December 9, 2022
For many the holiday season is a joyful, happy time built around togetherness, family, and friends, but for some it can be very stressful and filled with overwhelming expectations, depression, and anxiety. The holiday season can be a reminder of those who are not with us anymore, financial limitations, sadness from being separated from loved ones, and the loss of treasured traditions. Celebrating this time of year doesn’t have to be a sad or overwhelming time. It can be a peaceful time of reminiscing, volunteering, spending time with friends, and creating new traditions!
Some common causes of depression during the holiday season are stress due to the busy season, memories of the past, and missing loved ones that have passed or are far away. Signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress we should watch for are someone seeming more withdrawn than usual, behaving erratically, or more irritable.
During this season we can help our residents eliminate holiday blues by encouraging them to stay active, engage in their favorite activities, and reach out to family or friends and encourage them to come to events. When staff recognize residents are lonely or sad, we ask them to spend extra one-on-one time with the residents.
We also encourage our residents to start new traditions with their new friends they have made here in the community.
The holiday season means different things to each of us. The holidays are about family, friends, food, and tradition. For many, the smells, taste, and decorations bring memories flooding back. We at Vitalia Active Adult Community – North Olmsted hope some of these ideas will be helpful as the holidays approach.
VITALIA® Highland Heights in Highland Heights, OH offers independent senior apartments, assisted living, and memory care with a variety of services and a range of floor plan options. Amenities include restaurant dining, 24-hour bistro, concierge service, housekeeping, events and entertainment, personal care, transportation services, and more. Centrally located near Hillcrest Hospital | Cleveland Clinic with convenient access to major shopping centers and attractions, including Stonewater Golf Club, Beachwood Place, North Chagrin Reservation, Euclid Creek Reservation, Lake County Captains, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, and Great Lakes Science Center.
