Reducing the Holiday Blues in Nursing Facilities

As the holiday season quickly approaches, garland and tinsel temporarily adorning most homes, you may feel more cheerful than you have all year. We often gather with family and friends, eating, chatting, reminiscing of the past, and what our future entails. Spreading love, kindness, and cheer by giving gifts or making holiday cookies. However, there are some, specifically older adults, that have a more difficult time getting into the holiday spirit.

For many seniors, the holiday season may have a new meaning. Instead of setting out cookies and milk for Santa, or traveling to long-distance relative’s homes, the absence of these traditions may leave the holiday season seeming like a thing of the past.

Some factors that may contribute to holiday depression among the elderly include:

  • Absence of parents, siblings, friends, and children (feeling alone)
  • Separation from loved ones
  • Financial limitations
  • Loss of independence
  • Loss of mobility
  • Failing eyesight (lessening the ability to read/write holiday correspondence)
  • Medical diagnosis

These changes may result in feeling subdued or sad, which is a normal reaction to facing change and generally temporary, the person eventually returning to their normal mood state, but a case of long-term blues is not a natural part of aging. When these feelings begin interfering with functioning in everyday life, it is considered depression.

Doug Gregory, the Bereavement Coordinator for Sprenger Health Care’s WellSpring Hospice says, “The American Association of Geriatrics Psychiatry, (AAGP) indicates that over 30% of nursing home residents may experience depression which can be exasperated during the holidays due to several factors. Caregivers and facility staff should be aware of changes in behavior and mood with residents.”

Some signs of depression in older individuals may include:

  • Questioning the value of life
  • Diminished self-esteem
  • Excessive feelings of guilt
  • Reduced appetite
  • Lethargy/lack of energy
  • Persistent sadness
  • Withdrawal from social activities
  • Unusual fidgeting
  • Staring off into space (or at the television) for prolonged periods of time

Depression is a medical illness that should be diagnosed and treated by trained professionals. Left untreated, depression may last months or even years.

Gregory also offered a handful of tips in dealing with seasonal depression, saying, “Some preventative measures to consider are: referrals for counseling and psychiatry, bringing in service animals, children’s choirs, and other special activities during high-risk seasons, collecting old holiday cards and decorations to hang on resident’s doors and in their rooms, encouraging family members to purchase scenic window film coverings for the resident’s room, and simply taking time to just sit or talk with these residents. It is essential to differentiate between normal sadness and clinical depression, which requires treatment. If you or someone you know is struggling, professional support can make a significant difference.”

Other things that may help a person with a case of the holiday blues:

  • Find ways to include elderly family members/friends in holiday preparation.
  • Help with specific tasks.
  • Help wrap holiday gifts
  • Create crafts to decorate with or give as a gift
  • Create or have them walk you through a favorite holiday recipe
  • Help fill out and send holiday cards
  • If you can’t visit, call.
  • Stay busy.
  • Facility activities and events
  • Make new traditions.

Depression may go past just during the holiday season. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons, typically starting in the late fall and early winter and goes away during the spring and summer. A sad mood is linked to lack of sunlight during the winter months due to shorter days.

It is important to note that depressive and suicidal thoughts or actions should never be ignored. If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, please take action by calling your doctor, 911, visiting the nearest emergency room, or contacting nursing or therapy staff.

Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255); TTY: 1-800-799-4TTY (4889) to be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you.

Sprenger Health Care Bluffton Received a Deficiency-Free Rating

Sprenger Health Care Bluffton received a 100% deficiency-free rating on their state survey, conducted by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control on Friday, November 1, 2024.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) annually reviews Skilled Nursing Facilities to ensure that the health and safety conditions focusing their analysis on the residing resident’s safety, security, sanitary, and overall maintenance. To receive a 100% deficiency-free review by the DHEC notes that the facility met the highest possible standards of satisfactory living. Sprenger Health Care Bluffton also received a deficiency-free rating for their Residential Care Facility survey in April of 2024.

Dennis Maddox, Ph.D., MCG, a local professor of Anatomy and Physiology and short-term resident of Sprenger Health Care Bluffton stated, “Being here felt like being at home. Everyone was so nice and sweet in such an amazing way. I am sad to leave, but happy to know I will be home for my birthday and for the holidays.” Mr. Maddox stayed with Sprenger Health Care Bluffton for 6 weeks as he worked through an illness with the nursing and therapy teams, maintaining an end-goal of getting back home and to work.

Sprenger Health Care Bluffton’s team

“We are incredibly proud of our team’s dedication to excellence and quality care, which has been affirmed by our recent deficiency-free survey from DHEC. This achievement reflects the hard work, professionalism, and commitment of every team member to uphold the highest standards in patient care and compliance. Thank you to everyone for making this accomplishment possible and for continually going above and beyond to create a safe, welcoming, and well-maintained environment for our patients and families.”

