Holidays 2020: 8 Activities for Seniors in Retirement Communities
Published on December 10, 2020
The holidays are going to be a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate the festive season with our loved ones living in retirement communities. While you may not be able to physically gather around a big dinner table, you can still virtually maintain some of your favourite holiday traditions. From baking cookies to listening to fun holiday music, there are lots of holiday activity ideas that can be enjoyed virtually in the comfort of their own senior living spaces!
It all starts with making a list and then checking it twice…
1. Throw a Virtual Christmas Party
Even though you can’t physically be together for the holidays, that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a good time with one another! Arrange to have a camera or laptop with a strong Wi-Fi connection set up in your loved one’s suite, so that they can join in on all the fun along with the rest of the family. With so many videoconferencing platforms available, spending time virtually with your family this holiday season is easier than ever.
2. Watch Some Christmas Classics Together
Watching beloved Christmas classics like White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, and A Christmas Story is a holiday tradition for many families around the globe. It’s also a great way to get everyone in the holiday spirit. In the modern age, you don’t have to be in the same room to be able to watch these films together. Most streaming services now offer a “watch with friends” option, so you can watch the same program simultaneously and even chat on the screen at the same time.
3. Cookie and Book Swaps with Other Community Members
Another way to brighten spirits is to really build on the sense of community by encouraging your loved ones to engage in fun activities with their fellow Community Members. Retirement communities have developed many programs to help Community Members connect while still maintaining physical distancing protocols.
4. Create a Holiday Recipe Guide with Fellow Community Members
Over the years, many seniors have accumulated a pretty extensive collection of favourite holiday recipes. There’s nothing more fun and exciting than sharing a recipe you love with friends and family. Encourage your loved one who’s living in a retirement community to share their favourite holiday recipes with their neighbours and the Community’s culinary team, so that they can participate in a large communal holiday feast.
5. Write and Send a Letter to Santa with the Grandkids
Writing a letter to Santa—and getting one in return—is one of the most exciting aspects of childhood. But it’s even better when kids get to do it with their grandparents. Despite social and physical distancing restrictions this year, seniors living in retirement communities can still participate in this beloved tradition from the comfort of their own homes.
6. Select Some Items to Donate
After all, Christmas is the season to give! So why not encourage your elderly loved one to go through their belongings and select a few items to donate to the needy? Their generosity will brighten up someone else’s Christmas who may be less fortunate and they’ll feel good about doing a meaningful good deed while also setting a positive example for their grandkids.
7. Get in Touch with Your Spiritual Side
The holidays can be a very stressful time of year for a lot of people because of all the planning, preparations, and Christmas shopping involved. At the end of it all, though, we’re usually rewarded with some fun quality time spent with loved ones. This year, not being able to spend quality time in person with loved ones will be especially difficult on seniors living in retirement communities. Encouraging them to get in touch with their spiritual side through meditation and attending virtual religious services is a great way to help them stay positive and this holiday season and in the coming New Year.
8. Make a Holiday Playlist
“Music is the soundtrack of your life” and those old holiday classics can really bring back some wonderful memories for older adults in retirement communities. Making a holiday playlist featuring classics sung by the likes of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Peggy Lee is enough to put anyone in the Christmas spirit!
At V!VA Retirement Communities, we understand that the holiday season will be a little different this year. But that doesn’t mean that our Community Members won’t still be able to enjoy the season. We’re doing everything we can to make sure that our Community Members will still be able to contact their families virtually and engage in fun holiday activities. To learn more about the seasonal activities we have planned this year, feel free to Contact us today!
