Celebrating the Holidays with Loved Ones in Senior Living
With the holidays on the horizon, many of us are already planning our family get-togethers and celebrations. Regardless of which holidays we observe, unique family traditions can make this time of year special. Maybe someone you love cooks a special dish—a secret family recipe. Do you enjoy touring your neighborhood to admire elaborate holiday lights? Some people share a favorite story or a festive game to bond over.
We all have our favorite traditions—big or small—and, at the very least, it’s special to spend time with those we love. When an older loved one moves to a senior living community it may seem more difficult to include them in your annual festivities, but this isn’t necessarily the case! There are still many ways to enjoy the holiday season together.
Arrange a Family Visit
Even if you can’t visit on the exact date of the holiday you celebrate, you can still enjoy quality time together this season. Talk to your loved ones to decide who should travel where—if you live far apart and will need to make travel arrangements, you can coordinate with staff at the community to help secure transportation plans, whether you’ll travel to their home or they’ll come to you.
Decorate Their Space
Keeping up with holiday decorations can be tedious, especially for those who live alone. Bring some holiday cheer into your loved ones’ life by sprucing up their home with a few favorite holiday decorations—just make sure the pieces you pick won’t interfere with their usual routine or clutter a walkway, and don’t forget to visit after the holidays to help clean up!
Plan a Festive Outing
This is a great way to meet new people out in the community and explore different activities and traditions locally. For those who want to visit a loved one but aren’t able to go for a long visit, an afternoon outing can be a great way to spend quality time together.
Attend an at a Community Event
If your loved one is receiving a higher level of care and would prefer to spend the holidays at their community, there are still plenty of ways you can show your love and support. Coordinate with them and the community staff to find an activity everyone can participate in and enjoy. If you plan on bringing other family members, especially young ones, make sure to talk to staff to find kid-friendly activities.
While it may require a few extra steps to finalize your holiday plans, spending time with a loved one in their home, a senior living community, is a wonderful way to get to know their new friends and routines in their community. At Wingate Residences at Haverhill, we love learning about our residents’ unique family traditions and meeting with visiting family. We enjoy working with our residents and their friends and families to find the right events, activities and plans to suit their needs—both on our campus and throughout the greater community of Haverhill. If you’re interested in learning more about life at our community and how we make the holiday season so special, contact us today.
Wingate Residences at Haverhill is located on a full continuum of care campus offering independent and assisted living options, along with memory care suites and skilled nursing options, should individual needs change. Schedule a tour with us or call us today at (978) 912-9250.
