June 13, 2023
Deck the halls. Roast the chestnuts. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
They say it’s the most wonderful time of the year. But for many older adults, it can be harder to keep holiday season traditions alive while living in a retirement community. It needn’t be!
This article will offer ideas for keeping the holidays meaningful with new and treasured traditions.
Approach the Holidays (a Little) Differently with Your Loved One
Obviously, everyone has different needs and abilities. If your parent is in Assisted Living or Memory Support you may need to find new ways to help your loved one feel the spirit of the season.
Be flexible. Focus on what can be done, not what cannot.
Remember the Reason for the Season
Preserve traditions your senior loved and create new events to spark holiday cheer. Here are five ideas for sharing seasonal joy together and maybe creating some new family traditions along the way.
1. Decorate at their place.
Bring decorations to your loved one’s community and help them bedeck their residence, so they’ll feel at home for the holidays.
Mix heirloom items like family ornaments or stockings, as well as new homemade snowflakes or holiday cards made by a grandchild.
2. Take in the holiday sites.
Most cities and towns create special attractions to celebrate the holidays. Load up the care and take in the local displays. If it’s chilly, make a stop for some hot cider or cocoa.
3. Watch holiday movies.
Snuggle in and watch the classics with a mug of hot chocolate or a tub of popcorn. This is a low-effort, high-enjoyment holiday event that brings family and friends together.
4. Craft the holidays
Make a plan and pick up art supplies. The internet is full of fun craft ideas appropriate for older adults and seniors in assisted living.
If you can include a grandchild or great-grandchild, that’s even better. The holidays are about family.
Try cut-out snowflakes, decorated snowmen, homemade ornaments or even holiday cards for friends.
5. Bake together.
Invite your mom or dad to your place (you may have to help with transportation) and spend time together in the kitchen.
The more the merrier.
Include other family members or friends to join in. Kids especially like to work in the kitchen, and nothing’s more fun than mixing generations.
Holidays at Kendal on Hudson
If you’re an older adult or have an aging loved one, it’s a good time of year to take stock of one’s living situation.
Kendal on Hudson is a Life Plan Community in the beautiful lower Hudson Valley that offers Independent Living and a full continuum of care. Here, residents enjoy friendship and fulfillment that makes every day feel like a holiday.
Together, Transforming the Experience of Aging.®
Founded on Quaker principles and guided by our values and practices, Kendal on Hudson provides a vibrant, active and social lifestyle on our 25-acre campus next to the historic Hudson River. As the only Life Plan Community in Westchester County, we offer five levels of service for our residents: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Support, Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation.
Kendal on Hudson is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization led by a volunteer Board of Directors. Kendal on Hudson is an affiliate of The Kendal Corporation, a system of communities and services for older people based in Kennett Square, PA. We support diversity, inclusiveness, and independence and support the values and practices of Kendal by remaining focused on healthy aging. Located in Sleepy Hollow, New York, just 35 miles from New York City, we offer a vibrant lifestyle, cultural programs, continued learning and health care for life. For more information, please call 866-KENDALNY.