The holiday season can be fun and magical, but for family caregivers, it’s often also overwhelming. Between full-time jobs, kids out of school, holiday travel, unpredictable weather, and a busy household, caregiving for aging loved ones can feel like a full-time job – one with no time off.
It’s also one of the most challenging times of year for senior health. On top of everything else, family caregivers are also dealing with cold and flu season, a rise in senior falls, increased loneliness among older adults, and the general stress the holidays can bring. And the everyday responsibilities – like doctor’s appointments, prescription pick-ups, and meal prep – don’t stop just because the holidays are here.
If it feels like too much on your plate, you’re not alone.
The good news is that there are caregiver services to help you stay organized, find balance, and protect your peace during the holidays. With the right support and a bit of planning, caregiving this season doesn’t have to come at the cost of your own rest, joy, or well-being. Keep reading for 13 ways family caregivers can find balance for the holidays.
1. Start Your Holiday Game Plan Now
Planning ahead is one of the simplest ways to reduce holiday stress for family caregivers. Take 30 minutes in the fall to review your November and December calendar. Mark down key dates – like appointments, school breaks, family visits, travel days – and create a list of all the errands you’ll need to accomplish – like gift buying and wrapping, holiday grocery shopping, and cooking. Then ask:
- What tasks can I delegate to someone else, whether to a family member or a professional service like GoGoGrandparent?
- What errands can be automated, outsourced, or completed in advance?
- Where could I use an extra set of hands?
Being proactive about caregiving helps you stay in control, reduce stress, and prevent last-minute rushing.
2. Let GoGo Rides Handle the Transportation
Winter snow, ice, and shorter days make getting around risky for seniors. GoGo Rides makes transportation safer, easier, and more reliable. With a friendly phone call (no apps needed), your loved one can get a ride through trusted services like Uber and Lyft.
But unlike traditional rideshares, our GoGo Guardians vet drivers and vehicles ahead of time to ensure they’re suitable for your loved one’s needs. Need a driver who can help your loved one to the door? Need space for a walker in the car? Our GoGo Guardians have you covered.
Plus, each ride is monitored in real-time by our Guardians, so you have peace of mind that your loved one is safe and cared for. Our Family Features also let you follow along on the ride yourself.
Whether it’s a doctor visit or a holiday shopping trip, GoGo Rides gives seniors independence and freedom of movement – and peace of mind to family caregivers.
Learn more about GoGo Rides here.
3. Set Boundaries Around Your Time
There’s only so much one person can do. This season, be honest about your limits and what you can handle. Let friends, family – and even your loved one for whom you’re caregiving – know what you can and can’t take on. Try:
- Setting “caregiving hours” and sticking to them
- Creating a “to-don’t” list of tasks you’re skipping this year (for example, you could bake one set of cookies instead of three)
- Letting go of perfection in holiday plans
- Saying “no” without guilt
- Limiting yourself to one event per day or week, depending on your schedule and energy levels
Remember: caregiving doesn’t mean doing it all. It means doing what you can with love – and also knowing when to pause or ask for help.
Listen to this podcast from GoGo CEO Justin Boogaard on setting healthy family caregiving boundaries.
4. Skip the Store with GoGo Grocery
Holiday grocery trips can be chaotic and exhausting. Instead of spending hours navigating packed aisles or waiting in long checkout lines, let GoGo Grocery take grocery shopping off your to-do list.
With just a phone call, you or your loved one can order groceries from local stores right to their doorstep, making it one of the most convenient caregiver services available. You can even save shopping lists for easy re-ordering or set up recurring deliveries of the essentials, so you have one less thing to remember.
Whether it’s prepping for a holiday meal or restocking the fridge, GoGo Grocery provides reliable senior care support when you need it. Learn more about GoGo Grocery here.
5. Take a Break from Cooking with GoGo Gourmet
Cooking can be a significant source of caregiver burnout, especially when you’re trying to meal prep for multiple people with different needs. It’s not just the cooking — it’s the planning, shopping, prepping, cleaning, and accommodating dietary restrictions that can make it feel like a never-ending task. And during the holidays, it only gets harder.
That’s where GoGo Gourmet can help. It’s more than just your everyday takeout. With GoGo Gourmet, a member of our team will help you or your loved one choose meals from local restaurants that meet their dietary needs and restrictions. We’ll help ensure your loved one is eating well, whether that means low-sodium, diabetic-friendly, vegetarian, or soft-texture foods.
GoGo Gourmet is also a great way to bring variety and joy back to the dinner table. Your loved one gets a meal they love – tailored just for them – and you get a well-deserved night off. No prep, no dishes, no stress.
Learn more about GoGo Gourmet here.
6. Keep Prescriptions on Track with GoGo Pharmacy
Holiday closures, traffic, and bad weather can make prescription pickups stressful – or worse, lead to missed doses.
GoGo Pharmacy helps reduce this risk by delivering medications straight to your loved one’s door – no trip to the drugstore required. You can even schedule automatic refills and deliveries, so you never have to worry about reordering.
