The 2020 holiday season is upon us, which means that families are having to make tough decisions on how to best keep their senior loved ones safe while still commemorating this joyous time of year. While the Center of Disease Control and Prevention continues to provide guidance on how to safely celebrate, depression and feelings of social isolation are common this time of year – particularly for seniors who cannot see their loved ones in person. 

Those who can’t celebrate in person should actively plan on ways to connect so everyone feels positive and uplifted during the season. Finding moments of joy and positivity every day gives us both connection and purpose in the midst of dealing with difficult times and conditions. In fact, research conducted by Comfort Keepers, a leading provider of senior in-home and respite care, found that almost half (48%) of seniors surveyed say family time is what they miss the most due to COVID. The survey also found that 90% of respondents agree that the world needs more joy, and 91% said it is important for them to stay in touch with friends and family during the pandemic.

Creating memories and sharing moments with the people we love help make the holiday season so special. With a few adjustments, families can still celebrate the holidays in meaningful ways that help keep everyone safe and healthy while bringing much needed joy.

The team at Comfort Keepers wants to share our top tips to bring joy safely to seniors this year:

Phone or Video Calls: Don’t underestimate the joy that a daily or weekly phone or video call can bring to both seniors and those that care for them. Spend time during the holidays to talk about past celebrations, family updates and everyone’s wellbeing. Get silly, sing holiday songs together, and remember to find reasons to laugh together.

Season’s Greetings: Nothing beats a surprise note in the mailbox. Take pen to paper with a handwritten message or type and print a longer letter to share a personal update, favorite memory, or story. As a special bonus, add a few printed pictures in the envelope to brighten someone’s day.

Holiday Movie Magic: Plan a time to virtually connect and watch a holiday movie together. A video meeting app can work best for this activity as it allows for easy interaction as you watch your flick, plus you can see each other's reactions throughout the movie.

Name that Holiday Tune: Music is a special part of the season. Make a playlist of your loved one’s favorite music in whatever is most easily accessible (digital or on a CD). Sing songs together and have fun!

Grandkid Joy: For grandparents, grandkids are their pride and joy. Invite your kids of all ages to participate in activities, including singing contests, gift opening, book reading, holiday crafts and more.

Baking Buddies: Break out the holiday cookie recipes and find ways to bake together simultaneously. Get all the ingredients ready and then set a time to meet online virtually to start measuring, mixing, blending – and of course eating!

Social Distant Visits: There are many ways to share the holiday love safely this season such as Christmas carols, sidewalk chalk, holiday decorations and drive-by holiday parades.

Even though this holiday season is far from traditional, there are simple ways to shake up the routine and bring connection, purpose, hope and joy to seniors and their families for this year and next.

About Comfort Keepers

Comfort Keepers is a leading, award-winning  provider of in-home caregiving, offering customized services to meet the unique needs of seniors or other adults in need of assistance. Their network of dedicated and trained caregivers strive to elevate the human spirit every day and help make their clients’ lives brighter, safer and more enjoyable – all from the comfort of their own home. For more information, visit Comfort Keepers.com.

About Kristina Butler, Founder of Comfort Keepers

Kristina Butler founded Comfort Keepers in 1998. As a registered nurse working in home health, she discovered the need for someone to assist her patients with their non-medical home care needs.

The name Comfort Keepers came from Kristina’s vision of the kind of business she wanted to build. From the beginning, her goal was to keep clients comfortably at home, and provide the uplifting care that would help seniors physical and mental wellbeing.

Kristina has been a franchise owner, founder and leader in the business since she started providing home care over twenty years ago.  As the company has grown, Comfort Keepers continues to be committed to recruiting the best talent, cultivating a compassionate culture, and identifying ways to leverage new technology to improve our clients’ lives.