Tips to Reduce Loneliness in Elders around the Holidays

It's human to feel that holidays should be happy times, with generations of traditions coming to the forefront. After all, we say we celebrate holidays. Doesn't that mean happiness? The reality, however, is that many people can feel isolated and lonely during this sometimes forced "season of goodwill."  
Elders can have an especially hard time with the holiday season. While aging and maturity can bring the wisdom of years for many people, there are inevitable losses that come to even the most healthy individuals. Many of these losses are emotional and social in nature. Spouses become ill or die. Other aging relatives and friends become seriously ill or die. Neighborhoods change, often leaving even those well enough to remain in their own homes feeling friendless and isolated. The holidays can bring this isolation and a feeling of loneliness to a head.
Read the full article on Agingcare about what you can do to reduce loneliness in elders during the holidays:
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               Related StoriesWill Your Wishes Be Known During End-of-Life Care - or Not?Minding our Elders: Home from the memory unit for Christmas … will it work?The Stages of Alzheimer's and the Caregiver's Role 

Source: Minding Our Elders - December 8, 2017 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs