Senior Care: Is It Time to Scale Down Family Gatherings?
Senior Care: In the past, your parents have hosted large dinners or brunches around the holidays.
They invite aunts and uncles, cousins, family friends, children, and grandchildren. This year, they don’t seem as eager. You’re not sure how to approach them. As your parents get older, they may seem less inclined to want to attend large family gatherings. Is this normal? Should you start scaling down holiday meals and other family events? Having senior care to help can be a great source for your parents and you.
Is There a Reason They’re Less Interested?
Find out what is making your parents less interested in large gatherings. It’s often a sign of changing health or abilities. If a parent has dementia, withdrawal is common. Hearing loss can also lead to social withdrawal. Depression, chronic illnesses, and social anxiety are other reasons they may withdraw.
If there is a health issue leading to the lack of desire in larger gatherings, ask your mom and dad if there is a group size that they’re comfortable with. Make sure you listen to them and do as they prefer.
It could simply be that they don’t have the stamina they used to have. Cleaning, hosting guests, and cooking meals isn’t something they feel capable of doing independently. If it’s that simple, see if they’d like to have you chip in and cook the meals and help with cleaning.
You can also ask them if they’d like you to book a private room in a restaurant or venue and have a family meal catered. That allows them to socialize without putting pressure on others to clean and cook.
It Can Be Safer for Them
Some chronic health conditions require your parents to stay healthy. Cancer and heart disease are examples. If their immune systems are compromised, or they are on medications that lower their immunities, it’s better to scale down the gathering.
They need to avoid getting the flu or a cold from someone who attends. For those who will be spending time with your parents, they must cancel if they feel ill or believe they were exposed to someone with a virus like the common cold, flu, or COVID.
Senior Care: Have a Plan in Place If They Don’t Want to Attend
If they don’t want to attend a gathering, don’t force them to. Don’t make them feel guilty. Instead, go on your own and let your mom and dad stay home. If they’re not able to be home alone, look into respite care services.
Senior care is important for both you and your parents. You need to take breaks for your mental health. It allows you to return refreshed and ready to provide the best possible care. Call a senior home care specialist to schedule caregivers for your parents.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Care in Glenolden, PA, please contact the friendly staff at Suma Home Care. (484) 206-4544
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