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December 9, 2022

Rock Creek Senior Living Prepares for Possible Holiday Blues

Category: Health & Wellness

Author: Janet Tuttle, Director of Wellness

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!

Holidays can be depressing for those who are feeling lonely. This may be due to losing a loved one recently. Many memories come to the surface during the holiday season. Depression is a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It affects how you feel, think, and behave. Some of those signs and symptoms include physical aches or pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems, isolating oneself, and suicidal thoughts.

To help eliminate the holiday blues we need to be tuned into our resident’s emotional needs.  During the holidays they may need us to take more time to stop and talk to them. We need to look for ways to engage our residents in the life of the community, so that they will feel worth and connectedness.

If a resident starts to isolate themselves, we need to start to find ways to get them involved in events of the community. We need to be in contact with family and friends to make sure they are making regular visits. Look for ways to bring a smile to their face and if they are open to touch give them a hug!

Talk with the resident to determine their previous holiday traditions and try to come up with creative ways to still fulfill that for the individual. If we can find ways to connect as a family within the community, we can make new traditions.

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 Rock Creek Senior Living hope some of these ideas will be helpful as the holidays approach.

Rock Creek Senior Living in Ankeny, IA offers senior villas, 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 Mercy One Medical Center with convenient access to major shopping centers and attractions, including Briarwood Golf, The District Shopping Center, Saylorville Lake Marina, Big Creek State Park, and Ankeny Community Theater.

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