We at Basic American Comfort.com would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and hope you can share this day with your loved ones. An article from The Villas at Gulf Breeze, an Assisted Living Community in Florida, remind us to include seniors as much as others, especially since they often face the ‘holiday blues’. We will be back with important news from the long-term care industry on Monday December 1st.

From the article by The Villas at Gulf Breeze:

For most of us, the holidays are a time for happiness and celebration. We enjoy getting together with loved ones, going to parties, shopping and just enjoying the holiday season.

But for many seniors, it is a time of sadness and isolation.

Many seniors, whether they live at home or in an assisted living facility, are suspect to the “Holiday Blues.” This time of year brings back memories of happier times. They struggle with the loss of loved ones as they grow older and worry about not being as mobile as they once were. Many are suffering from poor health. They begin to feel guilty for feeling sad, which perpetuates into more sadness and depression.

Some common indications of depression can include: feeling down or “blue,” change of appetite, anxiety, withdrawal, crying spells, loss of interest in activities, weight loss or selfmedicating with food or alcohol. While many of these symptoms are similar to those experienced by someone who is clinically depressed, they are temporary. If the “holiday blues” persists for more than a few weeks or if the person becomes incapacitated, professional help is advised.

There are strategies that can be utilized in assisting seniors cope with feelings of sadness during the holidays:

Avoid isolation. If a person can’t join you, go to them.

Involve them with activities such as volunteering. Giving back to others provides a great sense of pleasure and self worth.

Try to avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant and brings about feeling of sadness.

Set budgets. Many seniors are on a fixed income and overspending will cause stress when the bills come in.

Share your feelings of sadness with others. Sometimes just opening up to another person can help alleviate the feeling of sadness.

For more, click to go to the Gulf Breeze News website.