Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources: Ways to Reduce Caregiver Holiday Stress and Enjoy the Season
By Angelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH
The following excerpt is reprinted with permission from Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources.
It’s surprisingly easy to push caregiver holiday stress aside. Some of us have the idea that the holidays are stressful for everyone, so we have no right to complain.
But, that’s simply not true.
The holidays are harder for caregivers than for many other people, as you have so much on your shoulders. Some caregivers even forgo family holiday activities entirely, as the person they’re supporting can’t participate.
Despite this, humans are resilient. Caregivers even more so. We know how to find out feet again, to get back up and keep going. We’ve learned, too, how to celebrate the good things. How to look for the bright small moments that make all the hard work easier.
So, wherever you are this holiday season, know that you’ve got this. You’re incredible and you’re powerful.
Still… there are always ways to make things easier, right?
In this post, we’re highlighting a selection of approaches that can help to make your holiday experience easier, regardless of what you have planned.
Holiday Activities with Seniors
Working out what to do over the holidays doesn’t need to be stressful. There are plenty of good activities for seniors and families. Many can be done at home or even remotely (with a little tweaking).
Some examples include:
- Baking or cooking meals. There’s something special about preparing food together. Plus, you can choose a simple or complex recipe based on the skill level of all those involved. Don’t be afraid to get the kids in on the action too. They’ll make some amazing memories by cooking with their grandparents.
- Puzzles and board games. These activities might be familiar, but they’re certainly not boring. Why not spice things up a bit and let the kids choose the games? You might end up with some completely unexpected games, ones you’ve never tried before, but that’s half the fun.
- Old movies and shows. What suits the holidays better than some nostalgia? You don’t need to stick to Christmas movies either. Anything the senior remembers with fondness could be on the table. I remember many enjoyable evenings watching old Abbot and Costello movies. What are the favorites in your family? You can also look for senior-friendly modern TV shows.
- Scrapbooking. I love scrapbooking as a hobby. It’s a great way to collate memories and ideas. Plus, it’s an endlessly flexible approach. Each person can focus on the images or styles that they like.
Angelica Herrera VensonAngelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH is a gerontologist born in San Diego and raised on both sides of the U.S-Mexico border. She’s a public health advocate who has spent two decades in community health work and research investigating how immigrant and racial /ethnic minority family caregivers and seniors navigate old age and seek out health and elder care. Today, Angelica supports some of Arizona’s community health centers, which serve primarily Medicaid and underserved communities, in their transition to value-based care.
About Multicultural Guide to Caregiving
Author and gerontologist, Angelica P. Herrera Venson, DrPH, opens up and shares her family’s personal stories and lessons from her field work and research on aging and caregiving with communities of color and first generation Americans.