Holidays in a nursing home can be a tremendous mix of emotions. For some it is very easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of the season. The decorations start being hung up, the Christmas music starts playing on the overhead speaker. The Activity calendar begins to be filled to the max with nearby churches wanting to do something special for the residents.
With all the excitement…..work has to still get done
One of the biggest challenges for the Therapy team is working therapy time around all the things that come with the holidays: family visits, activities, outings with family members. Even though it is exciting to see family that you have not seen, unfortunately work has to get done. In order to be successful with Rehab, Therapy sessions must be completed. It can be very challenging with scheduling sessions when families more frequently visit around the holidays and sometimes residents and families have to be willing to wait and allow us to finish our jobs so their loved one can get better as fast and efficiently as possible.
Most Short-Term Rehab Residents did not plan this
Unfortunately, in most cases a short-term Rehab resident did not plan to be here. At Holiday time this can be even more of a stressful situation. For these residents there is the distinct possibility that they will not be having their normal Holiday experience. This can be even more intense as more activities that long term residents are used to enjoying. As therapists we need to be even more empathetic to this situation to help them push through and achieve their goals.
Increased Family Visits Can be a mix of emotions
For some residents unfortunately some increased traffic of family can bring up a mix of emotions. Some residents have no family left or have not visited for years. Other residents only see family at the Holidays and can bring of different emotions in them depending on the situation. Many get reminded of loved ones lost.
What have I learned from this?
I have learned over the years the more I have made a connection with my resident and get to know some family dynamics it is easier for me to be more prepared if I notice a change in the mood of my resident. By establishing a good connection, it makes it much easier to share and assist in the experiences they have. You can more easily support or encourage if you know some background. Sometimes even just directly focusing on therapy sessions can ease their minds and help them to not dwell on anything for a little while. We need to be as positive as possible for them and remember to try and enjoy the moments.
