Filled with lots of love, laughter and special times with family, the holidays are a joyous occasion.  But with holiday shopping, dinners and travels things can sometimes get a little stressful for even the most spirited of individuals.
This is especially true for older loved ones. It’s important that your senior takes steps to avert some of the unnecessary pressure that can sometimes be associated with the holidays. Here are some ways Freedom Home Care found that you can help make this season a more enjoyable one for you and your family.

Plan Ahead

A little bit of planning goes a long way. The list of things to do during the holidays can be long, but sitting down and coming up with a few things to do on a daily basis can help.  Allowing for enough time between rest and travel, shopping online or before the holidays and preparing meals the day before your event are all ways that your loved one can help make the occasion less stressful.

Come up With a Budget

Determine how much you’re able to spend before venturing out. It might be tempting to buy things that are outside of your budget. Try sticking to it. If you find that you can’t afford to purchase a gift consider making it instead.

Choose Activities Wisely

In the spirit of helpfulness, sometimes we have the tendency to over-commit to things. Set boundaries by letting friends and family know what you can and can’t do. Remember not everything will always go as planned, so accounting for the unexpected. From generation to generation, oftentimes traditions that you’re loved one is used to may change. If they seem bothered by this, talk to them and find out how open they are to creating new ones.

Stick to the Regular Routine

Seniors don’t have the same level of energy that most young people do. Because you may not have been able to spend as much quality time during the rest of the year as you wanted, remember that they may have trouble spending long hours shopping, cooking and wrapping gifts. To keep necessary stress at a minimum try to work around your loved one’s schedule – asking them periodically how they’re feeling and know when to call it a night.