Caring at Christmas: 6 Ways to Ensure Your Elderly Loved Ones Are Safe and Happy
Home Instead Bristol East offers personalised home care this Christmas. Signs your elderly relative may need support to stay safe and happy at home.
Christmas is a time to gather with family, share traditions and enjoy the festive spirit. It’s also the perfect opportunity to check in on elderly relatives, ensuring they’re coping well at home and feeling secure.
Older adults can face winter challenges, from increased health concerns to feelings of loneliness, and they can also become targets for scams more often at this time of year. By knowing the signs and taking simple actions, you can help ensure their well-being.
Here are six signs to watch for and ways to provide support this Christmas:
1. Household Chores Falling Behind
Is the home less tidy than usual? Are routine tasks like laundry or taking out the bins being left undone? Difficulty keeping up with chores might indicate that they’re struggling with daily responsibilities.
How to Help:
Offer to assist with small tasks like tidying or running errands together. Regular housekeeping support can make their home safer and more comfortable.
2. Changes in Personal Appearance
Have you noticed shifts in grooming routines, such as unwashed clothes or neglected hygiene? These could be signs of difficulty managing personal care.
How to Help:
Gently raise the topic with kindness and understanding. A helping hand with personal care support might help them feel more confident and comfortable.
3. Vulnerability to Scams
Fraudsters often target older adults during the holiday season with fake charities, unsolicited calls, or online scams. Look out for unusual transactions, frequent cold calls, or unfamiliar letters.
How to Help:
Discuss common scams and help them set up protections like call blockers or spam filters. Home Instead Bristol East also provides scam awareness information to educate families and protect older adults in our community.
4. Missed Appointments or Medication Confusion
Is your loved one forgetting appointments or struggling with their medication? These could indicate difficulties with organisation or memory or even the development of a more complex condition like dementia.
How to Help:
Set up reminders or a visible calendar to help them stay on track. For more complex routines, it might be time to have regular support to ensure medications are taken as prescribed.
5. Mood Changes or Social Withdrawal
Feelings of loneliness or changes in mood, such as irritability or sadness, might become more noticeable during the festive season, especially for those living alone.
How to Help:
Encourage activities they enjoy, such as visiting a local market or displaying the festive lights. Companionship can help combat isolation and bring joy, and we encourage connection with local community events around Christmas.
At Home Instead Bristol East, we organise ‘Film Thursdays’ for local residents to get together for entertainment and refreshments.
6. Poorly Stocked Cupboards
An empty fridge or expired items might signal struggles with grocery shopping or meal preparation.
How to Help:
Offer to cook or shop together, turning it into a fun activity. Regular meal preparation support can ensure they have healthy, fresh food readily available.
How Home Instead Bristol East Can Help
If you need some extra help as a family, Home Instead Bristol East has care options to suit you. We offer tailored home care services to meet the unique needs of your loved ones and all our Care Professionals are matched carefully, considering similar interests and hobbies.
We can help with:
- Companionship care to reduce loneliness and bring joy to everyday life.
- Daily support, including light housekeeping and meal preparation.
- Medication management for peace of mind.
- Scam prevention education to keep them protected.
With our person-centred approach, we make sure every visit is meaningful and brightens our clients’ day.
Get in Touch
If you’ve noticed signs that a loved one might need extra support this Christmas, we’re here to help. Contact us on 0117 374 2400, visit our office, or enquire online to learn more about how we can provide the care and companionship they deserve.
Let’s make this Christmas a safe, joyful, and comforting time for everyone.
From all of us at Home Instead Bristol East, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!