‘Tis the season for family gatherings, favorite traditions, and comforting foods that everyone at the table enjoys. If a member of your family is a senior living community resident this year, you might be wondering how that will impact your family holiday traditions. The good news is that living in a senior community will not affect your family’s plans. In fact, it might create an opportunity for new traditions you’ll look forward to each year.
Here are a few of our tips for keeping family holiday traditions alive after your loved one retires to a senior living community.
Visit the Family
Residents of Arbor communities are welcome to leave campus, which means you can pick up your loved one on your way to the family celebration. Just be sure to call the community in advance to learn more about any sign-out policies, ensure the team there has the chance to offer personalized assistance so that your loved one can look their best, and pack up any medications they may need while they are out of the building.
Entertain at the Community
If your loved one was always the host or hostess of family holiday traditions, invite family members to the senior living community. Small groups can easily meet up comfortably in Arbor’s spacious apartments while larger groups can reserve spots in the community. Or, your family can take advantage of family events that are hosted at the community; you’ll enjoy delicious food and excellent entertainment while you are there.
Coronavirus Precautions
This year, the holidays are sure to look a bit different due to coronavirus safety precautions. However, this doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find other ways to connect with your loved ones and experience favorite family holiday traditions.
Communicate with the senior living community.
Coronavirus precautions at Arbor communities are of the utmost importance. We take resident, staff, and visitor safety seriously, cleaning more often, screening for symptoms more regularly, and enforcing mask best practices. That said, we are also committed to finding ways to keep residents connected to their loved ones.
Be sure you are in frequent contact with your Arbor community to see what precautions there are for visitors or events.
Remember, safety first.
If you are visiting your loved one at their apartment or inviting your loved one to come with you to a family gathering, remember to put safety first. If you aren’t sure what types of precautions are best, our Arbor staff is happy to help. We have worked hard to keep up with all the current best practices for infection control and are happy to share those recommendations with you.
We’ll help with technology.
If your family has decided to turn family gatherings into a virtual affair, let our team help! We would love to know when your virtual event is so that we can provide technical assistance to your loved one as needed so they don’t miss any of the action.
Consider a care package.
Our Arbor concierge services mean you can send a care package for your loved one and rest assured that they will receive it on time and safely. Pack up a few homemade hot cocoa mixes, a festive mug, and a pair of fuzzy socks for your loved one to enjoy during your next scheduled phone call, or wrap up favorite holiday snacks for them to munch on while watching a movie.
Share photos and reminisce.
If your family is going to be apart for the holidays this year, consider encouraging everyone to take photos of their season to share with one another virtually via text, social media, or email. Your loved one will have plenty of Arbor community events to share; we are dedicated to making this season extra special for everyone who calls our community home.
Wondering what life is like in an Arbor senior living community? For more than 30 years, our teams have served residents with dignity, grace, and compassion in order to form lasting relationships that contribute to their overall wellness. Learn more about senior living and what it can offer your loved one by downloading our free resource, “Home for the Holidays”.
