Holiday Tips for Seniors…Health, Safety and Otherwise

Let’s begin this post with a question: why would seniors need special health and safety tips during the holidays?  It’s a simple two-word answer: schedule disruption.  All of us, but perhaps seniors more so than others, function better when on a schedule.  You know, arise around the same time most days, eat the same foods with slight variations, work the same hours, hit the sack the same time each evening and sleep about the same amount of time each night.

However, the holidays tend to disrupt whatever schedule we’ve established and this can create a few health and safety issues for seniors.

With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you survive the holiday season:

• Pay attention to your diet and nutritional needs…especially if you’re on a restricted diet. If you’re on a low-carb diet, stick to it.  If you’re diabetic, remember to monitor your blood-sugar levels.  Yes, you can indulge, just don’t over-indulge.  Remember to eat your fruits and veggies along with a few cookies, pastries, and helpings of mashed potatoes.  Yeah, I know it’s tough to resist…be strong.
• Pursue the proper liquid refreshments…like water and juices. Again, it’s fine to have a few alcoholic beverages, but as with the previous tip, imbibe, just don’t over-imbibe.  Remember, alcohol is a diuretic.  For reasons I won’t get into, alcohol makes you pee more than usual and that can lead to dehydration, which is a bad thing.  And while it sounds counterintuitive to drink water while consuming alcohol, it will help keep you hydrated.  Oh yeah, and studies have determined that the best way to avoid a hangover is to avoid alcohol.
• Keep exercising…even with all the parties and cold weather. OK, you can take Christmas Day off, but other than that keep your exercise schedule the same.  If you need to move indoors, so be it.  Get on the treadmill or hit the local mall for a few laps or join a yoga class, just keep exercising over the holidays and it’ll make it a whole lot easier to follow that New Year’s resolution in 2019.
• Follow your established sleep schedule…There’s that word again, “schedule.” The key to getting back on schedule in 2019 is to disrupt your end of 2018 schedule as little as possible, and that includes your sleep pattern.  No staying up until 2:00 AM and sleeping in until noon.  You’re not a teenager.
• Beware the hazards of unfamiliar places…like a family or friend’s home that isn’t “senior friendly.” Be careful on stairs or sidewalks that might be icy or on loose throw rugs.  Watch out for children’s discarded toys in hallways and other tripping hazards.  And if you’re handicapped, be doubly careful, especially in the bathroom.
• Don’t go crazy with the decorations…this isn’t a neighborhood contest. But if your neighborhood does have a decorating contest, get your grandson up on that ladder to string lights in the trees and up on the roof.  While you’re at it, get that grandson to shovel your drive and walk if you get snow in your area.
• Get out there…and celebrate the holidays with friends, family, or complete strangers if necessary. The holidays can increase levels of depression, particularly among people who have mobility issues.  As much as you can, take up the invitations to dinners and parties even if you require a little assistance in getting there.  You’ll have a great time.  I promise.

So, what’s the moral of the story?  Stay on your schedule as much as possible, don’t over-indulge and be careful out there.  Happy Holidays!