What do you wish for most this holiday season? Good health for your loved ones? Financial security? Peace on earth? What if you could eliminate holiday stress for caregivers and simply enjoy the beauty of the season? What a gift that would be!
Caregiving can feel overwhelming any time of year, but the holiday season can send your stress level off the charts. There are ways, however, to ease holiday stress for caregivers and truly take pleasure in the warmth, beauty, and love of the season. Our care experts recommend the following small steps that can make a big difference.
- Intentionally concentrate on the positives. Gratitude is an excellent tool for changing your mood and outlook. Create a simple gratitude journal in which you record what you are most thankful for, and spend some time each day reading through and reflecting on the list, adding to it as new thankful thoughts arise.
- Be open and honest. Forget about putting on a mask to cover up what is really going on in your life. Let close friends and family in on the struggles your loved one is facing and how it is impacting you. Sharing from the heart with those you trust to listen and understand is an extraordinary relief in and of itself.
- Alter traditions. If you have always been the one to host large family holiday gatherings, consider passing the baton to another person. If the thought of hauling out each and every holiday decoration is overwhelming, select several of your favorite items and leave the rest in the attic this year. Find ways to simplify and establish new traditions that place less pressure on you.
- Downsize gifting. Shopping for the perfect gift for everyone on your extended friends and family list can consume quite a lot of your holiday time (and money!). There are lots of fun ways to simplify the process. For instance, have each family member choose a name and purchase a gift for that person only. Then plan a potluck dinner with each person bringing a favorite dish and exchanging gifts.
- Enlist help. Caregiving should never be a solo endeavor. Taking regular breaks for self-care benefits both the person in your care and yourself. Let friends and family know specifically what they can do to assist, and then don’t hesitate to accept that support. Our caregivers are always available to help as well!
How Can Home Care Help?
Our caregivers are alleviating stress for families like yours each and every day – during the holiday season and throughout the year! Our services are highly customized to allow seniors and their family members to choose the tasks they would like help with, while maintaining what they prefer to do themselves.
Contact Superior Senior Home Care at 805-737-4357 for a complimentary consultation to discover how we can partner with you in caring for someone you love in Lompoc, Santa Ynez, Santa Maria, and the surrounding areas. Then take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy every precious moment with those you love!