The holidays are a time of year when we gather with friends and family, exchanging gifts and enjoying traditions. This year, however, the holidays will look very different for most Americans. COVID-19 cases are still rising, and social distancing is a necessary part of staying safe and healthy. Social distancing is especially important for seniors, who are more vulnerable to serious health issues if they contract the virus.
For seniors who live alone, the holidays during COVID-19 may be a very challenging time.
Social isolation, especially during a typically joyful time of year, can be
detrimental to seniors’ mental and physical health. For the
12 million American seniors who live alone, this year’s holiday season could be a time of unprecedented loneliness.
Fortunately, there are easy ways to help aging loved ones fight loneliness during the holidays.
With social distancing measures, it can be difficult to visit aging loved ones in person. This is especially true if they live in an assisted living facility or nursing home, as these locations often have strict rules and time frames for visitation during COVID-19.
If your senior loved one lives at home alone, you can accommodate social distancing measures while still spending quality holiday time together.
The easiest way to visit during the holidays without putting your aging loved one at risk is through video chatting.
Schedule a few video chats with your loved one during the holiday season to catch up and share holiday stories. You can even send presents and open them together virtually so you don’t miss out on one of the staple events of the holiday season.
Video chatting software like
Zoom and
Skype or apps like
Facetime and
Whatsapp provide video chatting capabilities with just a few clicks on a screen.
If your senior loved one desperately wants in person company during the holidays, there are precautions you can take to reduce your risk of spreading the coronavirus.
Before an in-person holiday visit, you should:
- Get a negative COVID-19 test
- To the best of your ability, try to quarantine for 14 days before your scheduled visit
- Make sure both you and your elderly loved one wear masks for the duration of your visit
- Maintain social distance of at least 6 feet throughout your visit
- Don’t bring additional guests who haven’t been quarantining and haven’t received a negative test to any holiday gatherings with an elderly loved one
Check out the
rest of the CDC’s social distancing guidelines for reducing the spread of COVID-19.
Many older people go days without speaking to another person. This lack of social interaction can be caused by a number of factors, including mobility and health issues, changing social structures, or lack of social resources.
Many seniors also lack the technical know-how for operating a cell phone, computer, or tablet, leaving them with few options for regularly interacting with family and friends. This is especially true for seniors who live at home alone. These factors can lead to extended periods of time with limited or no contact with other people.
If you’re concerned about an older loved one who has been socially isolated for a long period of time, the holidays are the perfect opportunity to start scheduling regular calls.
The holidays bring plenty of topics of conversation--family gatherings, work events and community news, to name a few. Take the opportunity to schedule regular phone calls with your senior loved one, and try to involve other family members in the calls.
Receiving regular communication from multiple people can help your loved one feel connected and may help him or her get used to social interaction again.
If you haven’t seen an elderly loved one in months, you may have concerns about his or her health, personal hygiene, the state of their home and their nutrition.
Without in-person visits or regular video chatting, it can be impossible to gauge if your loved one is safe, happy and healthy. You may feel especially worried during the COVID-19 pandemic, when seniors are so vulnerable to serious health issues from the virus.
In-home caregiving can help ease your concerns this holiday season.
Home care providers can visit your loved one on a regular basis and assist with cooking, light housekeeping and transportation to doctors, errands and the pharmacy. An in-home caregiver can also help your aging loved one to make regular phone calls to family or to use video chatting to contact you. Perhaps most importantly, a caregiver can provide regular companionship and help your loved one avoid isolation and loneliness during the holidays.
First Choice Senior Care takes extensive precautions to protect our clients and our caregivers from COVID-19. Learn more about our
COVID-19 protocols today.
Co-Owner, First Choice Senior Care
Kayla Stephens is the co-owner of First Choice Senior Care. She grew up in Northeast Arkansas, and has worked in rehabilitation, hospice care, managed nursing homes and a large home care agency. She has received several awards for sales and quality achievements in hospice and long-term care.
Kayla believes in advocating for and educating seniors and their families on a variety of topics and issues that impact them. Reflecting on the need for an independent home care provider interested in quality over quantity, she chased her dream of building her own company that would make a significant difference in the lives of seniors, providing a much-needed service in her own local community.
Kayla holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas State University, is licensed by the state of Arkansas as a Long-Term Care Administrator, and is a Certified Senior Adviser.
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