Dwight Green, the Executive Director at Sprenger Health Care Bluffton

About Sprenger Health Care Bluffton

Sprenger Health Care Bluffton is a 105-bed Long Term Care, Skilled Nursing Facility, and Assisted Living, offering services such as memory care, in-house therapy for short-term rehabilitation, daily activities, served dining, and a VA contract. They also offer Respite Care for those in need. Residents have access to state-of-the-art amenities, such as a 3000+ square foot therapy gym, 65 private rooms in the Skilled Nursing wing, 45 private suites in the Assisted Living wing, a bar that offers a daily happy hour, a 24/7 Chapel, and much more.

Sprenger Health Care Bluffton offers a range of services designed to meet the needs of seniors at different stages of life and health, aiming to create a supportive and caring environment that prioritizes residents’ health, safety, and well-being. The facility provides personalized care, including therapy services, social activities, and wellness programs tailored to enhance residents’ quality of life.


About Sprenger Health Care

From a small family-owned nursing facility to an expansive enterprise employing 2,000 professionals, Sprenger Health Care is actively growing and adapting to the ever-changing needs of the communities they serve. With a strong focus on innovation and quality, Sprenger’s third generation is building a legacy while maintaining the same philosophy of personalized care initially established by Grace Sprenger in 1959.

Sprenger Health Care is a leading developer, owner, and operator of senior living communities and services in Ohio and South Carolina. Through their 12-nursing home, 10 assisted living, and 8 independent living communities, they provide exceptional health care services, including; long-term nursing care, assisted and independent living, memory care, hospice, respite care, and short-term post-acute rehabilitation. 

Sprenger Health Care Bluffton

Click here to view all Sprenger Health Care locations.

What Does a Nurse Practitioner Do?

This week is National Nurse Practitioner’s Week, observed from November 10th to 17th, 2024, and the question ‘What does a nurse practitioner do?’ is often asked. So, what better time than now to answer this!

The most commonly known healthcare roles are nurses, doctors, and therapists, but there are so many more crucial clinical and non-clinical roles that lean into the broad scope of healthcare. This week though, we want to highlight the role of our nurse practitioners! Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses with advanced training who provide patient care and can perform many of the same duties as a doctor, while also working in collaboration with physicians and other members of a healthcare team.

Nurse practitioners have completed a specified graduate degree that requires extensive classroom education along with specialized clinical experience, and who also must pass a national certification exam. They use their advanced clinical experience to diagnose and treat health conditions, focus on disease prevention, and promote healthy lifestyles, sharing many of the same responsibilities as doctors, though nurse practitioners train and provide care using the nursing model. This means that they provide patient centered care, rather than focusing on a specific type of medicine as physicians and physician assistants do. Many nurse practitioners begin their careers in healthcare as nursing assistants, LVN/LPNs, and RNs, gaining hands-on experience while they work on their advanced degrees. 

Using the practice of the nursing model, nurse practitioners can specialize in a variety of areas that correspond to a specific population. Nurse practitioners that work within a care facility setting often specialize in a few areas, including adult-gerontology nurse practitioner (AGNP), geriatric nurse practitioner (GNP), family nurse practitioner (FNP), and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP).

An adult-gerontology nurse practitioner (AGNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse who specializes in the healthcare needs of adults throughout their lifespan, treating patients spanning from young-adulthood to seniors. They are trained to address physical, mental, and social effects of aging.

A geriatric nurse practitioner (GNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse who specializes in providing care for older patients, ranging from their 60s to their 90s and beyond. They often treat patients who experience incontinence, dehydration, falls, physiological dysfunctions, and other conditions related to aging.

A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is an advanced practice nurse who offers care, promotes health, and treats disease in clients ranging from adolescents to seniors. They provide comprehensive wellness care, as well as the management of acute and chronic illnesses.

A psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse who diagnoses and treats mental health needs and substance abuse issues, while also providing mental health services to clients and families. They often provide psychotherapy, implement behavioral interventions, and educate patients, families, and communities about mental health.

Nurse practitioners provide a full range of health care services, like performing physical examinations, ordering diagnostic tests like laboratory tests or X-rays, analyzing these test results, diagnosing health conditions, prescribing medication, and writing referrals.  

National Nurse Practitioners Week is an annual celebration of nurse practitioners and their contribution to health care. They are a crucial part of health care organizations and client care, and often dedicate their expertise, compassion, and care to improving the health and well-being of their clients. Their tireless commitment to providing high-quality, personalized healthcare makes a profound difference every day, whether that’s diagnosing, educating, or simply offering a comforting presence, their work is invaluable.  

Here at Sprenger Health Care, we are grateful for our nurse practitioner’s knowledge, skill, and unwavering dedication to enhancing lives every day. Their compassion and professionalism are truly appreciated – thank you for everything you do!