Thanksgiving with senior loved ones offers a wonderful opportunity for families and friends to come together, savor delicious meals, and create cherished memories in a joyful atmosphere!
This holiday holds a special place in the hearts of many families, primarily due to the cherished customs it entails. Nevertheless, preparing for Thanksgiving can sometimes become a source of stress, especially for those who care for elderly relatives.
In particular, if you have senior loved ones who are displaying symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, or if they are experiencing a decline in their physical abilities, your traditional Thanksgiving festivities might require some adjustments to cater to their requirements.
TO GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE WE GO
If that is your family’s tradition, then off you go. But now that the grandparents are older, the holidays may be a source of stress for your parents or grandparents. The tradition itself could bring up painful memories, but you can make this the best Thanksgiving ever.
Here are 6 tips that the team at Kabb Law compiled to make celebrating Thanksgiving with senior loved ones a joy for all involved.
Tips For Enjoying Thanksgiving With Senior Loved Ones
1. Talk before Walk
Begin with Thanksgiving preparations far, far ahead.
Preparation is key if you hope to have an enjoyable holiday with your loved ones. Don’t ever wait until Thanksgiving Day to start getting ready!
2. Begin by Helping To Run Errands
If your senior loved one does insists on hosting this year, there are several things that you can do to help them get ready.
Have your loved one put together the Thanksgiving shopping list EARLY! It’s a good idea to start a few weeks ahead and freeze a lot of the items.
There will also be the inevitable last-minute trips to the store on Thanksgiving Day. You can take your loved one on those trips, so they feel like they are an important part of making the meal.
3. Help with the Meal Preparation
Cooking a Thanksgiving dinner is a big job, and even if you’re not a gourmet chef, you can still lend a big helping hand.
Never eliminate the cooking from your senior if that’s something that they really enjoy doing. Instead, work with them in preparing all the freezable dishes a couple of times each week in the few weeks before Thanksgiving.
If your senior doesn’t cook anymore, be sure to involve them in the kitchen preparations. For example they could mash the sweet potatoes by hand, add pre-measured ingredients to a bowl and other simple tasks.
4. Setting the Table
Depending on the mobility of your senior, this could be tricky when inviting them to set the table. We recommend having the china already on the table and have your senior arrange the dishes to the spots where they are needed.
They probably have a specific way they like to fold the napkins or set the wine glasses. The table should have their personal spin on the final setting.
5. Decorating the House
To help make the day feel more special, you may want to add flowers to your holiday table.
Your senior could cut the flowers and arrange them on the table or add some small pumpkins by the front door. Decorating is a sure way to help your loved one feel involved.
6. Hosting the Party
With all the new responsibilities that you are taking on, it is important to remember that your mom and dad are still the hosts – Let Them Do Their Job!
Make sure that they are still in charge of greeting guests as they arrive, taking their coats, showing people where appetizers are, making conversation, etc.
In the case of loved ones that are wheel chair bound or immobile, position them close to the front door to greet people as they arrive. Later, you can transition them to the head of the table.
In Conclusion
Celebrating Thanksgiving with senior loved ones can and should be a joy for all involved.
All that is required is a bit of pre-planning and a sensitivity to the needs of everyone involved in making the holiday special.
As our gift to you on this Thanksgiving, we’ve attached a favorite, very easy recipe for this Thanksgiving:
Easiest Ever Pumpkin Soup
SERVES: 4 (8 cups total)
- 1 (29-oz.) can pure pumpkin
- 1 quart box of chicken broth or vegetable soup
- 1/2 cup Rich’s whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup brown sugar or honey
- Stir the pure pumpkin, chicken broth, cream, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar or honey and salt in a pot and cook, stirring occasionally. Boil and boil and boil until soup gets thick.
- Leave soup pot out overnight. It should help to thicken it.
- Ladle into soup bowls or refrigerate or freeze in an airtight container. Top with a salted nut of your choice.
Wishing you all the best Thanksgiving ever Kabb Law Firm 216-991-5222
