Help a Caregiver You Know
- Offer to help clean and cook, wrap presents, go shopping, pick up the kids.
- If your family is caregiving, suggest a potluck holiday meal or secret Santa gift exchange to save time and money.
- The best gift you could give a caregiver is help. Give them the day off!
- Remember to say “thank you” to a caregiver and let them know they are appreciated!
- If a member of your family is caregiving for a relative this holiday season, send a thank you gift!
Take Care of Yourself When Caregiving
- Make sure you don’t over-extend yourself. Ask for help from family and friends.
- Get lots of sleep, eat well, and take time for yourself.
- Give yourself the gift of relaxation. Treat yourself to something nice, a little quiet time, etc.
Address Family Problems
- Use family gatherings to assess how your parents really are. Are they healthy? Safe?
- Keep an eye out for depression during the holidays, both seasonal and clinical.
- Talk with them! End a family feud. Forgive and forget for the sake of the family and the future.
- Family gatherings are good times to have crucial conversations with your family about your parents.
- Do they have a will? A long-term care plan? Do you know who their doctors are or what medications they’re taking?
- Photograph and interview older family members during the holidays so you have those memories when they’re gone.
- Acknowledge past losses. Honor those who are gone by telling stories, continuing traditions, etc.