While the holidays are filled with fun festivities for most of us, this can be the most depressing of all
seasons for the elderly. Many seniors pine for lost loves one and have families hundreds of miles away.
It’s often a struggle for seniors to decorate, shop, and prepare a meal, especially for those with
health issues who can’t move around with ease.
So, instead of rushing out to the store to buy a meaningless, last-minute gift, some local families are
hiring holiday companions for their elderly loved ones! Visiting Angels, one of the leading in-home
senior care companies in the nation has caregivers who can help seniors beat the holiday blues this
holiday season.
While the nearest service area is in Edgerton, the company notes the following items to watch for.
Senior holiday blues:
Roughly one in four seniors (age 65 or older) suffers from depression. More than 70 percent of older
Americans polled say they feel isolated and lonely. Studies also show holidays trigger half of all
depressive episodes
"The holidays can be tough on seniors because many have lost people they loved. Plus, they aren’t as
mobile to visit friends and family or even decorate or shop," said Larry Meigs, CEO of Visiting
Angels. "Our caregivers socialize with seniors, take them shopping and keep them engaged instead of
sitting at home feeling isolated and depressed. Our caregivers also give families a heads up about their
senior’s state-of-mind, to differentiate between the holiday blues and full blown depression."
How to help seniors beat the holiday blues:
• Help prepare for the season – caregivers can help seniors decorate the tree, wrap presents, shop for
gifts, bake cookies or simply spend time with them at home.
• Encourage seniors to exercise – studies reveal that staying physically active not only makes people
feel good, but it has the same effect on mood and brain chemistry as anti-depressants.
• Keep alcohol use to a minimum – Alcohol is a known depressant. Caregivers can create some other festive
drinks such as eggnog or a flavored hot chocolate to help seniors cheerfully toast the season.
• Create alternative presents other than expensive gifts – Giving certainly can make seniors feel good,
but in times of financial despair, giving gifts can create a lot of stress. Instead, caregivers can help
seniors write and send personalized cards to family and friends.
• Keep seniors connected socially – Volunteer at a soup kitchen (or other organization) with a caregiver
– giving back greatly improves peoples’ moods and increases their sense of self-worth. Caregivers can
also teach seniors how to use computers or cell phones to stay socially connected with family and
friends. They can take seniors to a local coffee shop or to look at holiday lights for some festive
cheer outside the home.
• Listen closely – Sometimes all seniors want is someone to listen to them. Through conversation,
caregivers can help seniors live in the present (instead of dwelling on "the good old days")
and keep their holiday expectations realistic.
Senior holiday blues vs. senior depression:
Senior holiday blues are often temporary and go away when the season ends. The holiday blues are also
associated with the time change – as daylight hours become shorter. If the blues continue after the
season, it could be a warning sign of depression.
Senior depression is often mistaken for other age-related issues. In fact, stress-related events such as
the holidays may trigger half of all depressive episodes, according to the U.C. Davis Department of
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
Common signs of senior depression include:
• Lack of appetite
• Extreme fatigue – excessive sleeping. The body shuts down to escape from the outside world
• Problems concentrating
• Anti-social – may stop doing normal things such as going to church
• Older adults may not express sadness (unlike kids with depression)
• Abuse of drugs or alcohol
• Being angry – sarcastic and criticizes others’ joy of the season