There are any number of celebrations throughout the year which may cause stress to seniors especially, and make them uncomfortable. Senior home care professionals are generally aware of the impact that such celebrations have on their charges and will take steps to minimize this discomfort. In Olive Branch and elsewhere around the U.S., celebrations involving seniors can involve large numbers of people or activities which simply make an older person feel overwhelmed or intimidated by what’s happening. Here’s how you can remove much of the stress from such situations, including the holiday season.
Accept the fact that things will go wrong
Whenever a celebration looms on the horizon, it’s only natural that a great deal of expectation is associated with the event or that period of time. This may cause people involved to set an unreasonably high bar which will be very difficult to achieve, and more often than not, will fall far short of expectations. If everyone involved can just accept the fact that there are likely to be mishaps and other problems associated with the event, there won’t be as much stress involved, or any major deflation of expectations when accidents occur. By realizing that imperfection is a part of life and is perfectly normal, we can approach such celebrations with more reasonable expectations and not be disappointed when things go awry.
Keep sight of what matters
There are all kinds of things which could conceivably go wrong whenever some kind of celebration is scheduled for the near future, and if you can avoid focusing on the problems that occur, you’ll be much better off. You should always try to keep in mind those things which matter the most about the celebration and pay much less attention to the little aggravating details which might pop up to interfere. For instance, if you happen to be held up in long lines at a grocery store while shopping for celebration goodies, you should take the time to reflect on the good things about your life and about the upcoming celebration.
When you’re confronted with stressful situations or with obstacles that seemingly impede your progress, ignore the inconvenience and consider instead what you hold dear. If you get really good at this, you can convert a stressful situation into one which can be beneficial. As an example, if you’re tied up in a long shopping line, that might be a perfect time to reach out to someone else in line and enjoy a brief, cheerful conversation.
Be kind and cheerful
Obviously, it will not be possible for you to control or even influence the attitudes of others in the days and weeks prior to an upcoming celebration, and during the actual celebration itself. However, you can certainly control your own attitude, and if you can demonstrate a kind and cheerful demeanor, even while those around you cannot, you can defuse a great deal of stress which might otherwise arise. Keep in mind that there are probably good reasons why other people are in a bad mood or are demonstrating some kind of ill will toward you.
If you can return that poor attitude with one of kindness and good cheer, you may be able to convert that person and bring them around to a better state of mind. When you happen to encounter someone who is exceptionally crabby or unkind, it might be necessary for you to take a deep breath and try to consider their perspective before responding. In a great many cases, taking these few moments of self-restraint can completely defuse a situation that might otherwise develop into something very stressful and unpleasant.
Maintain healthy habits
Amid all the hustle and bustle of preparing for an upcoming celebration, you should make a point of not abandoning the healthy habits you’ve initiated over the past several years. For instance, having plenty of sleep will always help you cope better with stressful situations and stressful people. Eating healthy meals will ensure that your dietary needs are being met and that you won’t be out of sorts because you’re missing something.
Including regular physical activity as part of your daily routine can do wonders for reducing your own stress, and maintaining an even keel as you approach a celebration. It’s also a good idea to avoid excessive alcohol consumption in the days leading up to a celebration and the actual day itself because this can create situations between people that might lead to unpleasantness. Try not to go overboard on any special snacks or foods which are prepared for the celebration, because this can leave you bloated with over-consumption, or it can make you edgy if you take in too much sugar.
Make sure to include some downtime in each of the days leading up to a celebration, so that you can stay in touch with your personal feelings, and not have things creep up on you when visitors arrive. By simply maintaining all the good habits you’ve built up over the past few years, especially around celebration time, you should be able to avoid falling into the trap of becoming stressed yourself, and conveying that stress to others.