During the holiday season, seniors could easily feel isolated unless families make an intentional effort to include them in celebrations. However, well-planned holiday gatherings bring the chance to connect with family and enjoy stimulating experiences.
As the holiday season approaches, finding ways to be inclusive of seniors will make family gatherings more special for everyone. Plan holiday events that prioritize seniors’ needs, creating a comfortable and inviting space for them. In this post, we’ll discuss how to do that.
Physical Accommodations
Create a welcoming space that meets your loved one’s physical needs with the help of these tips.
- Consider seniors’ daily schedule when setting the time for the gathering. If they go to sleep around 8 p.m., don’t serve dinner at 7.
- Minimize travel time. Travel can feel stressful or uncomfortable for some seniors, so try to hold the gathering fairly close to home, if possible. Or, get together at their house.
- Choose a location with ADA-accessible entryways and indoor spaces, unless your loved one can handle stairs safely.
- Add cushions to seating (including dining chairs) so seniors will be comfortable.
- Make sure there are quiet areas to talk or rest in. Hearing can be challenging in spaces with lots of background noise, which may also feel overwhelming.
Have a familiar person check on the senior often or stay with them during the gathering, too. If there are some unfamiliar faces at the get-together, this will foster a sense of safety and calm. And if your loved one is prone to engaging in shadowing or wandering behavior, having a companion with them will help them feel secure and stay safe.
Dietary Considerations
Plan for seniors’ dietary needs as you prepare holiday menus. Provide foods that seniors can easily chew and digest. Modify recipes when needed, or prepare seniors’ food separately. Tender pieces of meat, sweet potatoes, well-cooked vegetables, and pumpkin pie are a few classic holiday foods that typically work well for seniors. Serving familiar foods like these will also create a sense of connection with the past.
If your loved one has a condition like diabetes, fix them a well-balanced plate that accommodates their dietary needs. Choose healthy main dishes and sides while minimizing sugar, and remember to keep them hydrated. You could also make a low-sugar version of desserts like gingerbread cookies.
Enriching Activities
Time-honored rituals, like trimming the tree, watching a favorite movie, making hot cocoa, reading a Christmas story, or hanging up stockings, can trigger warm memories. Seniors with memory loss may feel a greater sense of inclusion as they engage in beloved traditions. And sensory activities like these can allow seniors to participate without having to be highly verbal.
Familiar traditions can act as touchstones with the past, enhancing seniors’ sense of identity, connection, and peace. They’ll have a sense of continuity with the past as they take part in these activities. Even if they can’t verbalize how they feel, these familiar rituals can spark positive emotions.
Here are a few more ideas for holiday activities:
- Bake and decorate cookies together. Seniors and other family members could help cut out and frost cookies.
- Reminisce together while looking at photo albums. Avoid asking “Remember when…?” Instead, mention highlights that you remember.
- Play familiar music, like classic Christmas carols. Singing along to favorite songs is a wonderful inclusive activity, and music can have a deeply soothing effect.
Choosing thoughtful holiday activities is part of good memory care that will support your loved one’s mental and emotional needs. Companion care can enhance seniors’ well-being over the holidays and throughout the year. An elder care aide can provide engaging activities, assistance in connecting with family members virtually, and transportation to events, for example, strengthening seniors’ quality of life.
Wondering if elder care is right for your loved one? Schedule a free nurse consultation call to discuss their needs with a skilled professional.
