Creative Ways Caregivers Can Celebrate the Holidays
Creative Ways Caregivers Can Celebrate the Holidays Take on Today
I have been a family caregiver pretty much my entire adult life. I started in my twenties, caring for my grandparents from a distance from Ohio to Indiana and my grandmother had Alzheimer's so it was many years of increasing services and supports for her and my grandfather. And my parents have moved from Ohio to Arizona so they were really long distance and my mom had a stroke when she was only 63. My dad was kind of really caring for both his parents and my mom and so my sisters and I did a lot of supportive care that way. Eventually over the years, my dad developed Alzheimer's disease and so about 11 years ago, I moved from Washington DC. I quit my full time job and I went out to take care of them and became an independent consultant and thankfully have continued to work with AARP in that capacity and did care for them.
Amy Goyer:
They lived in a senior community for three years and then they moved back in the house with me and my mom passed away a year later but my dad lived with me for six years and his Alzheimer's progressed. He passed away just two years ago when he was 94. And now I'm caring in a different way for my sister, my older sister, who's had a chronic infection for the past year and unfortunately she's having a really rough time and I left Arizona to come back to DC and be with my boyfriend. Now I'm long distance caregiving again.
Mike Ellison:
Wow. I'm really sorry the challenges that you've faced. And we found through a lot of our interviews and talking to a lot of Americans, there are far more caregivers than people would realize. What are some of the challenges you face when you're in position? In terms of providing great care, being compassionate, at the same time feeling that you have to have some joy in your own life, not feeling guilty. This balancing act right between guilt and accountability and finding a space to enjoy your own life. How do you balance that?
Amy Goyer:
Yeah, that's really, you put it well, actually. It's really hard a thing to juggle and we want to take care of our loved ones that often we see ourselves going downhill because we're not taking care of ourselves in the same way. We're trying to take care of them. And we also, caregiving doesn't happen in a vacuum. We have the rest of our lives going on. We have relationships, like I said, I left my boyfriend and he lived in Baltimore and I went across the country to care for my parents and trying to keep that relationship going is difficult. And there's always choices to make. Now I've made a choice to be with him and not with my sister. That's really hard. But we have to pay attention to ourselves and watch for the signs of our own mental health declining, of our own physical health declining and pay attention to those red flags that come up if we're headed into burnout or if we are really going to get sick or our finances are suffering, our other relationships are suffering.
Amy Goyer:
I have this philosophy where I compare myself to a car and that's what got me through my most intensive years of caregiving. I just fill my tank. I can't run on empty any more than my car could. I find things that, hopefully healthy things, sometimes chocolate, but other things to fill me up and give me joy, because joy is really our greatest survival skill as caregivers.
Mike Ellison:
Well, you could do a lot worse than chocolate.
Amy Goyer:
Yes, definitely.
Mike Ellison:
Let me ask you this, Amy, according to the latest AARP survey, what are some of the challenges that caregivers are facing this holiday season in particular?
Amy Goyer:
Yeah, caregivers are feeling extra pressures. It's hard enough for all of us to try and do the holidays this year because it's so different, but they have the extra pressure of trying to make it good for their loved ones. And so as caregivers, we're really striving to make it perfect for everyone and that's a lot of pressure. Caregivers are looking at, okay, how do we adapt our holiday traditions? Many caregivers are still planning to spend time with loved ones, but they may do it virtually. They may be looking at wearing masks and avoiding physical contact. 40% say they're going to limit the size of those gatherings so that they can have a smaller number of family members together. We did that for Thanksgiving, with my boyfriend's mom. Just trying to keep everyone safe is tricky. But I think the nice thing is that we do have technology now, Mike. We can find new ways to connect and can keep the holiday season going, but just adapt it.
Mike Ellison:
What are some creative and safe ways to celebrate this holiday season?
Amy Goyer:
Well, the first thing I tell people is try to avoid that all or nothing type of thinking. It's not either we cancel the holidays or we do it the way we always have. There's in between and that adapting thing. What we need to do is really focus on what's most meaningful. Talk with your loved ones that you're caring for and find out what are the things that really make it feel like holidays for them. If it is family gatherings, then find a way to do it via technology. And I'm telling you, it's amazing how families are gathering. You can do all sorts of activities. You can do the baking online together because you bake in your home, they bake in their home.
