This Thanksgiving as you spend time with family and loved ones, remember to thank those who give back every day by acting as family caregivers. There are more than 65 million American family members caring for their loved ones. Family caregivers do so much, often asking very little in return. Providing care for a loved one can be an extremely rewarding experience. At the same time, it can be stressful and frustrating when you are suddenly thrust into the position of caregiver without warning. This holiday season is about family, and coming together to “share in the care.”
Dealing with your own expectations and those of your other family members can be tiring and stressful even without the added complexity of holiday traditions and gatherings. Family caregivers have a spectrum of feelings that rise to the surface during holidays, like sadness or anger or disappointment. Families need to rely on each other for support and direction. This Thanksgiving as you look around the table, make it a point to recognize and thank the family caregivers that are helping fellow family members with everyday activities of daily living.
Many spend this holiday with a huge meal with family and friends gathered together, watching football, playing games, and relaxing. Many senior citizens will too spend this holiday alone, as family and close friends may live far away. This is the season to give back, reach out to those in need and help make the lives of others less fortunate a little bit better.
If you’d like to enjoy Thanksgiving by showing thanks, here are a few tips on how to give back.
Soup Kitchen — Every local soup kitchen will be preparing the Thanksgiving Day meal for anyone in need of food. Be a valuable asset with any services you could offer in the kitchen by either cooking, serving or cleaning.
Lend an Ear – Many nursing homes will have patients without family or loved ones nearby over the Thanksgiving holiday. You could offer to sit with a senior to get to know them, hear their stories, read to them or share the Thanksgiving Day meal with them. You’ll make a senior citizen very happy by simply lending a hand or sharing a smile.
Visit a Relative – If you’ve lost touch with a relative you haven’t seen in a long time, think back to happy times and contact them to let them know you’ve been thinking of them and try to schedule a visit.
Help a Friend in Need – Do you have a friend that may have new needs because of unemployment, marital problems, health problems or other situation? Give your friend a call during the Thanksgiving holiday to say hello and reconnect.
As the month of December quickly approaches, it is important to recognize the significance of November. Every year for the last 13 years, November has been publicly recognized by our President as National Family Caregivers Month. For the millions of people in the United States who play the role of caregiver to a family member or loved one, it is a chance to see the spotlight shine on many of the issues and hurdles they face every day. For ten million of these caregivers, it is a powerful synchronicity that November is also Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. This is also an opportunity for all of us, as a nation, to publicly and privately take the time to thank the caregivers in our own lives.
Cypress is a solutions driven company where people matter; we are a company that provides compassionate care in people’s homes. We are thankful for another year that we have been able to promote senior home health in Arizona.
From our family to yours: Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
