holiday activities for seniors

It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of to-dos that make up the holiday season: all of the shopping and wrapping, planning and decorating, baking and visiting, writing and sending. But in the midst of the hustle and bustle, it’s also easy to lose sight of the importance of slowing down enough to fully enjoy the company of our older loved ones. With a little creative thinking, holiday festivities can be modified to incorporate activities for young and old, and everyone in between.

Grace Home Care’s team in home health in Topeka & nearby areas has compiled the following list of holiday activities for seniors that can help family members of all ages participate in the fun together:

  • Make simple holiday decorations together, such as oranges studded with cloves, paper snowflakes, construction paper chains, handmade ornaments, etc.
  • Gather together to sing familiar holiday songs, and reminisce over the memories that these songs evoke.
  • Bake cookies or other holiday treats, especially those the senior has prepared over the years, allowing him or her to pass the tradition on to the younger generation.
  • Wrap gifts or write out holiday cards as a family, allowing younger children and older adults who may struggle with these tasks to add name tags, stickers, bows, etc.
  • Enjoy an afternoon or evening spent watching classic holiday movies together.
  • Go out together to watch a holiday play or program at an area school or community center.
  • Schedule a game night with a holiday slant, such as holiday charades or name that holiday tune, or with classic board and card games that the senior may have grown up playing.
  • Decide as a family on a charitable cause that touches your hearts, and work together to make a difference, such as through collecting warm gloves for those in need, or baking homemade dog treats for the local animal shelter.
  • Take a drive to look at holiday lights, or to walk through the mall and enjoy the holiday ambiance.
  • Create a “remember when…” video or journal, with the older adult sharing memories of holidays past while the younger ones record or document their stories, draw accompanying pictures, and ask questions to learn more.

For additional ideas on holiday activities for seniors, contact the caregiver home care professionals at Grace Home Care. We’re also on hand to help make the holidays brighter and safer for older adults, and to reduce stress for family members, through individualized home care services such as:

  • Escorted transportation for holiday events and outings
  • Assistance with cleaning and organizing the home
  • Running errands to pick up groceries, gifts, or any other needed items
  • Help with holiday decorating
  • Companionship to share in conversations, reminiscing, arts and crafts, exercising, and more

You can reach our team in home health in Topeka & nearby areas at any time at 785.286.CARE to learn more about our senior care services, to request resources specific to your senior loved one’s needs, or to arrange for a free in-home consultation. From all of us at Grace Home Care, we wish you and yours the happiest of holidays!