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Making the Holidays Special with Aging Loved Ones

It’s that time of year again for holiday celebrations with family and friends. Along with the celebrations come many heartfelt traditions. It may also be a year of transition where you try new activities, and that is okay too, whatever works for your family and includes your senior loved ones. 

Seniors have traditions that date back to their youth – many of which were passed down through the generations. When celebrating, make sure you ask what the holidays meant to them growing up. Seniors are more closely tied to holiday customs than younger generations. Make sure to really listen when they share their memories; then make it possible to include their special traditions in your holiday celebrations. Plan activities with seniors to help preserve memories. It will give everyone involved a sense of connection and belonging and is a great way to bridge the gap between the generations. 

Some traditions never change such as baking and cooking cherished favorites. Ask your senior loved one to share their favorite holiday recipes. I have a hunch you probably already have the recipes and have been making them for years. If that’s the case, print the recipes up and distribute them to younger family members. Ask your senior loved one to share a story about the recipe and include it. One day, the younger family members will be carrying on the baking and cooking traditions. 

A tradition my family particularly enjoyed was watching classic holiday movies. Set aside a specific time to watch your senior’s favorites. Ask them to share any memories they may have about the show. Did they watch it with their grandparents? Parents? What made it special? Then have a grandchild pick their favorite and ask Grandma or Grandpa to watch it with them. I’m sure heartfelt laughter will result. 

Often your senior will have ornaments that have been passed down through the family. If they are no longer able to decorate, ask if they want to include any of their ornaments on your tree. Another option is to ask if they would like a small, artificial tabletop tree to hang a few of their favorites. Better yet, see if they are ready to part with any to give them as gifts to family or friends.  

Viewing Christmas lights around the neighborhood is a festive way to spend time together. If your family has young kids or even teens, bring them along for the fun. The teens may moan (speaking from experience), but they will appreciate it – if not now, in the future. 

Sometimes aging restricts our older loved ones from participating in the holidays. For some, it may be extremely difficult or impossible to participate. If your loved one suffers from dementia or has mobility challenges, it may not be in their best interest to travel where the festivities are taking place. Confusion may be increased by noisy and unfamiliar surroundings. If this is the case, consider taking the holiday to them. This could be as large as having the family dinner at their place or just a simple visit for a few hours; after all, it’s not about the presents but more about being present. Keep in mind how quickly seniors may tire. Check with your loved one or their caregiver to determine how much activity is appropriate. 

Many senior living facilities have holiday celebrations. Most of the time families are encouraged to attend. Since the facility is now home to your loved one, make it a point to attend the celebrations. Your loved one will delight in showing you off to their friends.

Regardless of where or how you celebrate, be sure to encourage conversation. You may find your loved one wants to talk about things other than the holidays such as unmet needs, stress, health or safety issues. It is not uncommon during this time of year to notice your loved one’s decline cognitively and/or physically. A more in-depth conversation and look into resources may be necessary. CareWell Services can help with concerns you may have. You can reach the Resource Navigation line by calling 269-441-0934. 

However you choose to celebrate, make sure your senior loved one knows you value their traditions. If they can no longer participate like in years past, reassure them any time spent together is far more important than all the festivities.

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