Elder Care Tips: Stocking Up Now for Stress-Free Holiday Entertaining

Elder Care in Robbinsville NJ

Holidays are all about spending time with the people you love making memories and enjoying cherished traditions, and that means plenty of entertaining. If you are hosting your family and Elder-Care-Robbinsville-NJfriends for the holidays, you must think not just about the main feast for the holiday, but also breakfast for the holiday and meals for the days surrounding the big day. With everything else that you need to do in the context of your elder care routine with your loved ones, however, it can seem overwhelming to also plan all of the preparation you need to enjoy your holiday entertaining.

Stocking up on certain items now can make it easier for you to entertain your loved ones this holiday season without piling on the stress. Doing this together is also a fantastic way for your aging parents to participate in the preparations for the holiday and feel like they are a meaningful part of the holiday experience even if they are no longer able to do everything that they used to do during the celebrations.

 

Use these tips, and share them with your parents’ elderly health care services provider, to stock up now for stress-free holiday entertaining:

• Double your grocery list. Each time you go to the grocery store in the weeks leading up to the holidays, double up on some of the items that you will need when  you are entertaining guests over the holidays. This does not just mean food such as canned goods and baking supplies. Also purchase extras of items such as toilet paper, shampoo, toothpaste, paper towels, and paper plates. Pack these away somewhere and then pull them out when guests arrive so you do not have to worry about last minute trips to the store or feel like you forgot something.

• Freezer meals. Every meal that happens during the holiday season is special because of the loved ones that are together, but that does not mean that you have to spend hours every day preparing these meals. Take one day each week to prepare large freezer meals that you can stash away in your freezer and pull out when your guests arrive. This is particularly useful if you have a large chest freezer where you can store freezer meals for the breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that come in between the holiday feasts.

• Meal kits. Make meals and snacks simpler for your guests by putting together meal kits. While you will not be able to add the fresh ingredients until a day or so before the meals are eaten, you can start with some of the basic ingredients and build off of the kits later. For example, put hard taco shells, a jar of salsa, and taco seasoning in a plastic shoebox and store it in the pantry. Tape a note on the front that notes the fresh ingredients needed, such as meat, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream, and then let your guests choose the meals they prepare while spending time at your home.

 

Get in touch with the elder care agency in your area to find out more about hiring an elderly health care services provider who can help you give your parents the highest quality care possible throughout the holiday season and the rest of the year.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring elder care services in Robbinsville, NJ or the surrounding areas, please call Independence Home Care today at 609-208-1111 for more information.

Teresa Sajkowski RN BSN CHPN

Teresa Sajkowski RN BSN CHPN

Owner of Always Responsive Home Care

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Elder Care in Robbinsville NJ