Eldercare Advice & Planning

Can you believe it’s December already? The days fly by at this time of year. Our schedules are packed with holiday festivities. There are parties to attend, gifts to buy, and family gatherings to enjoy. The holiday season is as important to our elders as it is to us – but with age can come some special challenges. Here are some tips to make family gatherings stress-free for your entire family.

Be Smart About Senior Travel

Before you buy any plane tickets, book the train, or get geared up for a two-hour car ride, it’s time to make a realistic assessment of your elder’s capacity to travel a great distance. If you’re providing daily New York area elder care, you’ll have a good idea of how well they’ll be able to tolerate travel. However, if you’re a distance away, you’ll want to talk with the team that is providing direct elder care help for your loved one. They’ll inform you of any cognitive or physical limitations that could make travel tricky.

Your elder may need to travel with a companion to ensure they arrive home for the holidays safely! Cognitive issues such as Alzheimer’s and dementia can contribute to confusion when an elder is in unfamiliar settings, such as an airport or train or bus station. Being aware of and prepared for this issue is the best plan.

In many ways, traveling with an elder can be like traveling with a small child. You must anticipate and be able to meet all of their physical needs. Having food, drinks, medication, access to comfort items and the bathroom can make any trip easier. Not having any one of these items can create travel nightmares! Talk to Bass Eldercare, the New York area elder care experts, if you’re concerned about the best way to arrange holiday travel and would like elder care help or elder care advice.

De-Stress Family Gatherings for Your Senior

Family gatherings are the highlight of the holiday season. For many elders, this may be the only time of year when they see children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Having everyone all together at the same time is tremendously exciting – but it also can become overwhelming.

Make sure that every family gathering has a quiet room or space where people can retreat to if things become too much. Keep an eye on your elder: the moment when grandchildren’s antics go from cute to chaos can happen in the blink of an eye. A change of scenery can help keep things calm and peaceful. As an added bonus, quiet spaces are great for other family members who need a little serenity: whether that’s a napping baby or a teen who’s had enough of Uncle Bob’s rendition of “The 12 Days of Christmas,” the respite will be appreciated.

Talk to children ahead of time about what they can expect from their visit with their elder. You don’t need to go into deep detail. Simply explain, on the child’s level, that everyone is different. Some grandparents and great-grandparents can play ball, read stories, or play video games, while others require more elder care help. Let them know if it’s okay to climb on a lap or give hugs. Giving kids a head’s up can help them know the best way to interact with their elder.

Sometimes our elders use oxygen or other medical equipment that can frighten or fascinate little children. Explaining this equipment in child-appropriate language (Great-grandma uses that hose to help her breathe easily – Grandpa uses that wheelchair to move around more easily) can help ease any fears. Keep little fingers away from all medical equipment to help your elder enjoy the holiday. There’s nothing more potentially terrifying than knowing a 3-year old is messing with your oxygen supply!

Know and respect your elder’s limitations. A short, enjoyable time spent with the family is much better than long hours that devolve into chaos. Planning, preparation, and realistic expectations are key to stress-free holiday gatherings for everyone! If you’re looking for elder care advice for the holidays, contact us today to speak with our experienced New York area elder care advocates.