Tips For Spending The Holidays With Loved Ones In An Assisted Living
Posted on: 16 December 2015
If you have a loved on who is in an assisted living facility, you might worry about how to best spend the holidays with him or her. You want to make sure that you spend enough time with that person so that he or she feels loved and appreciated during the holidays, but not make the day feel forced or uncomfortable. Here are some tips for spending the holidays with a loved one in an assisted living facility.
1. Bring Things to Do
After you eat a meal with your loved one and have opened presents, there's a good chance that you are going to be at a loss of what to do next. You don't want your visit to be too short, but you also probably don't want to sit in silence with your loved one and simply watch TV. To avoid the awkward silence that might ensue, you can bring activities that you and your loved one can do together. You can bring a holiday-themed puzzle, a card game that your loved one enjoys playing, or even a simple craft and all of its related supplies. By having something to do with your hands, you can allow conversation between you and your loved one to flow naturally and for you to extend your visit without feeling awkward.
2. Participate in Activities Sponsored By the Assisted Living Facility
Another option is to participate in activities that have been sponsored by the assisted living facility. This is an easy way to make sure that you and your loved one are able to spend quality time together even after you have run out of things to talk about. Talk to the assisted living facility to see if they have holiday-themed bingo, a group craft, or a chorus that is putting on a show.
3. Involve Your Loved One's Friends
If the assisted living facility does not have any activities planned on the days when you are visiting, consider bringing your own group activities. Simple group games such as Apples to Apples or bingo are easy to organize and will allow you to involve the friends that your loved one might have made while he or she was at the assisted living facility. Even if there are planned activities, consider involving your loved one's friends by sitting near them, especially if these friends do not have anyone visiting them. This will show your loved one that you are committed to supporting the life that he or she has built at the facility.
For more information, talk to the employees at your loved one's assisted living facilities.
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