This kind of dependable senior care support ensures family caregivers aren’t doing last-minute pharmacy runs or chasing down prescriptions during the holiday rush. Learn more about GoGo Pharmacy here.
7. Let GoGo Care Help Navigate the Healthcare Maze
Managing healthcare is one of the most overwhelming parts of family caregiving. Handling appointments, insurance, specialists, and post-hospital care can be incredibly time-consuming.
GoGo Care is here to help. While it’s not medical advice, GoGo Care helps bridge the gaps in the healthcare system. For example, your GoGo Care team member will:
- Check in weekly on your loved one’s well-being,
- Flag any health or safety concerns,
- Help interpret healthcare plans and insurance policies, and
- Guide you through next steps after health events like hospital stays.
This kind of caregiver support is a game-changer during the busy, illness-prone holiday season. Family caregivers can spend less time on hold with doctors’ offices and more time focusing on being present with loved ones.
Find out more about our GoGo Care team here.
8. Get Help Around the House with GoGo Home
From icy walkways to tangled holiday lights, winter brings new risks for seniors — and extra tasks for caregivers.
GoGo Home connects your loved one with vetted local professionals who can help with all sorts of household tasks, like:
- Putting up decorations
- Fixing leaks
- Clearing gutters
- Installing safety equipment
- Shoveling snow
We understand how important it is for family caregivers to ensure their loved one has a safe, comfortable space to spend the holiday season. Our GoGo Guardians are there to help you find trusted local help for just about anything around the house.
And it’s not just home repairs. We can also help coordinate personal support, like finding a reliable dog walker, scheduling a mobile hair stylist, hiring someone to water plants, or arranging other in-home services that make daily life easier and safer for seniors — while saving family caregivers time and mental energy.
Learn more about GoGo Home here.
9. Try Tech That Lightens the Family Caregiving Load
Technology doesn’t replace human connection, but the right tech can make family caregiving more manageable. Some helpful tools include:
- Smart home assistants, like Alexa or Google Home, can be programmed to remind your loved one to take medications, drink water, or call a family member, so they don’t have to remember on their own.
- Video doorbells and home cameras add an extra layer of security. You can check in from your phone and even talk to visitors or delivery drivers through the camera’s app.
- Medical alert systems are especially valuable during the winter when falls are more common. These systems offer fall detection, GPS tracking, and instant access to emergency services.
- Wearable emergency alerts give seniors protection on the move. Help is on the way with the press of a button – or automatically in case of a fall.
- Digital pill dispensers ensure medications are taken on time and correctly, which is especially helpful if you can’t be there to monitor every dose.
- Shared digital calendars and caregiving apps (like Google Calendar, CaringBridge, or Lotsa Helping Hands) help coordinate schedules and delegate tasks across several family members or friends.
These tools aren’t meant to replace family caregivers, but they can help reduce the burden, improve consistency, and streamline organization.
10. Create a Communication Plan with Family
One of the hidden stressors of family caregiving is being the default communicator. Fielding constant texts and calls from relatives asking for updates can quickly get exhausting. Set up systems to share the family caregiving load, like:
- Start a group text or email thread to share quick updates or changes in schedule.
- Set up a shared digital calendar (like Google Calendar) to mark important dates, like appointments, medication refill times, visits from home aides, etc.
- Try caregiving apps like CaringBridge, Lotsa Helping Hands, or CareZone to organize information in one place, share responsibilities, and post regular health updates.
When others are looped in, they’re more likely to pitch in – even in small ways – and you won’t have to repeat yourself 20 times.
11. Don’t Forget Your Own Respite
You can’t pour from an empty cup. Family caregivers often put themselves last but taking time for yourself – especially during the holidays – is essential.
- Carve out time to rest, even if it’s just a walk around the block, a call with a friend, or a quiet moment alone.
- Schedule in breaks.
- Accept help and hire caregiver support.
- Take a nap.
- Go to dinner with a friend.
Caregiving is a marathon, not a sprint. Finding balance means acknowledging your limits and giving yourself permission to rest. Prioritizing your mental and emotional health isn’t selfish – it’s necessary to successful family caregiving. Your well-being matters, too.
12. Say Yes to Simpler Holidays
It’s okay to scale back this year. Simpler doesn’t mean less meaningful. Don’t feel pressure to make everything perfect. Let go of things that bring more stress than joy. Focus on what really matters: connection, rest, and presence.
13. Make Time for Joy
Family caregivers are often so focused on meeting basic needs that joy becomes an afterthought. You and your loved ones deserve happiness this season.
Watch a funny holiday movie with your family. Bake your favorite cookies with your aging loved one. Laugh! Savor a quiet moment. These little moments matter – and they’re a special part of caregiving, too.
The Bottom Line? You Deserve Support, Too
Family caregiving is one of the most important jobs there is, especially during the holidays. But you don’t have to do it all alone. The truth is: caregiver support is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.
GoGo’s caregiver services – like rides, groceries, prescriptions, home services, and meals – can help lighten the load. We’re here to help your loved one stay safe, independent, and cared for and help you breathe a little easier.
This holiday season, give yourself the gift of support. Register with GoGo here to get started.
