By Heather Schanou, Marketing Director for AmanaCare
Hi, I’m Heather, the Marketing Director for AmanaCare. And if your holiday season looks a little different than it used to… you’re not alone. This is my second Christmas being an adult who has lost both of my parents, and even now, I still catch myself reaching for the phone to call my mom before remembering I can’t. Holidays have a way of shining a light on the empty chairs at our tables — the missing voices, the missing laughter, the missing “Can you show me how to do that thing on the computer again?” questions.
When we lose someone we love, we don’t actually learn to live without them. We learn to live with the love they left behind. My dad passed away from a heart attack six years ago. My mom passed away from cancer one year ago. And let me just tell you — navigating the holiday season after losing both parents is a rollercoaster that no one warned me about. Some days I feel strong, centered, grateful. Other days, I eat cookies for breakfast and tear up in the Walmart parking lot because a Lauren Daigle song caught me off guard. (If this has happened to you, please know I see you, and I’ll share my cookies.)
But even with the ache, there is peace — if you know where to look.
I’ve learned that it’s okay to grieve, to cry, to laugh, to tell stories, and to talk about the people we miss. I lean on my brother and sister a lot — they’re the only two humans on the planet who understand my weird blend of humor, grief, and the chaotic energy that comes from being raised by two incredible parents. We remind each other of the values Mom and Dad instilled in us and how their legacy lives on through the things we say and the choices we make.
One of my treasures is my mom’s gratitude journal. Sometimes, on holidays, I text short phrases from her journal to her siblings and close friends. Just a simple gratitude sentence in Mom’s handwriting. It’s my way of keeping her light alive — a little spark she left behind that still warms us.
Loneliness in Seniors: What to Watch For
While I’m grieving, the holidays also make me think about the seniors in our communities who feel a different kind of loss — loneliness. It’s not macabre; it’s real, and it matters deeply.
Here’s what loneliness can look like in older adults:
- Withdrawing from family or avoiding calls
- Not returning messages
- Neglecting personal hygiene
- Changes in appetite or routine
- Confusion or memory issues
- Trouble concentrating
- Mobility decline
- Missed medications
- Saying things like “I’m alone all the time,” “I don’t have anyone,” or “I don’t want to bother anyone.”
Loneliness isn’t just emotional — it affects health. Emotional pain activates the same stress response as physical pain. Over time, chronic loneliness can lead to inflammation, lower immunity, and even an increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It affects the heart, the brain, the body… and the spirit.
My mom was huge on visiting people who didn’t get out much. She used to take me to visit our elderly neighbor, Mrs. Cecilia Hemberger, and oh my goodness, they would talk FOREVERRRR—like, by the time we left, I’d aged four years and forgotten what sunlight looked like. Mom always brought cookies or “homemade” jam… which is weird, because I don’t recall her ever making jam. Mystery jam, I guess?!?
In Catholic school, we would bring handmade snowflakes and cards to nursing homes. We would sing carols (somewhat off-key, but with enthusiasm). It mattered. It made people smile. And it taught me early on that loneliness softens when community leans in.
How You Can Make a Difference This Holiday Season
You do not have to “fix” someone’s loneliness. You just have to show up.
Here are some simple, meaningful ways:
- Invite an older neighbor or loved one to dinner
- Drop off a handwritten Christmas note
- Bring homemade goodies (or store-bought — they won’t know)
- Participate in adopt-a-senior programs
- Deliver Walmart gift cards to senior centers
- Visit someone for 30 minutes — that half-hour can change everything
- Encourage your kids to make cards or draw pictures
- Take a senior to church with you
- Help them reconnect with a hobby
Loneliness is heavy, but connection is healing — deeply healing.
How AmanaCare Helps Seniors Feel Connected, Supported, and Seen
My mom had home care before she passed, and her caregiver helped her grocery shop, made banana bread with her, chatted with her about life, and kept the clean laundry coming. She loved it when I had time to sit down and watch Husker volleyball or Wheel of Fortune with her. And if I’m being honest… I still can’t bring myself to watch Wheel of Fortune alone. It was OUR sacred ritual. And also — Ryan Seacrest? Really? I’m mourning Pat Sajak’s departure.
Companionship matters. Heart-level connection matters.
That’s why AmanaCare caregivers do more than assist with physical tasks — they create moments, memories, and meaning.
Our team provides:
- home health care Lincoln
- home care Omaha
- home care assistance Kearney
- Medicaid Waiver home care North Platte
- in home care Scottsbluff
And across every city, our caregivers:
- Accompany seniors to appointments
- Cook meals with clients
- Engage in conversation
- Encourage hobbies
- Play cards and puzzles
- Attend outings like coffee, to senior centers, or library trips
- Create warm, reliable connection that reduces isolation and lifts quality of life
Human connection isn’t optional. It’s essential.
A caregiver can make the difference between a senior feeling forgotten… and feeling cherished.
Finding Peace in a Season of Change
Whether you’re grieving someone, missing someone, or trying to navigate a holiday season that feels different than the ones you used to know — give yourself grace. Speak their name. Tell their stories. Cry when you need to. Laugh when you can. Do the things that would make them proud.
And remember this:
You are loved by God. And you are never walking through any season alone.
If someone in your life is struggling with loneliness, health challenges, or needs more support to stay connected, AmanaCare is here — with heart, with hope, and with the belief that dignity is a gift we give each other every day. Visit our site to find out more: www.amana-care.com
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Lincoln, NE, please contact the caring staff at AmanaCare today. Call (402) 440-5878 | For Central Nebraska, Call 308-663-3828
AmanaCare Provides Senior Home Care Services in Lincoln, Kearney, Grand Island, North Platte, Hastings, Omaha, Columbus, Broken Bow, Scottsbluff, Norfolk, and surrounding areas.
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