‘Tis the season for festive fun! At a Fort Myers, FL memory care community, the holiday season is one of the best times of the year. With so much to do to prepare for the holiday season, there are plenty of opportunities for residents to get involved and stay busy! Not only are activities during the holiday season lots of fun, but they also provide cognitive stimulation to support brain health. Plus, holiday activities can be easily adapted to meet the abilities of each unique resident. With every program on our activity calendar, we hope to provide joy and purposefulness, while also ensuring that residents can participate with success.
The Importance of a Busy Engagement Calendar
People living with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia benefit from structure and support all year long. A robust activity calendar will include programs for a wide variety of interests and abilities. This provides routine and opportunities to socialize - two things known to benefit people living with this disease. While the holiday season can be a lot of fun, it can also be an emotional and difficult time of year for some. Staying active with a variety of activities can help beat the winter blues.
The holiday season provides endless opportunities for sensory work, reminiscing and creativity. While there is always lots to do, here are five of our favorite ways to spend the holidays with our memory care residents!
1. Have a singalong of holiday favorites
Music can do wonders for the brain, and the holiday season has so many classical tunes to sing together. Whether there’s a guest performer providing entertainment, or the singalong that is resident-led, a holiday singalong is sure to bring smiles to residents, staff, and loved ones.
Holiday music can be a festive addition to any day-to-day activity - during mealtime, in the background of a craft or game, or even when care is being provided. Holiday music is something so familiar to so many, it becomes a way to connect, and celebrate together, while also benefiting the brain.
2. Create & hang holiday decorations
With homemade decorations, the holiday season will have a personal touch. From holiday count-downs, paper snowflakes, or table centerpieces, the opportunities are endless to get creative with decorations. As an added bonus, many arts and crafts are beneficial for fine motor skills. Crafts are specially chosen to meet the abilities of the residents to ensure that they can be successful and feel good about their outcome.
Decorating together helps reinforce feelings of community amongst the community team members and other residents and may bring back fond memories of family traditions during the holiday season. Inviting family members and friends to the community to participate and enjoy the decor is a great way to show off the work and abilities of the residents.
3. Bake & decorate holiday cookies
Home-baked cookies are a staple of the holiday season. Baking cookies, cutting them out with festive shapes, and decorating them are not only a fun activity, but also invokes many senses. While there is nothing like the smell of freshly baked cookies, smelling spices and other ingredients can trigger memories, encouraging reminiscing. You also may overhear conversations about favorite holiday recipes!
4. Decorate holiday cards for family and friends
Staying connected with family and friends is so important during the holiday season. Decorating holiday cards for loved ones is a great way to stay connected while staying busy. Cards can be shared with the residents’ loved ones, team members, other residents or even residents of the Fort Myers community. Activities that benefit or bring joy to others are wonderful for promoting feelings of purposefulness and community among residents.
5. Reminisce on holiday memories
Reminiscing and sharing holiday memories and traditions is a wonderful way to connect and tap into long term memory. Putting a fireplace on the TV and shimmering lights, sets a perfect scene to share holiday memories or read festive poems and stories.
The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year at a Fort Myers memory care community, bringing joy, meaning, and togetherness. Whether it’s listening to holiday songs while setting up a tree or menorah, baking holiday treats, or creating cards for loved ones, there is sure to be something for everyone.
Want to learn what’s happening at Arbor Terrace Fort Myers this holiday season? Check out our event calendar to see what we’re up to and ways to get involved!
