Celebrating the Holidays with a Loved One in a Long- term Care Community

Celebrating the Holidays

with a Loved One in a Long-Term Care Community

With a little planning, you can bring holiday cheer to your loved one wherever they reside. The way you celebrate may change, but the sentiment behind it can remain.

Meaningful Moments

If your parent or another family member has recently relocated to a long-term care community, it’s important to acknowledge this will be his or her first holiday away from home.

Ask your loved one what he or she would like to do for the holidays, and give them the opportunity to be involved in decision making.

Make sure to consult with facility staff before bringing your family member home for the day to be with other relatives. They can help determine if your loved one is doing well enough for a home visit and provide any safety guidelines related to COVID-19.

If your loved one is staying at the facility, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate.

Many facilities are open to the idea of holiday parties for residents, as long as they are planned in advance.

“The family can request an area to have a private party and invite other family members to come to the celebration,” said Angela Hurst, recreation coordinator at Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill.

“Or, they can simply bring their loved one some holiday food, or just bring family to visit, especially if they are from out of town.”

Kelly Weaver, executive director at Masonic Village at Warminster, said her staff “love a good celebration” and will decorate a room so family members can come and celebrate the holidays or a birthday with their loved one.

When you visit the facility, you can potentially decorate your loved one’s room with a small Christmas tree or Menorah, gifts, holiday cards and lights (check with facility staff in case some items are prohibited) or set up a device to play holiday music. Stay engaged with your loved one by sharing photo albums from holidays past and talking about old memories.

Gift Giving

for family members living in a long-term care community

Finding the most useful gifts for a family member who lives in a long-term care community to enjoy can be challenging. Older adults have received a lifetime of gifts, but over the years, their needs may have changed. They may be dealing with physical health issues or memory loss and have needs for everyday items that wouldn’t normally come to mind.

What most people want, especially after the last year and a half, is TIME with their family members. If you can’t be there in person, a phone call or video chat is the next best thing.

In addition to giving your time, Masonic Villages team members offer the following suggestions for appropriate holiday gifts for loved ones residing in a nursing or personal care home:

• slipper socks • robes

• pajamas • a quilt or blanket, especially memory blankets with pictures on them • watches or clocks which announce the time of day (for people with visual deficits) • snacks like soft cookies, raisins, peanut butter crackers, cupcakes and cereal they can enjoy and share, if desired • crossword puzzles • word search books • adult coloring books and colored pencils • photo albums or scrapbooks • framed pictures of family, or digital frames with photos uploaded • toiletries such as body wash, lotions or shampoo and conditioner • hats, gloves and scarves for going out on trips • sweaters

• a music player with CDs of their favorite singers or music downloaded onto them • restaurant gift certificates they can use for a meal trip • playing cards • large piece jigsaw puzzles • cards, notepaper, envelopes and stamps • jewelry sets for women • holiday decorations

The holidays may feel different for someone residing in a long-term care community, especially if it’s their first year in a new home. It’s important to acknowledge this change, but you can still create memories and merriness for them with your presence, phone or video conversations and through gift-giving.

While you may not be able to recreate those family holidays you’ve enjoyed in the past, don’t let this stop you from starting new traditions with your loved one.