The holidays are upon us, which means you might be planning to spend time with family and friends. If your parents are in a Senior Living community, visiting them might feel different than normal, especially if it’s their first year away from their previous home. Keep reading to learn about visiting your parents during the holidays while living in a senior care community.
Why is it Important to Spend Time With Your Family During the Holidays?
For many families, the holidays are the only time of year when everyone is gathered together. It’s important to spend time with your family during this season if you don’t see each other often and the entire family places importance on gathering together. Spending the holidays together also allows families to create loving memories.
How Many Times a Year Should You Visit Your Parents
There is no set number of times you should visit your parents every year since many factors can affect the answer. The biggest thing that may affect your ability to visit your parents is how far you live from them. Some children live close to their aging parents and can see them multiple times throughout the week. But other children live farther away and might only be able to visit family a few times a year.
Whatever your case is, making an effort to visit your parents is important for maintaining a strong, loving relationship. So try to do it as often as you can!
3 Things To Do While Visiting Aging Parents Over The Holidays
If you’re visiting your aging parents that are living in a senior care home or senior living community during the holidays, here are some ideas for things you can do during your visit:
- Be present. The best gift you can give your aging parents during your visit is being present and in the moment with them. Put away your phone and focus on the conversation and time you get to spend together.
- Exchange gifts. It isn’t the holiday season without a few gifts! If it’s part of your family tradition, plan on exchanging presents with your parents and the entire family during your visit.
- Bring the holiday spirit! If your parents are unable to come to your family’s Christmas at home, bring the holiday spirit to them! Try to bring things that remind them of your family’s time-honored traditions so Christmas away from home still brings them the sense of family and togetherness.
What To Look For When Visiting Elderly Parents
If you rarely see your parents, visiting them during the holidays also provides an opportunity to check in on them and see how they’re doing. You may not want to ask them outright how they’re doing, so keep an eye out for the following:
- Weight loss
- Existence of social connections
- Mobility problems
- Mood changes
- Conversation skills
- Personal grooming
- Cognitive sharpness
Find the Right Community for Your Aging Parents
If you or your parents are unsatisfied in their current living environment or they just don’t seem to have a high quality of life, know that you have options. All About You Placement is a privately owned Senior Placement service that employs teammates, not contractors. Our team has over 50 years of combined experience in the senior healthcare industry, and we set high standards for our team so that you can get the absolute best experience possible. We work with families to help them find the best type of senior care available to them
Getting started with our team is easy. Simply reach out to us by phone or email today, and we can start the process!