50 Ways to Bring Seniors Comfort & Joy this Season

Comfort Keepers News  |  December 16, 2021

50 Ways to Bring Seniors Comfort & Joy this Season

50 Ways to Bring Seniors Comfort & Joy this Holiday Season – This holiday season promises to look different than any before it for many families. But it can be refreshing and fun to shake up the routine by incorporating new ideas, especially when some of the go-to activities may not be possible this holiday season.

“Christmas is a magical time whose spirit lives on in all of us no matter how old we grow.”  –Sirona Knight

While it is important to keep safety in mind during the holidays, there are a number of ways to bring connection, purpose and hope to seniors – even when we can’t see them in-person.

These fun ideas for families focus on activities to do with seniors, including grandparents, older parents, and elderly neighbors. Some are free or affordable, others may require some planning ahead, but all ideas can be done together or apartto bring joy and make new memories. Some of these can be done in person, for those in the same household, or activities can be facilitated by a caregiver to ensure both fun and safety. Others are intended to bring joy to those that can’t spend time together in person. While this year may not allow some of our usual seasonal traditions, there are still ways to find joy in the holiday season together.

50 Ways to Bring Seniors Comfort & Joy this Season

1. Bake cookies or a favorite holiday treat
2. Make an ornament or cute holiday decoration as a gift
3. Help a senior shop for holiday gifts online
4. Wrap gifts on behalf of a senior and deliver them to loved ones
5. Have a drive-through holiday parade outside of a senior’s home
6. Gather everyone in your household and go caroling for seniors
7. Put together a gift basket of hot chocolate, baked goods or favorite holiday snack
8. String lights outside of a senior’s home
9. Make a wreath for a senior’s door
10. Print photos of holiday memories and share them
11. Send cards, letters or notes of encouragement
12. Run a holiday errand for someone that is isolating at home
13. Snap a few photos of your friends, family, and petsto send by text or email
14. Plan a surprise meal for a senior, either by cooking for the senior in your household or arranging meal delivery if you can’t be in-person
15. Draw a picture and send it in the mail
16. Lend a senior a favorite book or movie and explain why you love it
17. Take a senior in your own household for a sunset car ride
18. Celebrate the 12 days of Christmas by sending a senior gifts and treats.
19. Color a page from a coloring book and give it as a gift
20. Surprise a senior by playing or singing their favorite song over the phone or on a video call
21. Paint a picture and give it to a senior
22. Make and send a handmade card
23. Post sticky notes with uplifting messages around the house
24. Make origamis and present them as gifts
25. Tell a senior what you admire about them
26. Create a book of holiday memories for someone special
27. Thank someone that you appreciate
28. Listen to a senior reminisce about the “good old days”
29. Surprise a senior by dancing to a favorite song on video or dance with a senior in your household!
30. Write a poem and give it as a gift
31. Bring coffee from their favorite coffee shop
32. Frame a senior’s favorite quote give it to them
33. Decorate for the holidays, either outside of their home or inside if you’re in the same household
34. Read a favorite holiday book together over the phone
35. Send a senior a poinsettia or other seasonal plant for their garden
36. Gift an indoor garden to someone that can’t be outside due to weather
37. Order supplies from an online crafts store for your loved one’s favorite hobby or something fun and new
38. Have your senior narrate parts of their life for you. Write down the memories and create a booklet with photos for you all to cherish.
39. Have a fashion show showcasing silly holiday looks over video or with a senior in your household and dress up in themes from your loved ones favorite era
40. Watch a favorite classic movie with a senior in your household
41. Ask your senior loved one to gather items to donate, and take them to a charity drive for them
42. Have family phone or video calls
43. Record a voice journal and share it
44. Create a family holiday recipe book
45. Play Bingo online
46. Create a collage and gift it to a senior loved one
47. Play charades in-person with those in your household or over video chat
48. Find a senior pen pal and send letters and notes on a regular basis
49. Share a favorite podcast or audio book
50. Make a family tree and gift it to a senior

Comfort Keepers® Can Help

Comfort Keepers can help. Our caregivers can provide wellness support, remind clients to take medication, provide transportation to scheduled appointments, and support physician-prescribed exercise regimens and diets. Our Interactive Caregiving™ engages clients physically, emotionally, mentally and socially ─ and provides a system of care that addresses safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs). As part of an individualized care plan, caregivers can let a senior’s care team know if there are changes in behavior or physical characteristics. Our goal is to see that clients have the means to find the joy and happiness in each day, regardless of age or acuity.

To learn more about our in-home care services, contact your Orangeville Comfort Keepers location today.

Related Article: Safe Snow Removal for Seniors

Bonus Article: In-Home Care

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