Make the Most of Your Holiday Visit With Your Loved One

The holiday season is meant to be a relaxing time to enjoy good food and fellowship with friends and relatives. If you don’t get to see your aging parent’s home too often, the holidays present a great opportunity to visit them and see how they are doing with independent living. Take a close look at their living situation to see if any modifications need to be made, check on their overall health, and engage in positive conversations about the future to make the most of your visit.

Look At Their Living Situation

A senior striving for independent living may need some assistance with home modifications. While you’re at your aging parent’s home, evaluate their living situation and make note of what could be improved. Look at everything from cluttered living spaces to slippery bath rugs and how the overall open space is in the home. Feel free to ask them about any observations you make and see if they indicate anything else has been problematic for them. It’s simple enough to go buy new rugs or install a few grab bars while you’re visiting, and it could make a world of difference for their independent living efforts.

Check On Their Emotional, Mental, And Physical Health

Make it a point at least every holiday season to check on your aging parent’s emotional, mental, and physical health. When you do this annually, you can make notes of any changes in their attitude or overall perspective on life and intervene when you believe it is necessary to do so. Sometimes an aging parent simply needs to talk things through with you, even if it’s uncomfortable. And if you notice their actions have changed in recent years or months, it may be time to have a conversation with them to point out your observations and try to find the source.

Speak Positively About The Future

There’s enough negativity in the world today just by reading or watching the news. Speaking about current events is easy to do at holiday gatherings, but focus positively on the future this holiday season. Talk to an aging parent about their future plans, including whether they want to continue independent living as long as they can, whether they want you to take care of them at their home, and what they want to do for the rest of their life. These are conversations people generally don’t have with their aging parent, but chances are they will appreciate the thoughtfulness, and it can get their mind off of other things.

Next Day Access is here to help make home modifications for seniors whenever they need it. Whether you know modifications should be made before the holiday season or if you want to wait until afterward, we are ready to serve you. And if you know your aging parent needs some help around the house, but aren’t sure what would be most beneficial, we would be happy to provide a free home assessment and present various options. Don’t hesitate to contact us at any time to learn more.