What Should Seniors Know About Returning Home After Holiday Visits?
After spending Christmas and New Year with family, returning home requires adjustment. The transition from busy celebration to normal routine, especially returning to an empty home, deserves attention. Understanding this adjustment helps seniors manage it well.
Emotional Adjustment
Returning home after family visits often triggers sadness. The contrast between full houses and empty ones can be stark. Missing family members who returned to their lives is natural and appropriate.
Give yourself time to adjust. The first few days home may feel lonely. This feeling typically lessens as normal routines resume. Allow the transition rather than expecting immediate normalcy.
Stay connected with family after visits end. Scheduled phone or video calls maintain connection. Planning the next visit gives something to anticipate. The visit ending does not mean connection ending.
Physical Recovery
Travel and celebration are physically demanding. Allow recovery time after returning home. Do not immediately resume full activity schedules. Rest as needed.
Catch up on sleep disrupted by travel and celebration. Return to your normal sleep schedule gradually. Adequate rest restores energy and immune function.
Return to normal eating patterns. After holiday indulgence, your body may crave simpler, lighter foods. Listen to these signals. Resume regular meal patterns without dramatic dieting.
Practical Matters
Check your home upon return. After absence, verify heating is working, pipes have not frozen, and everything is in order. Water plants and attend to any issues that developed while away.
Sort through accumulated mail. Pay any bills that arrived during your absence. Handle correspondence requiring response. Getting administrative matters current reduces stress.
Unpack and organize promptly. Living out of suitcases extends the transitional feeling. Putting everything away signals return to normal life.
Restock groceries and household supplies. Your kitchen may be empty after extended absence. Shopping and restocking your home reestablishes your independent routine.
Resuming Routines
Restart medications and health routines immediately. If monitoring was relaxed during visits, resume blood sugar checks, blood pressure monitoring, or other regular practices.
Reconnect with local support systems. Contact neighbors, friends, or service providers to let them know you are back. Resume regular check-ins and social contacts.
Schedule any follow-up medical appointments needed. If health issues arose during travel or were postponed for the holidays, address them promptly now.
When Adjustment Is Difficult
Persistent sadness lasting more than a couple weeks may indicate depression requiring attention. If returning home triggers intense or prolonged distress, seek support.
Use the transition as an opportunity to evaluate your living situation. If returning home feels especially difficult, consider whether changes might help your ongoing wellbeing.
Getting Transition Support
All Seniors Foundation provides support for life transitions including returning from holiday visits. You do not have to navigate adjustment alone. Contact us for connection and resources.
