Almost 30% of older adults live alone, and many of those people feel lonely and isolated. Is your dad among them? If he ever talks about wishing people could stop by more often, make sure you celebrate August’s National Senior Citizens Day by taking time to do something fun with your dad. A family dinner is one of the best ways to do this since the celebratory day falls during the week.

Plan With Your Dad’s Input

Rather than surprise him and just have a bunch of people show up, give your dad a bit of notice. Ask him how many people he’d want to join him, what he wants for dinner, and if there is anything you can bring him. He may appreciate having his groceries restocked.

See Who’s Available

Who is available to help spend time with your dad? You may have siblings that can’t make it as they live in another state, but your cousins are nearby. Your dad enjoys seeing them, so they’d be a good choice to join your gathering. He may also enjoy having his brothers and sisters or favorite neighbors attend the meal.

You May Need to Choose a Different Day

If it’s hard for others to gather during the week, consider moving it to the weekend. With a weekend gathering, there’s less rush to eat and get home. You can make it a day out at the beach, area park, zoo, garden, etc., and pack a picnic. You might prefer to book a private room at your dad’s favorite restaurant.

Consider His Diet

When people bring dishes for your dad’s dinner, make sure you’re meeting his dietary requirements. If he’s supposed to be increasing his fiber intake, aim for salads that contain whole grains. Cook some pearled barley, chill it, and add a citrus vinaigrette, diced peaches, red peppers, and red onion.

If he’s lacking protein, homemade baked beans are full of protein and fiber. They’re also easy to make in a slow cooker and leftovers can be frozen in single-serving containers and left with your dad to eat throughout the month.

When planning a meal, have some people bring salads or sides, some bring entrees, and some bring desserts. Try to make desserts that don’t rely on added sugar and instead use fresh fruit or dried dates to sweeten the dessert item. A fruit platter with dark chocolate dipping sauce is a healthier option and easy to create.

Is it time to address the benefits of home care assistance? Instead of being alone all day, your dad can have a caregiver with him to help with chores, transportation, and socialization. Your dad doesn’t have to be lonely or feel isolated when he could have home care assistance services like companionship visits.

Sources:
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/health/elderly-loneliness-statistics.html#

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care assistance in Dallas, TX, please contact the caring staff at Clear Path Home Care today. Call (817) 631-7710.

Clear Path Home Care provides compassionate, high quality home care in Parker County, Tarrant County, Johnson County, Hood County, Somervell County, Erath County, Bosque County and Hamilton County in Texas.

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Clear Path Home Care Staff

Staff at Clear Path Home Care

Clear Path Home Care offers a unique Total Care Management system to optimize each client’s happiness and wellbeing utilizing our carefully vetted Senior Advisory team. We provide coordination between families and all aspects of elder care needs, which may include Home Health, Hospice, Physicians, Hospitals, Skilled Nursing Facilities, or Assisted Living Facilities. Personal care consists of help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, and transferring.

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