EVERYTHING
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Sandwich Generation
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Wondering what to get your parents or grandparents this holiday? Results of a survey by the national eldercare company Home Instead Senior Care may help you to decide. When given the choice of what they’d like to receive for the holidays, 84% said time. To further support that finding, 42% of the surveyed seniors said they didn’t know what their favorite gift was last year. On the other hand, 98.6% of the seniors recalled with whom they spent the holidays last year. The poll, conducted through 500 telephone interviews with individuals 65 and older, also revealed that most seniors, 91%, plan on spending time with their loved ones this season. “I think these results confirm what we’ve always known; that is, time with family and friends is among a senior’s most prized possessions,” says Karen Fera, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving northern Orange County. “It’s important to spend quality moments with the seniors in your life.” For some families, though, the season may be met with a sense of dread. Dad may now, for example, be in a nursing home and mom in poor health, making it difficult to continue traditions. Add in the responsibility of raising children and tending to the demands of a job, and it’s easy to see how some families become overwhelmed especially during the holiday season. Here are a few tips: First, get together with other family members and determine what your parents are able to do and want to do. If your mom is still at home and your dad can return for a few hours during the holiday, you can prepare a family meal. Ask everyone to bring a dish so that one person doesn’t get stuck with all the work. What about decorations? Perhaps you can’t haul out all of the family bobbles. But a few small items, such as a pre-decorated tree or a Menorah, or a poinsettia and candles, for example, can help create a festive mood. Remember to involve young children in the holiday process, which is a great way to share stories about past gatherings and traditions with them. If your dad can’t leave the nursing home, take a small part of the holiday to him with a favorite food dish, decorations and gifts. Buy practical gifts, such as large-print books or a book on tape, and a calendar that includes special occasions and dates you’ll be visiting. To prevent dad from becoming overwhelmed or tired, family members might want to visit in shifts. Most importantly, don’t overextend yourself. An extra pair of hands, whether it be those of a friend, someone from your church family or hired services, can help you and your family make the most of the holidays. Provided by Home Instead Senior Care |
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