Amy Goyer:
I watch holiday movies with my sisters online and we actually call each other on video chat and then we cue up the movie on our individual TVs across the country and hit play at the same time. And then we mute our phones and we can talk to each other and unmute and say, "Oh, that was so funny," or, "we love that," or cry or whatever it is we do with the holiday movies.
Amy Goyer:
Figure out, meals for example, are a big part of holidays, every holiday and find out how your loved ones are going to be dealing with that. If your loved ones maybe live in a facility, is the facility going to have a special meal for them? Are you allowed to send something special that they could have, even if you're not allowed to go and visit? For example, my grandmother made these plum pudding bars and that's just a big thing for our holiday. I might make those and send them to someone who's in a facility or anything that's special to them. If your loved one's in their own home, you can deliver a meal or have a meal delivered to them. I know a caregiver who she ordered the same meal for family members around the country, including a cake and sent it out so that everybody had the same meal and they were in five or six different cities. And everybody got on video and ate the same meal together. And I thought that was so creative. And it's an ingenious way to have that connection because it's all about shared experiences.
Mike Ellison:
Yeah. One of the creative things that you just introduced to me and perhaps our listeners is plum pudding. I've never heard of plum pudding bars. I'll have to look into that one. Where can people, and not just caregivers, but people in general, but especially caregivers, where can they go for more information and help this holiday season?
Amy Goyer:
Well, I have a new column out for caregivers with ideas, seven ways to adapt your holidays and find meaningful ways to connect during the holidays and create meaning and joy. And that's at aarp.org/caregiving, along with all sorts of resources and tools and tips and videos that are helpful for family caregivers dealing with the holiday season and dealing with caregiving through the pandemic. We also, I mentioned earlier, Mike, we all need to be keeping track of our own mental health. This is something that AARP has put a lot of effort into supporting family caregivers and everyone who's going through the pandemic. They can go to aarp.org/mentalhealth and get some great resources, some tips, tools. How do you know when you're having a panic attack? How do you deal with anxiety and depression? And there's great resources there.
Mike Ellison:
Sure. Sure. You've mentioned a little bit of it, I love the car analogy, by the way. You can't go anywhere on an empty tank. What can caregivers do to take care of themselves during the holidays? Because under normal circumstances, the holidays can be challenging for a lot of us. Now we've got our own anxiety surrounding the pandemic and then we've got relatives and people and loved ones that we're caring for. What can caregivers do to take care of themselves?
Amy Goyer:
I think, go back to that what is meaningful to you? For some people, the joy of the holidays, they look forward to it all year round. And even if you're in the throes of caregiving, that still can be very important to you. Drill down to what's most meaningful to you. If having those decorations out just really gives you a lift, go for it. I know a lot of caregivers who put their decorations out early because they needed that. They needed that joy. They needed something to brighten and give them a spark. Think of holiday activities that are really crucial to you, but also pay attention to those basics. And with my car analogy, I call this routine maintenance.
Amy Goyer:
Sleep, we have to get enough and good quality sleep. No one can cope mentally, emotionally, physically, if we're exhausted. And that is probably one of the hardest things to do when you're caregiving, because you're juggling so much. Put some extra effort into sleep. Maybe get a aromatherapy diffuser or listen to an app that has a meditation and helps you go to sleep. That's what I started doing about seven years ago. And it really has made a huge difference for me.
Amy Goyer:
Focus on sleep, eating right, getting good nutrition. If you have doctor's appointments, remember that there's telehealth is available and you don't always have to go in person and keep up with those appointments for yourself. But also stay connected. Especially during the holiday season, people can get really isolated and the pandemic has made that even harder, much more isolation. We really recommend that caregivers connect with other caregivers who get it, who are living through similar situations. We have created a Facebook group, it's called the AARP Family Caregivers Discussion Group on Facebook. And we have almost 5,000 members in the group. It is very active. People post almost 24/7 and you can vent, you can complain, you can share your joys and your triumphs and get lots and lots of support. A lot of practical things too. I think this is one of the best coping mechanisms for caregivers is to reach out and connect with others.
