Holidays are a time for family and friends of all ages to come together and celebrate.
But, as is the case for many seniors, the option to share in the joy of the season with family and friends isn't always possible, causing them to become withdrawn and depressed.
Rick Kenny, co-owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Springfield, said their caregivers are trained to notice emotional changes in their clients — which occur more often over the holidays.
"Our caregivers try to give them something special, either a basket of goodies or something to help make the holidays more special," he said. "We also have them ask the seniors if there's anything special that they want to do, or somewhere they want to go."
Kenny explained Home Instead Senior Care, a company focused on providing assisted living for seniors in their homes, is an alternative to assisted living facilities.
Noticing if someone is lonely or depressed isn't always the job of a caregiver, he said, adding loved ones and friends should also keep watch for any drastic changes in seniors they know.
"A lot of times there are emotional needs," he said. "With the holidays coming up a lot of times seniors who don't have anyone in the area start withdrawing and start acting different."
Neighbors or close friends assisting a senior should pay attention to signs a senior is lonely or depressed over the holidays by watching for a lack in communication — halting interactions with other people by not answering the phone or door, even when they are home.
Kenny said the key is to be persistent if someone begins shutting people out — to make sure they know that people are there for them, no matter how difficult they make it to communicate.
If a family member cannot make it home for the holidays, find special ways to reach out. Make extra phone calls, sending cards or letters, special care packages or arrange for friends or family in the area to visit during the season.
Other signs to look out for include, loss or gain of weight, difficulty sleeping — causing fatigue or concentration problems, irritability, no energy, sadness, loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy, feelings of worthlessness, difficulty thinking or concentrating, thoughts of suicide or a loss in personal care or hygiene.
For those who may be interested in hiring a private caregiver to watch over a family member over the holidays Home Instead has offices in Northern Virginia that cover Eastern Fairfax County, Prince William County, Arlington County, the cities of Alexandria, east McLean, Falls Church and Reston as well as Montgomery County and northwest Washington, D.C.