Holiday Visits, Dirty Hands & Auntie’s Overcooked Ham: A Real Guide to Keeping Elderly Loved Ones Safe This Season
The holidays are here — which means love, laughter, and at least one family member who still refuses to wash their hands after sneezing into them.
Now normally, we’d just judge quietly and keep it moving…
But when you’ve got elderly parents, grandparents, or immunocompromised loved ones, flu season hits different.
So let’s talk real-life, down-to-earth safety tips for keeping your seniors safe during holiday gatherings — with a side of humor, because otherwise we might cry.
1. “Don’t Come In Here Sick” Is Not Rude — It’s Love
If someone shows up coughing like an old car with no muffler, it is absolutely okay to turn them around at the door.
This is not the season for:
“It’s just allergies.”
“I took some DayQuil, I’m fine.”
“I only had a fever yesterday.”
No, ma’am. No sir.
This is the season for protecting our elders, because flu, RSV, and COVID hit them harder.
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2. Your Kids Are Cute — They Are Also Germ Factories
Kids will sneeze directly into the air and then reach for Grandma’s face like they’re blessing her.
Bring hand sanitizer.
Use it.
Use it on the kids.
Use it on the adults who act worse than the kids.
PRO-TIP: Seniors LOVE kids. Love them.
If you bring them to a nursing home, please supervise so they don’t touch everything like it’s an obstacle course.
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3. Wipe Down the Table… Especially If Uncle Melvin Is Coming
If your family is anything like mine, someone is going to:
“sample” the food with their fingers
double dip
lick the spoon
cough directly over the ham
Sanitize surfaces.
Serve with utensils.
And please — for the love of all things holy — don’t let nephew Jacobi mix the punch unsupervised.
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4. Keep Their Medications on Schedule, Even If the Family Is Not
The family might be running on “we get there when we get there” time, but seniors need consistency.
Especially with:
heart meds
diabetes meds
blood pressure meds
pain management
Set alarms if you need to.
Be the responsible one.
(This is why you’re the favorite.)
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5. Make Your Seniors Laugh — It Boosts Their Health Too
Look, the holidays can be lonely for elders who’ve lost spouses, mobility, or independence.
You know what helps?
Showing up
Bringing kids
Bringing cookies
Letting them tell the same story they told last year
Making them laugh until their shoulders shake
And yes — bring the cookies.
Especially if they’re the good kind, not the dry ones from the Dollar Tree tin.
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6. Test Before Visiting If You Can
Not everybody has access, and that’s okay.
But if you can test for flu or COVID before visiting grandma — do it.
It’s 30 seconds that could save them a hospitalization.
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7. And Finally… Don’t Forget the Staff
If your loved one lives in a nursing home, assisted living, or receives in-home care —
show love to the caregivers this season.
Trust me:
A box of cookies + a thank you + maybe even a $5 Starbucks gift card?
You just made somebody’s whole week.
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