Everyone experiences some stress during the holidays, but this time of year can be particularly difficult for caregivers. Although the season is meant to be enjoyable, busy schedules combined with an ailing loved one can drain your holiday cheer. Use these tips to maintain a positive spirit throughout the holiday season.
Reflect on upcoming challenges
Before Thanksgiving rolls around, take some time to think about what your major stressors may be over the course of the holidays. Perhaps there are yearly traditions you don’t enjoy or obligations that you may be able to adjust. Maybe you’re always charged with bringing a homemade dessert to Christmas dinner even though you hate baking. Whatever your typical hot-button holiday issues are, figure out how you can minimize your exposure to them, suggested AARP.
Because you’ll be dealing with the complicated and emotional task of being a caregiver on top of everything else, you may have to decline invitations or see if someone can take on a holiday chore that usually belongs to you. Simply explain to your loved ones that being a caregiver is your main priority and you may need to do things a little differently this year.
For caregivers, the holidays can be bittersweet.
Send informative cards
One often unexpected difficulty of being a caregiver is constantly fielding questions about your loved one’s health and overall condition. These inquiries can be especially overwhelming during the holidays, when you may be connecting with friends and family members you don’t see during other times of the year.
To avoid being flooded with questions at parties, write a little note about your loved one’s situation and include it in any holiday cards you may be sending out. The letter doesn’t have to go into detail, but it should be honest, explained the Family Caregiver Alliance. The source mentioned that notes of this nature are often very appreciated by family and friends who live far away and may not be aware of your senior loved one’s situation.
Shake things up
Family holiday traditions can be bittersweet experiences for caregivers. Although they may bring up happy childhood memories, they can also make you sad. This is especially true if your parent isn’t able to participate any longer due to physical or mental issues. Instead of simply going through the motions of old traditions, try starting some new ones this year.
If you found an error, highlight it and press Shift + Enter or click here to inform us.
CHC