Dealing with Social Isolation During the Holiday Season

The holiday season can be exciting and a highlight of the year, but it can also be challenging and lonely for many seniors and caregivers. 43% of seniors report feeling lonely on a regular basis throughout the year, and those numbers can increase during the holiday season. Life circumstances and stresses, health issues, and the deaths of friends and family members can all make the holiday season hard. Social isolation can compound things like these and make enjoying December even more difficult. How can you help your loved one cope with social isolation this holiday season?

Easing Social Isolation During the Holiday Season

1. Make an effort to regularly communicate with your senior loved one. Even if you can’t see each other in person during the holidays, phone calls and video calls are great ways to stay in touch. You can also encourage other family members to call in, send cards or write letters.
2. If your loved one has a hobby or special interest, you should encourage them to pick it up again this holiday season. There are many in-person and virtual classes for crafts and hobbies that can connect them with like-minded people and encourage their personal pursuits.
3. Visit your loved one at their home or virtually to get them in the holiday spirit. Sometimes when we are lonely it can be hard to embrace the joy and fun of the holiday season. Put on some holiday music, bake cookies together, take a drive to see lights in your neighborhood, or visit a holiday event in your town as a family.
4. Encourage your senior loved one to talk with you or a professional about how they are feeling. Seniors are more likely to suffer with depression and other mental health issues in silence and not reach out to a therapist or family member.
5. Finally, giving back to others is a great way to reduce social isolation and help anyone find a greater sense of purpose and meaning in the holiday season. Volunteering, baking cookies for the local firehouse, or even donating a toy to Toys for Tots can all help your loved one feel more connected to the world around them. 

Experience the Joy of the Holiday Season with Senior Care Lifestyles

Senior Care Lifestyles specializes in connecting seniors with the right in-home care, assisted living, or senior living community to meet their needs. We have helped hundreds of clients and treat each senior as a valued member of our own family deserving our personalized attention, compassion and respect.

For help, or questions please call us at 410-977-3718 or send a message through our website www.seniorcarelifestyles.com.