Making the Holidays Happy

Written By Pi Architects

The holiday season can be a meaningful period for reflection and connection, including for residents of senior living communities. Research from the University of Michigan indicates that some adults aged 50 to 80 experience feelings of loneliness or social isolation, underscoring the importance of emotional, physical, and social well-being. During the holidays, heightened expectations of time spent with family and friends may bring these feelings to the forefront, while memories of past celebrations can reinforce the value of connection. These insights highlight the opportunity for communities, families, and care providers to promote engagement, strengthen relationships, and support a sense of belonging throughout the holiday season.

Senior living communities can help their residents make the most of holidays and minimize feelings of loneliness and isolation. Here are a few ways you can help:

  • Offer an array of activities to appeal to various residents' interests. For instance, in an effective multipurpose room, you can hold a concert in the afternoon and show a holiday film in the evening. Have a milk and holiday cookies hour in the afternoons and club meetings in the evening. Of course, not every event or activity should focus on the holidays. It is important to remain mindful of individuals who do not observe the holidays and to provide inclusive opportunities for engagement through activities that are not centered on holiday celebrations.

  • Partner with local schools and community groups to offer intergenerational activities and connections. For instance, partner residents with college students go on holiday shopping, exchange gifts, and enjoy meals together. If possible, consider offering vacant units for students who can’t go home for the holidays. Consider bringing in area children and having a resident play Santa, or have residents read Christmas stories to a local kindergarten or daycare group. Have a toy or food drive that residents can lead and participate in. Offer activities that residents can enjoy with their grandchildren, such as making ornaments or making gingerbread houses.

  • Make the best use of open spaces, entry halls, and common areas. Bring a tall tree for high ceilings, and encourage engagement with a portable beverage cart, live music, a craft or art fair, photos with Santa, etc.

  • Create a holiday sensory experience. Use greenery, lights, and decorations to evoke happy memories and nostalgic thoughts. Do not forget about sounds and scents! Have holiday music in the background and use fragrance diffusers for pine trees, ciders, sugar cookies, and other holiday scents. However, be cautious of holiday overload and potential safety hazards that decorations might pose.

  • Make creative use of dining venues. Consider creating holiday pop-ups. This could be a happy hour with holiday-themed drinks, a hot cocoa bar, or holiday donuts and pastries at the coffee shop.

  • Use open spaces and hallways to create an indoor winter wonderland with white and silver decorations that residents can walk through; Create booths down the hallway with offerings of food/drink and/or small gifts (such as ornaments) that residents can purchase.

  • Encourage physical activity in the community, a holiday race/walk event, or a yoga class with Santa. Exercise can work as a mood booster and help burn holiday calories. Weather permitting, creating a walking course around the building with holiday decorations and music is an exciting way to bring in the holidays. Consider group trips to the mall or other indoor spaces where residents can enjoy a safe, comfortable brisk walk or leisurely stroll.

  • Enable reflection and quiet times. Some people may want to reflect or meditate during this stimulating time. Consider having a meditation garden or room where people can enjoy quiet reflection. Additionally, hold activities that enable people who are not comfortable socializing or meeting new people to be involved and part of holiday festivities. These might include concerts, movies, cooking demonstrations, or poetry readings.

  • Support well-being and mental health. Remind residents there is help if they need it. Hold lectures or programs about promoting and managing mental health during the holidays. Have counselors or volunteers available that residents can talk to. Don’t push people to be active and social; however, encourage everyone to find something that makes them happy and brings peace.

  • Offer opportunities for self-care. This might include free or discounted manicures, pedicures, or massages. Have pop-up shops with items such as scented soaps and lotions, books, and/or healthy snack items.

  • Don’t forget the pets! If you’re a pet-friendly community, consider a holiday pet parade or pet photos with Santa. Have a pop-up shop with pet accessories, toys, and treats. If you don’t have pets on-site, partner with a local rescue group to bring pets in for visits during a holiday event.

    Such efforts can help residents find some joy and camaraderie during the holidays. They also present opportunities to connect with people and organizations in the community, which can lead to year-round activities, events, and partnerships. Additionally, your holiday festivities are a great opportunity to introduce prospective residents to your community and all it has to offer.

