Enjoying the Holidays With an Elderly Parent

Thoroughly enjoying the holiday season might seem impossible when you have an elderly parent that requires care. When they are in an assisted living facility, this illusion might become even stronger. But you certainly can have a good time this holiday season with your family despite these setbacks. If you have holiday traditions, then by all means you should continue with these. This doesn't have to be something major, but it should be adhered to because this will be a comforting thing for your elderly loved ones as they will see that you are carrying on just the same as you would were they healthier. No one wants to be an imposition.

If you don't actually have a family tradition, start one. This can add additional value to your holiday season and will be a pleasant surprise for your ailing relatives. If they are in an assisted living facility, celebrating the season at their home can be a great way to express your love for them. This can be a hit, especially if you have small children in the family. When your elderly loved one watches their grandchildren or great-grandchildren open up their presents, there will be nothing but joy going through their minds. Little kids create a special atmosphere that cannot be duplicated.

Another way to keep the holiday memorable and enjoyable is to help your elderly relative shop for gifts from the comfort of their own home. Avoiding the crowds of the crowded shopping malls by shopping on the internet will help them to not feel so overwhelmed by the massive amount of shoppers looking for gifts. The internet offers just as many deals and requires a lot less effort on your elderly relative's part, thus making the shopping experience much easier for them. This is especially true if they have trouble getting around. They might not have the experience on a computer to do the shopping on their own, so you can help them. The additional bonus of this is that you get to spend more quality time with your parent.

Finally, try having as much family over to your home as possible. Many assisted living facilities will allow your loved one to come over to your home, so you can truly have all of the family together. Preparing for a family gathering of this magnitude during the holiday season can be a stressful task, however. Remember to take enough time for yourself, too. Spending time with your family is important, but you need to take care of yourself first and foremost-otherwise you will not enjoy the holidays at all. Get your rest and keep exercising. This will give you fuel to make your family's holiday season a very memorable one.