver for a senior in your life in the Howard County, Harford County, and Carroll County areas, contact us today!