Wouldn’t it be best to give Mom or Dad one last holiday at home before they move to a senior living community? It’s a question many families ask themselves.
After all, why introduce them to an unfamiliar environment this time of year? Best wait until the New Year. Right?
Well, that may not necessarily be the case. And here’s why.
Why home for the holidays may not be all it’s cracked up to be
Consider this. Spending the holidays at home may not be as joyful as it might once have been for your aging relative.
- If they’re living on their own, they may spend much of their time simply waiting for the big day. And until then may feel very lonely.
- If they’ve lost their spouse recently, the holidays might be especially hard on them. In fact, staying in the family home may actually sharpen feelings of loss if that’s where they spent many of their holidays with their spouse.
- Hosting a family gathering may well be asking too much of them. If they have health issues, it may simply be too stressful or exhausting for them. And if they can’t play host, they may feel like they’re letting the family down.
- If they’re receiving home health care services, it may be difficult to schedule them over the holiday period, meaning they may have to fend for themselves. Similarly, any social programs they may attend in the community will likely be closed, which may lead to cabin fever.
Download our free guide, Just the Facts: A Guide to Memory Care
Why a senior living community can be a good place to spend the holidays
By contrast, if they’re living in a retirement community during the holidays, they won’t be on their own. There will be plenty of people around, plenty of opportunities to socialize. They can take part in festive events laid on by the community without having to venture out into the winter weather. They can enjoy delicious holiday meals without having to prepare them themselves.
And if you want them to come to your place for a holiday celebration, no problem. You can drop in on them, too. The nice thing is that you won’t have to worry about them when you’re not around. You can be confident that their health care needs are being looked after and that they also have a reason to get out of bed each morning.
That’s why moving to senior living before the holidays can make a lot of sense.
To learn more about senior living options, download our free guide.
