The holidays are over, gifts have been opened, Christmas decorations are stored away for another year, and family members have returned home. Many people feel sad once the holiday excitement wears off, but according to Arbor Acres Healthcare Administrator Shonette Pettiford, aging adults can suffer seasonal depression more deeply than others for a variety of reasons, including their physical and mental health status.
“Often, the holidays remind aging seniors of what they have lost, including someone close to them, such as a loved one, including a spouse, sibling, child, or friend; their physical mobility as well as other forms of independence,” says Pettiford. “The inability to eat some of the traditional holiday foods that have been a part of family gatherings for decades can also be a trigger that fosters a sense of loss.
“The sadness or depression may not manifest right away, so it’s not too late to develop a plan,” she adds. “Isolation is sometimes a factor at the beginning of a new year as the arrival of flu season and other viral infections take hold following social gatherings during the holidays.”
Among the most effective ways to help aging loved ones through the post-holiday blues, according to Pettiford, is by anticipating this may happen and being proactive in developing strategies to help mitigate the sadness while remaining realistic.
Here is a list of strategies Pettiford invites families to consider.
- Recognize the signs. Be alert to changes in your loved one’s daily routines and behaviors, such as disinterest in favorite activities, increased irritability, getting too much or too little sleep, eating too much or too little, and having trouble concentrating.
- Allow your loved one to morn. Set aside time for remembering family and friends who have died by sharing stories, saying prayers, putting out a picture, or lighting a candle.Acknowledge their sense of loss and pain.
- Keep your loved one connected. Offer to help schedule regular times for your loved one to stay in touch with family and friends and their home church using video or phone calls, emails, cards, or social media, such as Facebook or YouTube so they can access weekly church services from home if they are unable to attend in person or set up monthly lunches with friends at a local restaurant. If mobility allows, plan a trip to visit family or friends in the coming months.
- Encourage new learning opportunities. Invite your loved one to consider learning or doing something new, perhaps taking art lessons, joining a book club, singing in a community choir, participating in an online class, learning a new game, or developing a meditation practice.
- Identify ways to help. If your loved one has a special talent, skill, or ability, such as knitting, sewing, storytelling, baking, woodworking, music-making or mentoring, encourage them to share their gifts with others, finding a way to give back can raise spirits.
- Stress the importance of spending time outside. Remind your loved one that the winter months are the darkest but that the days continue to get longer following the holidays. Encourage them, with assistance from caregivers, as appropriate, to spend more time outside, weather permitting, even if cloudy—fresh air and natural light can serve as mood enhancers.
- Limit exposure to bad news. Watching or listening to current events on TV, online or radio can create feelings of anxiety. Suggest that your loved one swap out news shows for watching something entertaining instead for a few days. Plan a day around going to the movies.
- Seek additional help. If, after trying to redirect your loved ones’ attention in a more positive direction, seek counseling from a trust professional, such as a clergy member, personal physician, or psychologist.
- Do not hesitate to contact a suicide and crisis lifeline. According to the National Council on Aging, while older adults comprise just 16.8% of the population, they make up approximately 22% of suicides, and they tend to plan suicides more carefully. The National Vital Statistics System shows that, in 2021, among adults aged 55 and older, the highest rates of suicide were for men aged 85 and older. Suicide among aging seniors is a major concern. Causes include isolation and loneliness, loss of a loved one, loss of self-sufficiency, chronic illness and pain, cognitive impairment, and financial troubles. But there is 24/7 help available for seniors and their loved ones. Reach out to one of the following resources if you have a concern about a loved one’s self-harming.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. https://988lifeline.org.
- The Institute on Aging Friendship Line is the only accredited crisis line in the country for people aged 60 years and older and is both a crisis intervention hotline and a warmline (non-urgent calls). https://www.suicidepreventionalliance.org/resources/older-adults/
- Mental Health Hotline offers seniors a safe and confidential way to receive the support they need. https://mentalhealthhotline.org/seniors-and-mental-health/
- National Institute of Mental Health provides Information, brochures, fact sheets, videos and links to federal resources for older adults and mental health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/older-adults-and-mental-health/index.shtml
- National Council on Aging offers information to help seniors with behavioral/mental health issues, economic security, healthy living including falls management, nutrition, chronic disease management. https://www.ncoa.org/