If your family has flown the coup, then Thanksgiving may look different this year. While it is normal to feel a little sentimental, starting new family traditions can help cheer your senior loved one up this holiday season. Below are a few new Thanksgiving traditions Rhode Island elderly care providers recommend for local families.
Invite a Nursing Home Resident
If you love the thought of cooking for a crowd on Thanksgiving, but you only have a small gathering, then consider less fortunate people you can invite to dinner. Perhaps your senior loved one has friends in nursing homes or in the neighborhood that can join you both for dinner. In fact, you and your loved one can give less fortunate nursing home residents something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving by preparing a feast for them.
Share Your Holiday with a Foreign Exchange Student
Alternatively, if there is a local college nearby, you and your loved one can call the administration and see if there are students who cannot go home for the holidays. Particularly, students who are from foreign countries often have to move out of the dorms but cannot afford to travel all the way home. Invite these students to spend the holiday at your home. Your senior loved one will enjoy having the young person around, and they will enjoy learning all about your Thanksgiving traditions.
Volunteer
In-home Rhode Island caregivers can look for opportunities for seniors to volunteer in their communities during Thanksgiving. In almost every neighborhood, a local church will be planning a community feast. Some local colleges do this as well. Many have trouble getting enough help to feed the crowd that shows up there. Even seniors who cannot get out can participate in these programs by making goodie bags for children or creating centerpieces for the table. Focusing on others helps seniors to feel less lonely.
While the Thanksgiving holiday will hold memories of a time gone by, starting new holiday traditions allows seniors and their families have something to be thankful for. Learn about other traditions and activities seniors can enjoy by calling Home Care Assistance at (401) 284-0979. We provide specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia and stroke care Rhode Island families trust to help seniors age in place with dignity. Call today to have one of our experienced Care Managers customize a care plan for your loved one.