According to Consumer Affairs 28% of people over 65 live alone. As of January 2023, there are over 14.7 million senior citizens living alone in the US. The upcoming holidays create some difficult times for seniors as they have lost family and friends over the years. They may not be able to travel and see relatives and many times people want to spend the holidays at home which prevents them from visiting. During my career caring for senior citizens, I have learned many ways of assisting them that make good memories.
Take some time to help a senior decorate with some of their own family decorations. Placing ornaments on the tree is one of my personal favorite activities and really is a walk down memory lane. Ask them about some of their treasured ornaments and you will see them smile or sometimes tear up while speaking about where they got it. Many times, Christmas tree ornaments are passed down the family line and have hung on previous generations trees. I love giving ornaments as small gifts because I know they will think of me every time they hang it. Giving a senior the opportunity to bask in the glow of some lights on the tree while they watch the ornaments sparkle can be a heartwarming gift they will never forget.
Holiday family recipes and traditions are another activity that can help seniors feel loved and included in the whole experience. Ask a senior neighbor to join you for dinner and help them feel like they contributed by making one of their favorite holiday recipes. Some seniors may feel awkward about accepting the invitation to dinner so a good technique to use is to give them a handwritten invite with date and time on it. Typically, if you just ask them casually, they may decline the offer feeling they don’t want to be a burden. Use the Publix commercial idea and send one of your kids to deliver the invite!
Some other ideas are to offer to take a senior to holiday church services, parades or community events. We have many rehabs and assisted living facilities that are full of people who have no family to visit for Christmas. Maybe make some cookies or handmade cards and deliver them to the nearest senior facility. If you belong to a group that goes caroling, make sure to stop by homes with seniors living alone in the community to bring that holiday joy to their doorstep.
Most people have seniors in their family, in their neighborhood, or in their church and hopefully you will consider picking one or multiple seniors to do something to make them feel loved during this precious time of tradition and reflection. Doing so will be not only a gift to them, but a gift to yourself you will always remember. Happy Holidays!