Contact Us

Recent Insights

Featured
Making the Holidays Happy
Making the Holidays Happy

The holiday season can be a meaningful period for reflection and connection, including for residents of senior living communities. Research from the University of Michigan indicates that some adults aged 50 to 80 experience feelings of loneliness or social isolation, underscoring the importance of emotional, physical, and social well-being. During the holidays, heightened expectations of time spent with family and friends may bring these feelings to the forefront, while memories of past celebrations can reinforce the value of connection. These insights highlight the opportunity for communities, families, and care providers to promote engagement, strengthen relationships, and support a sense of belonging throughout the holiday season.

Senior living communities can help their residents make the most of holidays and minimize feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Happy Senior Living Residents: Their Way, Your Brand
Happy Senior Living Residents: Their Way, Your Brand

In a recent article, Dr. Joe Coughlin asked, “Who will be the Target or Kohl’s of senior housing? While this industry isn’t about fast food or fast fashion like retail or restaurants, it is about anticipating trends, needs, and consumer demands.

One thing is clear. Boomers and Gen Xers want things their way.

Trends in Senior Living Development and Repositioning
Trends in Senior Living Development and Repositioning

It wasn’t that long ago when every home had a landline telephone, and cell phones were considered a luxury. Today, much of the technology that worked 20 or even 10 years ago is outdated. The same is true for senior living. Many of the amenities that used to attract residents are woefully inadequate today – a single spacious dining hall, a game room for Bingo, and a swimming pool aren’t enough to meet their needs, interests, and expectations. However, many communities have ‘good bones’ and can be repositioned or renovated for seniors today and for years to come.

Master Planning: Taking the Mystery Out of the Master Plan
Master Planning: Taking the Mystery Out of the Master Plan

Master planning brings clarity and vision, creating a roadmap to transform organizations based on community needs, realistic costs, and long-term growth.

Keep these guiding principles in mind to ensure your master plan illuminates your organization's path, prepares you for surprises, and considers all relevant factors.

Great Design for the Young at Heart
Great Design for the Young at Heart

When we design senior living communities today, our focus begins with the people who will call these places home. We aim to see the environment through their eyes—anticipating the lifestyles, preferences, and aspirations they bring with them. And to do that effectively, we must look beyond chronological age and consider subjective age—how old someone feels and identifies.

Let It Go: Don’t Get Frozen In Uncertain Times
Let It Go: Don’t Get Frozen In Uncertain Times

Practicing caution in uncertain times is a popular strategy. But, in fact, uncertainty presents opportunities for innovation, creativity, and – yes – risk-taking. It’s a time when seriously pondering the ‘what ifs’ can lead to survival, growth, and strong leadership.

It can be tempting to pull back, hold back, and play it safe during uncertain times. In fact, according to one survey of business leaders, about a third said they have felt paralyzed by uncertainty, and nearly half report having put off thinking about decisions because it is uncomfortable. However, if you look around, there are other innovating, trying new things, reaching beyond the same old same old, and taking measured risks. Moving past caution doesn’t mean recklessness. It means identifying real threats and sorting those from those that are imagined or possible but unlikely.

Integrating Intergenerational Principles in Senior Living: Reaping Rewards Without the Pitfalls
Integrating Intergenerational Principles in Senior Living: Reaping Rewards Without the Pitfalls

Increasingly, older adults don’t want to engage just with their peers. They want friends and acquaintances of all ages. At the same time, younger people appreciate opportunities for intergenerational living that offer affordable housing and diverse interactions. Many older adults, particularly younger Boomers and Gen Xers, seek to interact with people from other income levels, interests, and age groups. As a result, we’re seeing more communities that mix high-end with middle-market units and amenities, such as restaurants and fitness centers, open to area college students and the broader community. At Integrating Intergenerational Principles into Your Projects, a program at Boston LeadingAge, a panel featuring Pi Architect’s Greg Hunteman discussed how intergenerational connections can enhance both the design and operation of senior living environments.

Pi Architects
Next

Happy Senior Living Residents: Their Way, Your Brand