June 18, 2017
Celebrating July 4th Holiday with a Senior Loved One
Many people will spend the July 4th weekend having cookouts and participating in a variety of outdoor activities. However, many older adults will spend July 4th alone because the festivities planned by their families and friends are not elderly-friendly. As experienced Michigan elder law attorneys, we understand the importance of keeping seniors active and involved in family functions. Including your older loved ones benefits them and it benefits the rest of the family.
Planning Elderly-Friendly July 4th Celebrations
When you are planning your Independence Day celebrations, you can take steps to ensure the older members of your family and your older friends can participate in your festivities. Below are tips for ways to include seniors in July 4th activities.
- Make sure you have plenty of shady spots for seniors to sit. Arrange for chairs and small tables to be placed in the shade so seniors can enjoy the outdoor activities. However, make sure the shaded sites are very near the rest of the group so that you don’t isolate seniors. You may want to consider purchasing a small portable canopy or gazebo for your event to provide shade for everyone.
- If you are attending festivals or other outdoor gathers, you should take portable chairs with you for your senior family members. Standing can be very tiring for some seniors, so having a portable chair can make an enormous difference.
- Make sure you have plenty of water and snacks with you and encourage elderly members of your group to stay hydrated and have light snacks to balance blood sugar levels.
- Provide a variety of food and drink selections. Some seniors need to avoid certain items because of medications they take each day. For example, grapefruit juice can block some medications and cause them to be less effective. Likewise, too many green leafy vegetables, which are high in Vitamin K, can increase the risk of blood clots because Vitamin K enhances the blood’s ability to clot.
- If you are attending an event, make sure you know where the bathrooms are and take frequent bathroom breaks yourself, so the older members of your group don’t feel self-conscious about frequent bathroom trips.
- If your loved one has dementia or Alzheimer’s have a plan for removing your loved one to another spot that is quieter if he or she becomes anxious or agitated because of the noise or large crowd.
Remember, you need to be understanding as well as accommodating when hosting seniors at your July 4th bash. Many senior adults feel self-conscious that they cannot do everything the “younger” people can do. This is especially true for those who must have extra help to eat or to go to the restroom. Make sure you don’t isolate your elderly guests or make them feel as if you are obligated to spend time with them.
Planning activities that everyone can participate in can go a long way in making everyone feel welcome and included. Consider hosting a bingo event and have small prizes (even gag prizes for laughs) or have a karaoke machine for entertainment and have patriotic sing-a-longs.
Call The Elder Care Firm of Christopher J. Berry, CELA for Elder Care Planning
We wish everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July. Our Michigan estate planning attorneys are here to help you as you plan for your future or help your loved one take care of important elder care matters. If you need assistance preparing a will or a health care directive or you want to explore the benefits of a trust agreement, our team of legal professionals can provide the advice and guidance you need.
For more information, you can call our office at 888-390-4360 or use our online contact form to schedule an appointment with our Michigan estate planning lawyer.