How To Help Your Senior Overcome Holiday Depression

The holidays are supposed to be a wonderful time of year, but for many seniors, it’s a very difficult time.  While people are around them are joyful and happy, seniors often find themselves feeling lonely, unhealthy, isolated and depressed..many of their friends or their spouse has passed away, their families are grown and have often moved away, and they often feel melancholy for days gone by.

If you’re a friend, a neighbor, a son or daughter or other family member of a senior, there are things you can do to help them feel joy and avoid depression…and isn’t that what we all want to do, especially this time of year, bring joy to the lives of the ones we care about.

Signs of Depression…

Being depressed isn’t simply feeling a little blue or nostalgic – watch for these signs of depression in your senior:

• Sleep patterns are disrupted – either having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, and often feelings of fatigue
• Acting anxious and irritable
• No energy or motivation to do anything, even the things they normally love to do
• No interest in eating, causing weight loss
• Not interested in being around people and socializing
• Being fixated on death
• Feeling totally unhappy and hopeless
• Neglecting themselves…not taking medication, not eating, not taking care of personal hygiene.
• Aches and pains that may or may not exist, but are none the less real to them

You can reach out, help them cope and find the joy…

You can make a huge difference in the life of a senior who is struggling with holiday depression:

1. 1. One of the most important things you can do to help is to spend time with them; take the time to sit down and really listen to them. Part of the reason they are feeling so lonely is because they often have no one to talk with, share their feelings and definitely no one that truly listens to whatever is on their mind.
   2. Take the opportunity to invite your aging loved one to your home, on an outing or to a holiday event. You can do such things as driving around to see holiday lights, going to a live nativity or play, going to a church service or a holiday party that includes their loved ones.
   3. Let them know what an important part of your lives and your holiday festivities they are, and emphasize they are not a burden…help them feel included and let them do something to contribute, no matter how small the task.
   4. Ask friends and members of the family to send photographs. These will make your senior continue to feel connected to the people they love.
   5. Decorations don’t need to be elaborate, but could help add just that touch of cheer; be there to help decorate and take down their decorations after the holidays.
   6. If you’re having a family get together, make sure that part of the menu has some traditional foods that will feel familiar to your senior.
   7. Include them in your holiday baking, and when possible, include them in delivering the holiday treats.
   8. Giving the right gift to a senior can be a little challenging, but here are some gift ideas that might just be perfect.
   9. What it all comes down to, is to include them and make them feel part of your family.

We are Certified Senior Move Managers recognized by our National Association of Senior Move Managers, NASSM! We are committed to serving our seniors with a high standard of ethics, best business practices and continuing education to help make whatever transition they are going through a Smooth Transition.

Contact us to learn how we can help you and/or your family cope with a senior downsizing anywhere in the Phoenix East Valley area. We would love to serve you. 480-339-0011