Visiting Family for the Holidays

When grandparents or other senior relatives visit on holidays make it a festive occasion. They will be much more comfortable if they are involved in the things going on. Let them be active in the preparations such as setting a table if they are able to.

Cook a favorite meal together allowing the seniors to really help in the process. These visits will likely be for Thanksgiving and Christmas when there is a lot of cooking. If it is Christmas or Chanukah have them help with the Christmas tree or the Menorah. It may bring back old memories they would like to share with younger members of the family.

Watch old family movies or look at old family pictures. This will bring back wonderful memories and the visiting seniors, usually grandparents, will enjoy telling stories and laughing. The young people will learn more about the family. After dinner, while everyone is relaxing you could sing carols. This is a good way to wind down the evening for everyone to go to bed with a satisfied stomach and nice memories.

If their families are too far away to visit or have them come to visit encourage them to get together with friends or neighbors and visit shut-ins and sing carols. If they are in a position they could wrap little gifts for the shut-ins. Merrill Lynch even welcomes seniors to visit their offices to make free phone calls on their company phone to family members across the world during the holidays.