Tips for a Safe & Merry Holiday Season
The long-awaited holiday season is a time for connecting with family and friends and celebrating traditions. This special time, while a joyous one, can also be eye-opening for families with older adults.
Whether hosting an older adult or visiting one for the holidays, understanding the ways to ensure their safety and comfort will make all the difference in the world and in your celebration.
Click to listen to this episode:
Tune in for insights and resources from Certified Senior Advisor Michelle Graf and Senior Care Advisor and Senior Home Safety Specialist Jena Kloepfel.
About Michelle Graf:
Michelle is a Certified Senior Care Advisor through the Society of Certified Senior Advisors. She helps seniors in the Fox Cities, Oshkosh, New London, Ripon, and the surrounding areas understand their care needs and find the right senior care option.
Prior to becoming a CarePatrol Senior Care Advisor, Michelle spent many years as a business and marketing manager, working closely with employee teams and customers to analyze situations, develop effective solutions and deliver quality business outcomes. When not working with local families, she spends time reading, doing yoga, and supporting her children's education, interests, and activities. She also enjoys facilitating Memory Cafes and volunteering for the Fox Valley Memory Project in support of caregivers and their loved ones living with dementia.
About Jena Kloepfel:
Jena has a background in CBRF care and administration, as well as hospitality. She is passionate about helping families during this challenging time of their lives. In her free time, Jena enjoys spending time with her husband, Chad and their six children. Her hobbies include watching movies, reading, playing board games, and going up north and to Six Flags Great America in the summertime.
Show Notes:
- Tips for older adults and caregivers to start the conversation with family and friends if care needs have changed for their holiday visit (e.g., significant weight loss or gain, wheelchair or relying heavily on a walker, incontinence, inability to do things for themselves, like eat or use the restroom, unpredictable behavior or memory and cognitive problems caused by Alzheimer’s or dementia)
- Steps individuals can take to prepare the home for older adults who will be visiting during the holidays (e.g., safety tips, fall prevention)
- Tips for supporting the mobility and independence of an older adult visiting home for the holidays
- Considerations to keep in mind when hosting older adults who may have care needs? (e.g., emergency contact/doctor info/medicine info)
- Steps to take if one identifies that the current living environment is not meeting the care needs of the older adult
- Ways to keep older adults engaged in family activities in a safe yet fun manner (e.g., meal planning/prep, family photos, traditions)
- Steps on starting the conversation about the next steps of care with an elderly loved one (e.g., one sibling takes care of the older adult, and other siblings realize more support is needed)
- Top 5 helpful tips to keep the holidays merry, safe and bright for older adults
Episode Resources:
- 20 Signs that Your Loved One May Need More Help
- Depression in Older Adults
- Reducing Fall Risks - Tips for Your Loved Ones
- Reactions to Caregiving
- Tip Sheet: Home Safety Tips For Older Adults – Healthy Aging
- Aging in Place: Tips on Making Home Safe and Accessible – National Institute on Aging
- How to Make a Home Safe for Aging Parents – AARP
- How to Prevent Falls with Home Safety Modifications – National Council on Aging
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