If you have loved ones who are elderly (and we all do), don’t forget them during the Holiday season this year. While most assisted living facilities do their best to take great care of your loved ones, there really is nothing that could substitute for a visit from you.
The holidays are a lonely time for many people. Make sure it isn’t a lonely time for your loved ones. We know that the travel can be inconvenient, but it means all the world to those who are in assisted living facilities to know that you still think about them regularly and care enough to drop what you’re doing occasionally and stop by for a visit.
Here are some ideas to think about to help make the Holiday season a little brighter for your loved ones in assisted living facilities:
- Stop by for a surprise visit. Even if you aren’t able to stop by on the actual holiday, a visit during the Holiday season is always appreciated.
- Send a card. Better yet, bring one by when you come to visit.
- Call. If you aren’t able to stop by during the holidays, at least call and let your loved ones hear your voice.
- Write a letter. When you’re lonely, sometimes a heartfelt letter means even more than a phone call, if for no other reason than you can pull it out and read it over and over again.
- Decorate their living area. Whether they have a shared room or an apartment to themselves, it’s always nice to have their area decorated. Make sure, of course, that you come back after the holidays and take the decorations back down. It’ll be a great reason to stop by for another visit anyway.
Don’t get us wrong; many people in assisted living facilities can and do get around quite a bit by themselves. And the majority of facilities keep their residents busy with activities. Some facilities even take their residents on regular outings. But, in the end, nothing can replace time spent visiting with those we care about the most: family.