Mike Ellison:
Yeah. I think that's a really important point that you touched on, reaching out because so often, the caregivers that I know, here they give of themselves and yet they're reluctant to reach out to others and say, "I need help," or, "I need a boost," or, "I need a word." And before I go to our last question, I want to ask you, is there a message that you would give to non-caregivers? Meaning, hey, we all know the friends and family we have who are constantly giving of themselves. And sometimes we can take that for granted because they do it so effortlessly. What would you say to non-caregivers in terms of just being mindful of that person who's taking care of a loved one or a friend? Mindful of that person who's always extending themselves to the community. What could non caregivers do to help caregivers?
Amy Goyer:
First of all, just check in on them. Actually really acknowledging what they are doing. Many caregivers feel invisible. They feel that people don't really understand what they're going through or know what they're doing. Just say, "Hey, I see you. I know what you're doing. What you're doing is important. It's making a big difference in somebody's life and I applaud you for that." And give them that recognition and then ask how you can support and if possible, make actual suggestions. Sometimes when you ask a caregiver, "How can I help?" They're so overwhelmed, they can't come up with any ideas. It's better if you say, "Okay, I'd like to bring you a meal, I'm going to drop it off on your front porch Tuesday evening at 5:00 PM." Try and get specific and say, "Is that okay?"
Mike Ellison:
Being proactive.
Amy Goyer:
Yeah. Yeah. And give real suggestions. Or could I do some shopping for you? Could I come and put up your outdoor Christmas lights because I know that's important to you and I know you don't have time. Really come up with specific things and send them a card and just say, "I appreciate you." My best friend when I was really deep in caregiving intensively for both my parents and my older sister, my best friend sent me a card and it had this wonderful drawing on it and it said, "She who never gives up." And I still have that card on my desk because that was just what I needed to hear at that moment.
Mike Ellison:
That's fantastic. Well, if there's one piece of advice that you could leave caregivers with going into 2021, what would that be?
Amy Goyer:
Remember that adaptability is probably your greatest skill as a caregiver and know that there are going to be so many things that we can't control in a caregiving situation. And I always think, the waves will come along and they knock us down. There's a crisis, someone ends up in the hospital, someone's ill, there's a big change in their functioning and abilities. Those waves come and sometimes those caregivers, maybe we get sick. The caregiver gets sick. Try to remember that success as a caregiver is just getting back up. Getting back up, doing your best, walking alongside that person you're caring for as best you can, that is success. You don't have to be perfect. Just learn to ride those waves and adapt. And we all hope that 2021 is going to bring much joy and much improvement in quality of life for everyone, but just be sure to stay safe and healthy and take care of yourself.
Mike Ellison: Thanks to Amy Goyer, AARP Caregiving expert. Once again, we’ll leave links in the shownotes for the caregiving report and for the Caregivers’ Thanksgiving tele-town hall. Big thanks to our news team, producers Colby Nelson and Danny Alarcon, production assistant Brigid Lowney, engineer, Julio Gonzalez, executive producer, Jason Young. And, of course, my cohosts Bob Edwards and Wilma Consul. Become a subscriber on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, and other apps. Be sure to rate our show as well. If you liked this episode, let us know by emailing us at newspodcast at aarp dot org. For an AARP Take On Today, I'm Mike Ellison. Stay safe and be encouraged. The holidays will not look the same this year for many people, and for family caregivers, there are extra challenges. Today, AARP's caregiving expert, Amy Goyer, shares some creative ways caregivers and their loved ones can still celebrate the holiday season and advice for caregivers during this time. Subscribe:
Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
Creative Ways Caregivers Can Celebrate the Holidays
Amy Goyer shares some tips so family caregivers and their loved ones can enjoy the season
