Celebrating Thanksgiving with the Seniors in Your Life | Elderlink Home Care

As the holiday season begins, it’s important to consider how you want to celebrate with the special people in your life–including seniors who may have decreased mobility, in turn making attending celebrations challenging for them. Do you want more involvement with your senior loved one this year? Are you eager to celebrate the holiday with them, but not quite sure where to start? Try some of these great ideas to make the most your holiday with your senior loved one.

Create Great Decorations

It’s time for fall, and with the arrival of the season, there are plenty of great decorations that reflect the Thanksgiving holiday and the gorgeous weather outside. Consider the types of crafts and decorations that your senior loved one enjoys creating, whether it’s crocheting a custom set of placemats or putting together a stunning centerpiece. Look for ways that you can create those custom decorations together. Working together on fun crafts is a great bonding opportunity as well as something that will make your senior loved one feel like a useful and needed part of the holiday planning experience. This can be particularly useful if your loved one is used to hosting the holiday gathering, since it will allow them to continue to be active in the planning process.

Plan the Perfect Thanksgiving Meal

You’re putting together the perfect Thanksgiving meal for your entire family–but what does your elderly loved one consider to be the perfect Thanksgiving? Take the time to sit down with them before the holiday gathering. Ask them what they’d most like to eat. Do they love turkey, or do they prefer a slightly different tradition? Do they have favorite sides that they’d love to see on the Thanksgiving table? This is a great opportunity to share family recipes and bond in the kitchen, allowing you to see exactly how they make those special favorites from your younger years. When the day of the meal arrives, take the time to ask your elderly loved one exactly what they want on their plate so that they get the perfect Thanksgiving experience.

Create Activities for Everyone

When the food is all eaten and everyone is stuffed to the gills, what will you do with the rest of your Thanksgiving? Look for activities that everyone can participate in together. You could, for example:

• Play Turkey Bingo 
• Construct a gratitude tree, with handprint leaves on which everyone shares what they’re thankful for
• Look through Black Friday ads together and make a plan for shopping, either out in the stores or online
• Play charades or another fun game with a Thanksgiving twist
• Take family pictures while everyone is gathered together

Reflect on the Past

How many opportunities do you have to bring your entire family together and reminisce about the past? This Thanksgiving, enjoy having your family all in one place and make a point to talk about pleasant holiday memories. Ask your senior loved one about their most memorable moments. Chances are, they’ll have some great stories! Even better, take the time to sit down and add stories to a scrapbook or photo album. Those will be cherished reminders of your entire family that you can enjoy for years to come.

This Thanksgiving, make sure that you make the most of the season with your senior loved one. It’s time to pull out all the stops and take the time for some bonding and fun. Contact us to learn more about our in-home care options and how we can help increase your loved one’s quality of life.