Fun Ways of Celebrating Easter with Aging Parents or Relatives

The holidays are special for many reasons, but most importantly, they provide the opportunity for us to catch up with family. They are especially helpful in allowing us to visit aging parents or relatives who may need that extra care and attention. This may be a time to address some issues, check on their health, or simply spend some quality time together.

Table Of Content

• 1 . Cook or bake together
• 2 . Watch a movie together with the entire family
• 3 . Have a heart-to-heart about their present health and physical condition to make sure they are doing well
• 4 . Arrange some Easter activities they can do with the grandkids
• 5 . Sit down together to create a list of people that they can contact in the event of an emergency
• 6 . Make precious memories together
• 7 . Help them with odd jobs around their home that they can’t get round to doing themselves
• 8 . Make some home safety and convenience updates
• 9 . Show them you care with a special gift

Here are some Easter activities for seniors you can do to make the holiday a memorable one.

Cook or bake together

Cooking a special Easter lunch or baking some treats for the occasion are some of the quintessential Easter activities for families. Doing things in the kitchen together is always a great way to show that you care and spend quality time with each other. If your loved one lives in a care facility, check to see if they have arrangements for doing such activities with family or simply bring in some treats with the family. Plan this according to your loved one’s abilities, and don't forget to assist when needed.

Watch a movie together with the entire family

The holidays can be the perfect opportunity to get the family together, and the seniors will love having the grandchildren involved. Whether it’s going out to the cinema or turning the living room into a family theatre, they will love watching a golden classic together with the family. 

Have a heart-to-heart about their present health and physical condition to make sure they are doing well

If the senior lives alone or is in a long-term care facility, the holidays are a good time to sit down and listen to them. Make it a point to ask about and listen to their health concerns, or if they are going through loneliness or depression. Encouraging honesty about negative concerns and showing empathy is enough to make them feel like they aren’t alone. Follow up with an action plan to help solve their problems.

Arrange some Easter activities they can do with the grandkids

Getting the kids involved is the best thing you can do for grandparents. They can get together to make Easter decorations, have an Easter egg hunt, paint Easter eggs or play Easter games for seniors. Make sure to tweak the activities according to the ability level of your loved one.

Sit down together to create a list of people that they can contact in the event of an emergency

Visiting over the holidays can be the perfect opportunity to sit down with your loved one and create that all-important list of emergency contacts. Check with their care facilities if there’s a list of people they can contact in case of a medical emergency, for spiritual support, or even just for arranging visits with a social worker. You can also find out whom they can contact for making arrangements for entertainment and socialization activities.

Make precious memories together

The Easter Holidays are the perfect time to make special memories together with your loved one no matter what you choose to do. Whether it’s going shopping together, creating a scrapbook, listening to their favorite music, going on a picnic, going through old family albums together, or even just chatting away over a cuppa, your loved one will appreciate the time spent with family.

Help them with odd jobs around their home that they can’t get round to doing themselves

This may be a great time to help your loved one finish some odd jobs around the house that they’re not quite able to do by themselves. Whether it’s fixing that leaky faucet, weeding the garden, organizing the pantry, or making important appointments, your loved one will not only appreciate the help but will also feel cared for and loved.

Make some home safety and convenience updates

If your loved one is living alone, this may be a great time to survey the house and see if there is an upgrade needed with its safety and convenience features. This can be a good time to change uneven flooring or add non-slip tiling. You can even install automated lighting and handlebars and even think of a bathroom overhaul to make it safer. When it comes to convenience, your loved one may appreciate some automated features around the house or even smart home devices that make daily tasks easier to perform.

Show them you care with a special gift

The holidays are a time for gifting, and if you’re thinking of Easter gifts for the elderly, something that will make their lives easier and safer is your best bet. Whether it's an automatic coffee maker, a smart refrigerator, or a weighted blanket to improve sleep, they will appreciate the little assistance these gifts offer. You can also get them a home safety device such as the step2bed or the step2tub to give yourself some peace of mind.

Whether it's making some quick fixes around the house to make independent living easier or just spending quality time together, the seniors will appreciate the time we give them. Make the most of these special days together to show them you care. Keep in mind that while your loved one loves spending time with family, they have their physical limitations and need time to rest. It’s also a good idea to keep plans flexible and not force things in case something goes wrong. Holidays provide the perfect opportunity to check up on them while having fun together. So, make sure they’re getting all the care they can get during the festivities.