5 Tips for Stress-Free Winter Holidays

A five-year-old of our acquaintance once offered this gem of advice to his harried mother during the pre-holiday season: “Why don’t you just sit down and delax for a while.”

That sums up our first tip for having a stress-free holiday. Here are a few more:

• Pick up the phone right now, and schedule yourself for a therapeutic neck and shoulder massage a couple of days before a major holiday gathering. Just knowing that you’ve set aside some “me time” for yourself will give you something personal and pleasant to look forward to at this hectic time of year.
• Lower the bar a little. Do you really have to have all the trim in the bathroom painted before Aunt Lois visits? Is it essential to string lights over every piece of foliage in the yard? Is it absolutely necessary to have hand-lettered place cards at the dinner table? If all the “extras” are keeping you up at night and causing your eyes to glaze over, cross them off the list and take those few extra moments to enjoy the anticipation of the holiday season with family or friends.
• Don’t wait until you’re at the breaking point to yell for help. Plan with your family and delegate early in the season, especially when it comes to decorating, special cleaning chores or preparing meals. And be willing to let go of some of the tasks you’ve always done your way; let others try their creative hand at things and simply enjoy the results.
• Last but not least, make sure you get your sleep in. Instead of feeling that you need to work through the nights to get things done, opt to get to bed at a reasonable time and get up an hour earlier if you must. Having a reasonably good night’s rest goes a long way toward a more optimistic view in the morning.

Post-holiday concerns about an aging loved one? Senior Care Reality Checklist can help.

Holidays bring families together to celebrate the season and enjoy sharing time together.  They also offer opportunities for us to spend lengthier periods of time with aging parents and loved ones — sometimes long enough to observe changes in habits or lifestyle that give rise to concerns about their health or well-being, especially when they live on their own.

The changes can seem slight or innocuous:  a forgotten face, a mismatched outfit, a wrong turn on the way to the grocery store.  Or, they can be more alarming:  physical difficulties, mixed-up meds, or a crumpled fender on the car.  Asking questions may elicit responses ranging from dismissive reassurances to outright anger.   Doubts about self-sufficiency or ability to live alone have the potential to alarm anyone, especially seniors with a strong sense of independence.

What can you do in a situation like this, how can you help?  Are the changes you detect signs of declining physical or mental health?  Does your parent or loved one need assistance with daily living tasks?  How do you know, what do you watch for?

The Senior Care Reality Checklist is designed to help you answer those questions by providing a list of symptoms and conditions to be alert to.  Some of the items on the checklist are automatic red-flags; others are less obvious, more subtle indicators of potential issues.  Reviewed carefully and collectively, the list can serve as tool to help determine if further assessment is needed and as a basis for thoughtful discussion with a loved one, physician or other family members.

“Speaking of Healthcare” is the official blog of Assured Healthcare Staffing. Please LIKE us on Facebook to receive health and wellness tips and more! Article by Kim Washetas, contributing writer and enthusiastic whole health advocate.