Making Christmas Merrier for Loved Ones in a Nursing Facility

The holidays are not always merry for people who reside in nursing homes. I know this first hand, as many Christmases were spent with my mother who resided a nursing home. So each year we figured out ways to make her Christmas a merry one. Many times, the elderly are overwhelmed with depressed feelings as the holiday season closes in, but, there are ways to cheer them up while celebrating Christmas with them, making another happy memory they hold on to.

1. Many nursing homes allow Christmas decorations in the rooms. Purchase a small artificial 2 or 3 foot tree, and ornaments to place in their room. Bring together the entire family to the nursing home to spend a day with your loved one, decorating the tree and listening to Christmas music. Each day prior to Christmas, they can enjoy the lit Christmas tree.

2. Organize a Christmas party in the nursing home for your loved one, and include other residents who do not have family members to spend Christmas with. Bake or buy cookies, and non alcoholic egg nog, for the party for the guests to enjoy. Ask friends and neighbors if they can donate small items for men and women, wrap them up with Christmas paper to hand out to the residents.This allows you to celebrate with your love one, and to cheer up another lonely resident as well.

3. Most nursing homes have a large lounge area where residents can spend time with their families. Plan to have the entire family meet at the nursing home on Christmas day, and bring the prepared meal with you to enjoy with your loved one. After dinner, you can enjoy opening presents together.

4. If your loved one is able to leave the nursing home, why not check them out for the day and bring them back to your home to enjoy Christmas dinner. This will let them have a much needed break from the nursing home setting, while spending time with the family. Most nursing homes allow patients to be checked out for a six hour time frame.

5 Have a male member of your family dress up like Santa, and pay a surprise visit to your loved one with a special present. While Santa is there, he can hand out candy canes, or a single flower to residents. Remember, just because your loved one may be elderly, does not mean they are not a kid at heart.

6. The day before Christmas, have your family spend a few hours at the nursing home with your loved one singing Christmas Carols.

7. Bring your loved one home to make Christmas cookies with the family. This works best with mother and Grandmothers, but my father enjoyed the quality time with his grandchildren.

8. Check your loved one out of the nursing home for a few hours, and bring them back to your home to enjoy a nice Christmas movie, with hot chocolate and popcorn at your home.

9. My mother enjoyed Elvis so much, that we rented an Elvis impersonator to sing Christmas songs at the nursing home. Bring your loved one into the lounge area, where you have cake and coffee set out, and start up a conversation. Shortly after Elvis walks in singing blue Christmas, watch their face light up with joy. Have a camera ready to take pictures to later put up in their room.

10. Check your loved one out of the nursing home for a few hours to enjoy a Christmas play. Many grade schools have annual Christmas plays, for friends and family to enjoy.

Christmas is a difficult time for people in nursing homes, many who reside there are widow or widowers, and some do not have any family. Opening your heart up to include them in this special day, will make a huge impact on their life. After all, Christmas is about giving, sharing, and celebrating the birth of Jesus. I do hope these tips will give you an idea or two on how to help make your loved ones Christmas brighter.