Getty Images/AARPMike Ellison: Like so much in 2020, the holidays will not look the same this year for many people. And for the country’s 48 million family caregivers, there are extra challenges. Today, we’ll discuss some creative – and safe – ways caregivers can bring some holiday spirit to their homes, despite being in a pandemic. That’s up next. Hi, I’m Mike Ellison with An AARP Take on Today. Mike Ellison: Amy Goyer, our guest today and AARP Caregiving Expert, recently hosted a special Caregiver’s Thanksgiving live tele-town hall event to honor caregivers and observe National Family Caregivers Month. She answered audience questions on how to celebrate the holiday safely while still making this holiday season a memorable one. Here’s a clip of the event. Amy spoke to award-winning chef and TV personality Andrew Zimmern, who shared his take on making holiday meals during a tough time: Amy Goyer: So many caregivers are dealing with increased stress and responsibilities right now this year. And we’ve talked about that this evening; what are some of the tips that we can do to streamline meal prep and make it a little easier this year? Andrew Zimmern: I know that there are so many people out there that really need that warm hug that food gives. So the important thing is not necessarily to follow the recipes, or to maniacally … I mean, perfection is the enemy of good, right? We just want people to cook and enjoy the holiday and be able to do something for and with themselves and share something with another human being. Mike Ellison: What is typically “the most wonderful time of the year” looks a lot different in 2020. A new AARP Survey says that the pandemic has had a negative impact on nearly half of caregivers’ mental health and that of the person they care for. Many are experiencing emotions such as anxiety, sadness, and anger as a result of the enduring pandemic. And most will be making changes to their typical holiday traditions. But Amy Goyer says there are plenty of ways to celebrate the holiday season together safely. You just need to be creative about it. And by the way, that caregiving survey is called ‘COVID-19’s impact on family caregivers’ holiday plans.’ We’ll leave links in the show notes for the report and for the tele-town hall with Andrew Zimmern. Mike Ellison: Amy, do you mind sharing your caregiving story? Amy Goyer:
I have been a family caregiver pretty much my entire adult life. I started in my twenties, caring for my grandparents from a distance from Ohio to Indiana and my grandmother had Alzheimer's so it was many years of increasing services and supports for her and my grandfather. And my parents have moved from Ohio to Arizona so they were really long distance and my mom had a stroke when she was only 63. My dad was kind of really caring for both his parents and my mom and so my sisters and I did a lot of supportive care that way. Eventually over the years, my dad developed Alzheimer's disease and so about 11 years ago, I moved from Washington DC. I quit my full time job and I went out to take care of them and became an independent consultant and thankfully have continued to work with AARP in that capacity and did care for them.
Amy Goyer:
They lived in a senior community for three years and then they moved back in the house with me and my mom passed away a year later but my dad lived with me for six years and his Alzheimer's progressed. He passed away just two years ago when he was 94. And now I'm caring in a different way for my sister, my older sister, who's had a chronic infection for the past year and unfortunately she's having a really rough time and I left Arizona to come back to DC and be with my boyfriend. Now I'm long distance caregiving again.
Mike Ellison:
Wow. I'm really sorry the challenges that you've faced. And we found through a lot of our interviews and talking to a lot of Americans, there are far more caregivers than people would realize. What are some of the challenges you face when you're in position? In terms of providing great care, being compassionate, at the same time feeling that you have to have some joy in your own life, not feeling guilty. This balancing act right between guilt and accountability and finding a space to enjoy your own life. How do you balance that?
Amy Goyer:
Yeah, that's really, you put it well, actually. It's really hard a thing to juggle and we want to take care of our loved ones that often we see ourselves going downhill because we're not taking care of ourselves in the same way. We're trying to take care of them. And we also, caregiving doesn't happen in a vacuum. We have the rest of our lives going on. We have relationships, like I said, I left my boyfriend and he lived in Baltimore and I went across the country to care for my parents and trying to keep that relationship going is difficult. And there's always choices to make. Now I've made a choice to be with him and not with my sister. That's really hard. But we have to pay attention to ourselves and watch for the signs of our own mental health declining, of our own physical health declining and pay attention to those red flags that come up if we're headed into burnout or if we are really going to get sick or our finances are suffering, our other relationships are suffering.
Amy Goyer:
I have this philosophy where I compare myself to a car and that's what got me through my most intensive years of caregiving. I just fill my tank. I can't run on empty any more than my car could. I find things that, hopefully healthy things, sometimes chocolate, but other things to fill me up and give me joy, because joy is really our greatest survival skill as caregivers.
Mike Ellison:
Well, you could do a lot worse than chocolate.
Amy Goyer:
Yes, definitely.
Mike Ellison:
Let me ask you this, Amy, according to the latest AARP survey, what are some of the challenges that caregivers are facing this holiday season in particular?
