Bradenton home companions help to prevent loneliness, keep traditions alive, and celebrate festive activities with their clients.
‘Tis the season for holiday cheer!
Many of us have wonderful memories we associate with the holidays, and those help fuel our expectations for upcoming celebrations.
Unfortunately, for people who are older or home-bound due to disability, these memories, combined with a dearth of holiday plans, can trigger depression. It’s bad enough to be alone, worse still when you’re constantly reminded of happier times while watching people around you (and on television) joyously practicing their traditions and spending time with loved ones. For these people, the holidays can actually be the worst time of year.
None of us wants to see that, and especially not when it’s our own loved ones who are suffering. If you or someone you know struggles with loneliness this time of year, a Bradenton home companion can be a lifeline. As valuable as companionship is year-round, the holiday season can be when these services do the greatest good.
Combatting Loneliness
For people who have no one coming to see them this time of year, December can seem interminable.
Not only does a home companion offer the kind of social reward others might get from visitors, but companions keep a regular schedule that our clients can look forward to day after day—not just for a select afternoon or weekend. Everyone needs someone to look forward to this time of year.
Help with (And a Reason For) Decorating
Even when you’re alone, decorations can help lift the spirits. Unfortunately, many people won’t (or can’t) put up decorations without someone to share them with.
One fantastic activity that home companions encourage during the holidays is putting up seasonal décor. Imagine the difference it makes when someone wakes up to the smell of a fresh pine wreath or sees a sparkling bauble hanging next to colorful lights. These little touches brighten their day, both literally and figuratively.
Keeping Traditions Alive
Likewise, home-bound adults can lose touch with beloved traditions when there’s no one to share them with. A home companion will actively encourage our clients to share memories and traditional activities like baking, making Christmas crafts, singing carols, or just watching beloved holiday shows and movies.
So much of our responsibility as companions is to encourage our clients to do things. These engaging activities stimulate the brain and sometimes include healthy movement—all while having fun. They’re key for intellectual, emotional, and physical wellness.
Promoting Visions of a Kind World
When you’re down in the dumps, you can start to visualize the world as an uncaring place. Not only does a home companion arrive as someone who cares about you, but we also encourage our clients to see beyond their own homes.
Whether we’re sharing stories about people we know or things we saw, or we’re actually taking our clients out to look at Christmas lights or see holiday events, we can help transform the holidays from a lonely time back into the celebrations they’re supposed to be.
At Grateful Hearts at Home, we’re not just taking care of clients; we’re taking care of our neighbors. That’s because ours is a locally owned, Bradenton-based organization. And we want the people here in our community to feel like they’re still a part of the community—especially during the holiday season.