10 Fun Holiday Activities for Seniors – Elderly Companion Care
The holiday season can be the perfect time for older adults to indulge in fun activities, spend time with their loved ones, and feel included.
According to a caregiver working as a paid companionship for the elderly in Chelmsford, “the holidays can be lots of fun for seniors as they get a chance to sit with their family, enjoy good company, and share the holiday spirit.”
With holidays just around the corner, it is the right time to plan some exciting activities for seniors to enjoy both at home and outside.
Here are our 10 favorite holiday activities seniors can enjoy with their loved ones, caregivers, and friends.
1. Putting up the decorations
What’s Halloween or Christmas without a tree, red stockings, and a perfectly carved jack-o’-lantern?
Why not involve your parents, grandparents, or patients to help with putting up the holiday decorations?
You can make a holiday wreath, fill stockings, or other DIY holiday crafts together to make your home holiday-ready.
Not only will this enable you to spend more time with seniors, but they will also feel included and enthusiastically participate in the preparations.
2. Wrapping gifts
Exchanging gifts is one of the most loved holiday traditions. What’s more interesting is you can wrap your presents in holiday-themed covers and papers to give them a real holiday feel.
If your elderly enjoy wrapping and decorating presents, you can ask for their help and prepare gifts together.
The good thing about this holiday activity is that it doesn’t take up too much energy. Also, it enables seniors to explore the creative side of their personalities.
You can also take your loved one for a quick store visit to buy wrapping material of their choice. This way, they will feel more empowered and enjoy wrapping gifts from their favorite supplies.
3. Playing games
Seniors who can’t spend a lot of time outside can indulge in different types of card and board games at home. These games can hook their interest for long and also make them feel accomplished and worthy.
If possible, you can also arrange an online setup where the elderly can play their favorite online games with friends and family.
Games improve cognitive functions and also help with the senior’s motor skills.
4. Sing holiday songs
Every senior has their own favorite holiday classics. You can sing those songs with them and also invite friends and family to participate.
Pro tip: You can also arrange a musical night at your home where seniors can sing and perform on their favorite songs. This will allow them to spend quality time with their loved ones, enjoy their favorite food, and perform on tracks they loved the most.
5. Organize a virtual party
Christmas parties and holiday bashes are fun and kinda must when we talk about the holiday season. But that’s fine if you want to skip the grand holiday get-together because of the covid restrictions or compromised health of your elderly.
You can still keep the family tradition alive by organizing a virtual party and hanging out until the clock strikes 12. Invite family and friends by sending an E-vite and let seniors enjoy their favorite food while catching up with friends and family.
6. Preparing holiday treats together
Put on your aprons and get ready to learn your elderly’s special holiday recipes. Ask them to bake or cook themselves while you can assist them throughout the process. Enjoy food together, and don’t forget to appreciate them for their mouth-watering cookies, pies, and chowders.
7. Creating and sending holiday cards
Creating digitized e-cards is another creative holiday activity seniors can do at home. This will allow them to let their loved ones know how much they miss them this holiday season.
They can either create such cards on paper and send via courier or create e-cards and send them out to their loved one with a single click.
8. Watching movies
If your elderly are into music and movies, you can watch a holiday-themed movie together to keep their holiday spirit alive.
You can also invite other friends and family for a movie night so that everyone can share the joy of watching a good movie and spending quality time together.
9. Take them out
While it is a good idea to spend more time at home and indulge in different activities, you can also take your elderly out once or twice during the holiday season so that they can feel the change.
For instance, you can take them to their favorite restaurant or a cafe. If you have a mall nearby, you can also take them there to enjoy holiday decorations and lighting.
10. Giving back to the community
Help your elderly share their blessings with those in need. Doing so will help seniors feel they can still make a difference in other people’s lives despite their old age and illnesses.
You can help the elderly collect donatable items from the house, including toys, clothing, and blankets, then donate them to your chosen charity.
