Don’t Forget the Seniors in Your Life this Holiday Season

Your time and attention…that’s what most seniors crave, especially during the holidays.  Yes, you can get them gifts, such as jewelry, clothes, collectibles, or tickets to the upcoming Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard tour.  However, whether the seniors in your life are friends or loved ones, all they really want is some of your valuable time and attention.  It’s really that simple.

Many seniors become depressed, stressed and/or confused during the holidays as their memories of previous holidays come to the fore.  Those seniors who are isolated, alone or in financial need are especially susceptible to feelings of loneliness, sadness and grief.  They simply do not want to feel forgotten, and when you think about it, none of us do, no matter our age.  And no gift makes us feel remembered, valuable and included more than someone devoting time and attention to us.

Of course, it’s difficult to wrap and present your time and attention, but that matters little to most who receive little of either throughout the year.  Your gift of time and attention can be given in stages, beginning with a personalized, hand-written (preferably with large print) holiday greeting card which expresses how much the recipient means to you.  In your message, inform them what you have planned for and with them over the next few weeks…many seniors dislike spur-of-the-moment surprises.  An enclosed recent photo of the family would also help make their day a little brighter.  As for the next steps after a card and/or call, here are a few suggestions…

• Keep them included in your holiday plans, especially get togethers with friends and family. They may not accept all your invitations, but it means a lot that you at least thought about them while making your holiday plans.
• Help decorate their home, whether it be a house, apartment, assisted living space, or whatever. Assist them in putting up and decorating a tree, be it large or small, stringing some lights or placing snowmen (and snow women?) throughout their home.  And while you’re at it, put on some holiday music.
• Take them holiday shopping if they’re able. Getting them out of the house to wander the local mall, gabbing about past holidays and what to get the grandkids can be very therapeutic.
• Drive around looking at holiday lights through the old neighborhood or go explore a new, high-end neighborhood (they usually have the best lights). Again, time spent with family outside their home does wonders for their well-being.  And, once again, don’t forget the holiday music.
• Bake holiday cookies and other treats at your place. Try to remember what they baked when you were young, introduce them to some new recipes or do both.  It’s not like the baked goods won’t get eaten.
• Encourage reminiscing using old photo albums or family movies. My octogenarian parents love when I set up the big screen in the living room and MC a family slide show.  They just don’t realize I’m not using actual slides, but a PowerPoint slide show.  Talk to them and listen about past holiday traditions and stories.  My folks love to reminisce about the time my dad dropped the turkey on the floor taking it out of the oven and then dropped it again when he attempted to pick it up with his bare hands, screaming like a little girl.
• Watch favorite holiday movies together whether it’s a classic like It’s a Wonderful Life, or Miracle on 34^th Street or something more recent like Christmas Vacation, Elf, Home Alone, or Die Hard (yes, Die Hard is a holiday movie AND one of the most popular). Or, heaven forbid, a Hallmark movie.

No matter what you do with the seniors in your life, just remember to spend more time listening than talking.  Simply allowing them to talk while having someone listen can mean the world to them, especially if they are unable to do so most of the time.  Finally, you might want to make them a promise to do more of the same throughout the year.  Just a thought.  Happy holidays!