Feeling Ill? Don’t Self Diagnose

Posted on: 29 December 2014

Alzheimer's Disease, cancer, and other ailments don't have to keep an elderly parent from enjoying the holiday season. If Mom or Dad can't do the things that they once did, a senior caretaker can lend a helping hand. A caretaker can assist with your parent with just about any holiday-related task, whether Mom needs a hand perfecting her Hanukkah cookie recipes or Dad wants to display his very own Christmas tree. Here are a few fun things that a parent receiving senior care might want a care provider to do when the holidays roll around.

Christmas Shopping

Your parent might be on a limited income due to physical or mental ailments, but that doesn't mean they can't get into the spirit of giving. A caretaker can transport Mom or Dad to the store or take a list and shop for them. If cognitive issues make it difficult for your parent to shop on a tight budget, the caretaker can help make sure that your loved one doesn't overspend.

Gift Wrapping

Gift wrapping can be difficult, especially for someone with frail bones or arthritis. Instead of tossing everything in tissue-filled gift bags, ask your parent's caretaker if they can help wrap gifts. Mom or Dad will feel a sense of pride as they deliver bow-topped presents carefully wrapped in shiny paper to family members and friends.

Simple Crafts

An individual can only play so many games of Bingo or solitaire before they start to grow bored. Help pass the time by suggesting a few craft ideas to the care provider. Keep things simple and affordable, especially if your parent finds it difficult to follow complex directions or assemble complicated items with multiple pieces. Consider buying a pack of white ornaments so Mom or Dad can paint them, or give them a pack of holiday stickers and let them decorate notebooks, postcards, or small storage compartments.

Home Decor

Holiday decorations help your parent honor their religious beliefs. A caretaker can place items around the home that remind your loved one of the holiday season, such as a menorah on the table or a nutcracker on the end table. Do not ask the care provider to hang lights outside or do anything that may result in a serious injury. 

You don't have to wait for the holiday season to enlist the help of a caretaker. Senior caretakers can tend to your parent's needs all year long, from shoveling snow in January to shopping for sunblock in July. Just let the care provider know what Mom or Dad needs, and they will be happy to get it done. For more information, contact a local senior care company, like ComForcare - Park Ridge.