Amy Goyer:
Yeah, caregivers are feeling extra pressures. It's hard enough for all of us to try and do the holidays this year because it's so different, but they have the extra pressure of trying to make it good for their loved ones. And so as caregivers, we're really striving to make it perfect for everyone and that's a lot of pressure. Caregivers are looking at, okay, how do we adapt our holiday traditions? Many caregivers are still planning to spend time with loved ones, but they may do it virtually. They may be looking at wearing masks and avoiding physical contact. 40% say they're going to limit the size of those gatherings so that they can have a smaller number of family members together. We did that for Thanksgiving, with my boyfriend's mom. Just trying to keep everyone safe is tricky. But I think the nice thing is that we do have technology now, Mike. We can find new ways to connect and can keep the holiday season going, but just adapt it.
Mike Ellison:
What are some creative and safe ways to celebrate this holiday season?
Amy Goyer:
Well, the first thing I tell people is try to avoid that all or nothing type of thinking. It's not either we cancel the holidays or we do it the way we always have. There's in between and that adapting thing. What we need to do is really focus on what's most meaningful. Talk with your loved ones that you're caring for and find out what are the things that really make it feel like holidays for them. If it is family gatherings, then find a way to do it via technology. And I'm telling you, it's amazing how families are gathering. You can do all sorts of activities. You can do the baking online together because you bake in your home, they bake in their home.
Amy Goyer:
I watch holiday movies with my sisters online and we actually call each other on video chat and then we cue up the movie on our individual TVs across the country and hit play at the same time. And then we mute our phones and we can talk to each other and unmute and say, "Oh, that was so funny," or, "we love that," or cry or whatever it is we do with the holiday movies.
Amy Goyer:
Figure out, meals for example, are a big part of holidays, every holiday and find out how your loved ones are going to be dealing with that. If your loved ones maybe live in a facility, is the facility going to have a special meal for them? Are you allowed to send something special that they could have, even if you're not allowed to go and visit? For example, my grandmother made these plum pudding bars and that's just a big thing for our holiday. I might make those and send them to someone who's in a facility or anything that's special to them. If your loved one's in their own home, you can deliver a meal or have a meal delivered to them. I know a caregiver who she ordered the same meal for family members around the country, including a cake and sent it out so that everybody had the same meal and they were in five or six different cities. And everybody got on video and ate the same meal together. And I thought that was so creative. And it's an ingenious way to have that connection because it's all about shared experiences.
Mike Ellison:
Yeah. One of the creative things that you just introduced to me and perhaps our listeners is plum pudding. I've never heard of plum pudding bars. I'll have to look into that one. Where can people, and not just caregivers, but people in general, but especially caregivers, where can they go for more information and help this holiday season?
Amy Goyer:
Well, I have a new column out for caregivers with ideas, seven ways to adapt your holidays and find meaningful ways to connect during the holidays and create meaning and joy. And that's at aarp.org/caregiving, along with all sorts of resources and tools and tips and videos that are helpful for family caregivers dealing with the holiday season and dealing with caregiving through the pandemic. We also, I mentioned earlier, Mike, we all need to be keeping track of our own mental health. This is something that AARP has put a lot of effort into supporting family caregivers and everyone who's going through the pandemic. They can go to aarp.org/mentalhealth and get some great resources, some tips, tools. How do you know when you're having a panic attack? How do you deal with anxiety and depression? And there's great resources there.
Mike Ellison:
Sure. Sure. You've mentioned a little bit of it, I love the car analogy, by the way. You can't go anywhere on an empty tank. What can caregivers do to take care of themselves during the holidays? Because under normal circumstances, the holidays can be challenging for a lot of us. Now we've got our own anxiety surrounding the pandemic and then we've got relatives and people and loved ones that we're caring for. What can caregivers do to take care of themselves?
Amy Goyer:
I think, go back to that what is meaningful to you? For some people, the joy of the holidays, they look forward to it all year round. And even if you're in the throes of caregiving, that still can be very important to you. Drill down to what's most meaningful to you. If having those decorations out just really gives you a lift, go for it. I know a lot of caregivers who put their decorations out early because they needed that. They needed that joy. They needed something to brighten and give them a spark. Think of holiday activities that are really crucial to you, but also pay attention to those basics. And with my car analogy, I call this routine maintenance.
Amy Goyer:
Sleep, we have to get enough and good quality sleep. No one can cope mentally, emotionally, physically, if we're exhausted. And that is probably one of the hardest things to do when you're caregiving, because you're juggling so much. Put some extra effort into sleep. Maybe get a aromatherapy diffuser or listen to an app that has a meditation and helps you go to sleep. That's what I started doing about seven years ago. And it really has made a huge difference for me.
