How to Celebrate the Holidays With Seniors in Assisted Living

How to Celebrate the Holidays With Seniors in Assisted Living

The holiday season is a time of joy, family and friendship, however, for many seniors, it can also be a time of loneliness.

Senior living communities can make it easier for families and residents to celebrate the holidays together. These celebrations are important—not only because they boost both the morale and physical health of seniors living in their communities, but they also allow family members to continue long-standing family traditions (and even make new ones).

The Dangers of Senior Isolation

Although the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the majority of women (and nearly one-third of men) over the age of 85 live alone, isolation and loneliness have been shown to increase the risk of mortality and a variety of health conditions like dementia. During the holiday season, cold winter weather can keep people close to home, which increases the risk of senior isolation. 

This makes it even more crucial for family members and senior care providers to band together and create a variety of holiday activities to encourage family participation for those who may be feeling isolated. These activities can provide seniors in assisted living with something to look forward to each week, and they allow family members to enjoy quality time with their loved ones.

Three Ways to Celebrate the Holidays in Assisted Living

While there are hundreds of holiday traditions and activities that can be adapted for an assisted living environment, some of the most entertaining and interactive activities are 

  • Creating a gift from scratch (including a craft, custom holiday cards or scrapbooks, or a baked good)
  • Viewing a holiday movie or live TV special, then discussing it over dinner or dessert
  • Decorating the facility for the holidays (including decorating a Christmas tree or lighting a menorah) over hot chocolate 

Each of these activities encourages participation from residents’ loved ones and or even members of the public who want to volunteer time. Creating crafts or decorating for the holidays can provide residents with visible reminders of their time with family 

Best of all, these events are low cost, which allows facilities to schedule several of them over the course of just a month or two.

With the holiday season in mind, let Atkinson’s Pharmacy take care of all your pharmacy needs. From medical equipment to 24/7 on-call pharmacists, and daily home delivery of medication, our friendly representatives provide top-notch advice and service all year long. Call us to find out how we can help your facility.