Your parent has recently moved out of their long-time house into an Assisted Living community. When they lived at home, you and your children would always be over during the holidays. You’d decorate the tree. Later, you’d help Mom with Christmas dinner. But now, she lives in an apartment, and you have a lot of questions. How do you celebrate the holidays when Mom has moved to Assisted Living? Q. How do we decorate? A. You can put up a tree in your parent’s apartment as long as it’s in a safe location. Artificial trees are preferred for safety reasons. You can place wreaths or other holiday decorations on your parent’s doors and windows. Maintenance staff will help you if you need it. Q. Are there any holiday events at the community? A. Always! The halls and common areas will be decorated with the signs of the season. Most communities present several events during the Christmas season, ranging from holiday-themed crafts to caroling, and all communities have a special dinner. All events are open to residents’ family and friends. Q. We want to invite the entire family to celebrate, but they all won’t fit in the apartment. A. Most Assisted Living communities offer places, such as a private dining room, where families can celebrate together. Q. We’re all going to midnight services as a family. Is it too late to bring our loved one back? A. This is their home! They can come and go as they please. Many Assisted Living communities also offer spiritual ceremonies and programs on-site. Q. Will the children be too noisy or active? A. Assisted Living communities love hosting their residents’ grandchildren. It brings a smile to the faces of residents and staff alike. And don’t worry if your child is fussy or has a temper tantrum or has a case of the teenage sulks because most people there have kids and grandkids, too. Q. We want to visit Mom, but some of the guys want to watch the game, too. A. If you don’t want to watch in your parent’s apartment, most Assisted Living communities have a living room with a big-screen TV, and you can bet the big game will be on! Assisted Living communities promote family interaction. We do everything possible to involve the family. And now your parent can celebrate the holidays with her Assisted Living family, too. More ideas to celebrate the holidays If you’d like more ideas about how to celebrate the holidays now that mom or dad is getting older, read The Arbors Assisted Living Residential Communities article, “10 Ways to Bring the Holidays to Your Senior” here.
