It’s the most wonderful time of the year for big holiday gatherings. For some families, this is the one time of the year that everyone has a chance to get together and enjoy catching up, sharing stories, and creating memories. It’s a time of year that many family members and friends look forward to all year round. While parents of young children often remember that they may have to make special allowances for their children to enjoy the whole day (and for them to be able to do the same), many family members forget that some special allowances may need to be made for their elderly loved one. If he’s used to having a home care provider as his only company and always there to help him eat, clean up, and socialize a large family gathering may be overwhelming, even if he is excited to see everyone.
So, while his home care provider may not attend your large family gathering, there are still steps you can take to help your loved one enjoy his time with the family.
Reduce his visiting time. If it’s an all-day event, that might be a bit overwhelming for your loved one. Instead, ask his home care provider if they can bring him over right before the meal begins or come and pick him up right after the present opening so that he doesn’t become too exhausted from a long day.
Assign someone to help him at all times while the gathering is occurring. Your loved one should have someone by his side ready to help him create a food plate from the large array of foods at the potluck or ready to help him get to the bathroom when the time calls. Don’t assume your sibling will do it because she’s done it every year. Instead, talk to family members before the gathering begins to find out who will watch over him. You might even decide to tag-team the task, and have multiple family members ready to step in.
Include him when possible. While an outdoor game of football may not be possible for him to play, he might like watching it and cheering on his favorite nephew. Look for ways to keep him included but not uncomfortable.
Maintain his dietary needs. If your loved one has specific dietary needs that his home care provider helps him follow at home, don’t make the holiday a complete cheat day because it’s a celebration. It can cause him pain and discomfort and even illness later. Find out if he can enjoy little ‘treats’ but for the most part, make sure food meets his dietary requirements.
Talk to him one-on-one. Large group conversations can be hard to follow for many elderly. Instead, take time to sit and chat one-on-one and ask others to do the same. Your loved one will enjoy catching up with family members in this more intimate type of conversation.
Taking some time to prepare special allowances for your loved one will help him celebrate the season with his loved ones.
If you are considering hiring a Home Care Service that is dedicated to the senior care market, contact 24/7 Coastal Contact today at (251) 260-0226.
Let us show you how and why we are different from any other service you may have tried in the past. Our team approach is the standard that sets us apart from the rest.
Prior to establishing 24/7 Coastal Contact, Ms. King worked for 30 years in the health care industry. Her experience began providing direct patient care. Eventually, she transitioned into home care and home infusion, then acquired her HCS-D certification as a Home Health specialty coder where she learned about the administrative burden facing Home Health and Home Care providers.
It became clear that after-hours customer service was a major toll home care industry and it was with this need in mind that 24/7 Coastal Contact was founded. In the three years since its start, 24/7 Coastal Contact has grown explosively. Now, we provide service to over 40 agencies in over 24 states with a 95% retention of service rate.
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