The holidays can be challenging if you have a loved one living in an assisted living residence. While many people take their relatives home for the holidays – and we highly recommend you do so if that is a possibility – other seniors may feel more comfortable staying in their apartments and not moving around too much. If your senior loved one is in a residence but still loves to celebrate, there are many ways to make their Christmas more festive.
Decorations: There is a good chance that their assisted living or memory care center has done some decorating, you can decorate individual apartments as well. Make sure that decorations are on the walls or out of the way, so your loved one doesn’t trip on them, and keep safety in mind. Twinkling white lights, a small table-top Christmas tree, and some stockings full of treats or garland are all festive decorations that can make the room cheerful for the holiday. Remember that candles or wires that cross the floor are not recommended.
Holiday Cards: You can help your senior loved one stay in touch with people they love by assisting with sending out their annual cards. If they do not have the addresses of many of their friends and family, help them to deliver cards to their neighbors in the facility. Sending Christmas cards was a big part of nearly every seniors Christmas in the past (before digital greetings), so helping them to send greetings can bring a real sense of nostalgia and joy.
Baking Cookies: Many seniors loved to bake and may not be able to anymore. You can ask the assisted living facility if you can use their oven to make some Christmas cookies – or find no-bake recipes for candies and cookies. You can then ask about the possibility of handing out treats at a Christmas party or holiday dinner – or even just delivering them at dinner time.
Music: Nothing can boost one’s spirits and elevate one’s mood more than favorite songs, especially familiar carols. You can set up a playlist of nostalgic favorite tunes or of traditional holiday classics – or even arrange a community sing-along! Most seniors will know the words to familiar songs, so hand out some festive hats and garlands and encourage caroling through the hallways. This is a wonderful way to spread holiday cheer to those who are more confined to their room or don’t have any family to visit them during the season.
Arts and Crafts: The holidays lend themselves beautifully to all sorts of themed art projects, such as making live wreaths or making handmade ornaments. Not only will your senior loved ones enjoy being creative and making something festive, but they can use the items they make as gifts for people they care about.
Movie Night: Classic holiday movies are sure to bring back memories and inspire a lot of smiles. Consider showing “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Miracle on 34th Street” to get the group together for a nostalgic evening of Christmas memories.
Christmas Excursions: If you can’t take your loved one home for several days, you can take them for a few hours – drive around to look at the holiday lights, attend a local Christmas matinee of the Nutcracker or go out for peppermint ice cream. There are many short excursions you can take to remind your family member of the joy of the season and help them to participate.
A Banyan Residence in The Villages wishes you and your family a wonderful, safe, and happy holiday season.
