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Family Holiday Activities for Seniors in Assisted Living

Family baking together

What makes the holidays magical to you? Is it exchanging gifts, decorating your home, or sharing mouthwatering meals with family and friends? However you like to bring seasonal sparkle to your life, you may wonder how you can share the joy of the holidays with a loved one in assisted living.

Here are some holiday activities for seniors that will help you celebrate treasured traditions and make new holiday memories with your older family member.

Craft Some Christmas Cheer

Craft projects are ideal holiday activities for seniors. Making things by hand has cognitive benefits and helps older adults maintain their fine motor skills. Plus, crafting together is a fun way to make memories and gifts to share with others. Try making glitter scallop ornaments, a festive holiday garland or a marshmallow wreath.

Bring the Holiday Spirit to Them

Decking the halls — or home — with cheerful holiday décor is certain to inspire a festive mood. If your loved one no longer has seasonal decorations of their own, make sure to bring them some. Twinkle lights, a wreath and other rightsized décor will bring the spirit of the season to their living space. Recruit other family members to help with the decorating, serve cookies and hot chocolate, play some holiday tunes in the background, and you’ve got the makings for a festive decorating party.

Send Season’s Greetings Together

Sending holiday cards doesn’t have to be a solitary task. This year, make it a group effort and invite the whole family to participate. With plenty of greeting cards, pens, markers, stickers and postage stamps on hand, everyone can contribute a seasonal salutation, a doodle or a stamp. You’ll enjoy a lively get-together and have unique, festive cards to send to family and friends.

Bake Season’s Eatings Together

The kitchen is the setting for many holiday memories. Make some new memories this year by gathering your loved ones for a cookie-baking day. Older adults and youngsters enjoy mixing, decorating — and tasting — seasonal treats. Once everyone is replete with frosting and sprinkles, your loved one will have treats to take home to snack on or share with friends and staff members in their senior living community.

Attend Community Events

Local events, like a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, holiday parade or concert, are ideal holiday activities for seniors because they offer a chance to get out on the town and enjoy holiday experiences with the larger community. For a quieter holiday activity, take your loved one on a drive through the neighborhood to see the displays of holiday lights.

Create a Family Story Book

As you spend time with your loved one, take the opportunity to ask them about their favorite holiday memories. Have other family members share their cherished memories, as well, and combine the stories in a book. Add family photos, kids’ drawings and beloved recipes and you’ll have created a family treasure. Consider exploring printing or self-publishing options so you can turn this heirloom into a gift for everyone in the family.

Host a Gift-Wrapping Party

Instead of wrapping gifts in a last-minute scramble, make it a more festive and enjoyable affair. Stock up on supplies and convert the dining table into a gift-wrapping station. Gather your family, turn on some holiday music or movies and you’ll find that what was once a chore can be a festive, fun family occasion.

Take Photos

Each get-together serves as a perfect chance to take pictures of your loved ones. From selfies and informal snapshots to formal portraits, photos can inspire feelings of connection and belonging. And they make great gifts. Frame your favorites, or turn them into a collage or photo garland and you’ll have a perfect present for your loved one to cherish throughout the year.

A Reason to Celebrate at Walnut Place

At Walnut Place, we love sharing in the holiday spirit with our residents. But we also know it’s important to find reasons to celebrate all year long. Our caring staff offers 24/7 support, so residents receive just the right amount of help to make the most of every day. With a full calendar of recreational and social activities, and a caring community of friends, residents find plenty to celebrate at Walnut Place. Learn more about our assisted living and memory care community by contacting us or planning a visit.