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.