Amy Goyer:
Focus on sleep, eating right, getting good nutrition. If you have doctor's appointments, remember that there's telehealth is available and you don't always have to go in person and keep up with those appointments for yourself. But also stay connected. Especially during the holiday season, people can get really isolated and the pandemic has made that even harder, much more isolation. We really recommend that caregivers connect with other caregivers who get it, who are living through similar situations. We have created a Facebook group, it's called the AARP Family Caregivers Discussion Group on Facebook. And we have almost 5,000 members in the group. It is very active. People post almost 24/7 and you can vent, you can complain, you can share your joys and your triumphs and get lots and lots of support. A lot of practical things too. I think this is one of the best coping mechanisms for caregivers is to reach out and connect with others.
Mike Ellison:
Yeah. I think that's a really important point that you touched on, reaching out because so often, the caregivers that I know, here they give of themselves and yet they're reluctant to reach out to others and say, "I need help," or, "I need a boost," or, "I need a word." And before I go to our last question, I want to ask you, is there a message that you would give to non-caregivers? Meaning, hey, we all know the friends and family we have who are constantly giving of themselves. And sometimes we can take that for granted because they do it so effortlessly. What would you say to non-caregivers in terms of just being mindful of that person who's taking care of a loved one or a friend? Mindful of that person who's always extending themselves to the community. What could non caregivers do to help caregivers?
Amy Goyer:
First of all, just check in on them. Actually really acknowledging what they are doing. Many caregivers feel invisible. They feel that people don't really understand what they're going through or know what they're doing. Just say, "Hey, I see you. I know what you're doing. What you're doing is important. It's making a big difference in somebody's life and I applaud you for that." And give them that recognition and then ask how you can support and if possible, make actual suggestions. Sometimes when you ask a caregiver, "How can I help?" They're so overwhelmed, they can't come up with any ideas. It's better if you say, "Okay, I'd like to bring you a meal, I'm going to drop it off on your front porch Tuesday evening at 5:00 PM." Try and get specific and say, "Is that okay?"
Mike Ellison:
Being proactive.
Amy Goyer:
Yeah. Yeah. And give real suggestions. Or could I do some shopping for you? Could I come and put up your outdoor Christmas lights because I know that's important to you and I know you don't have time. Really come up with specific things and send them a card and just say, "I appreciate you." My best friend when I was really deep in caregiving intensively for both my parents and my older sister, my best friend sent me a card and it had this wonderful drawing on it and it said, "She who never gives up." And I still have that card on my desk because that was just what I needed to hear at that moment.
Mike Ellison:
That's fantastic. Well, if there's one piece of advice that you could leave caregivers with going into 2021, what would that be?
Amy Goyer:
Remember that adaptability is probably your greatest skill as a caregiver and know that there are going to be so many things that we can't control in a caregiving situation. And I always think, the waves will come along and they knock us down. There's a crisis, someone ends up in the hospital, someone's ill, there's a big change in their functioning and abilities. Those waves come and sometimes those caregivers, maybe we get sick. The caregiver gets sick. Try to remember that success as a caregiver is just getting back up. Getting back up, doing your best, walking alongside that person you're caring for as best you can, that is success. You don't have to be perfect. Just learn to ride those waves and adapt. And we all hope that 2021 is going to bring much joy and much improvement in quality of life for everyone, but just be sure to stay safe and healthy and take care of yourself.
Mike Ellison: Thanks to Amy Goyer, AARP Caregiving expert. Once again, we’ll leave links in the shownotes for the caregiving report and for the Caregivers’ Thanksgiving tele-town hall. Big thanks to our news team, producers Colby Nelson and Danny Alarcon, production assistant Brigid Lowney, engineer, Julio Gonzalez, executive producer, Jason Young. And, of course, my cohosts Bob Edwards and Wilma Consul. Become a subscriber on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, and other apps. Be sure to rate our show as well. If you liked this episode, let us know by emailing us at newspodcast at aarp dot org. For an AARP Take On Today, I'm Mike Ellison. Stay safe and be encouraged. The holidays will not look the same this year for many people, and for family caregivers, there are extra challenges. Today, AARP's caregiving expert, Amy Goyer, shares some creative ways caregivers and their loved ones can still celebrate the holiday season and advice for caregivers during this time. Subscribe:
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