5 Tips to Celebrate the Holidays in a Nursing Home

The holidays are often spent traveling to and from family members and friends' homes to indulge in the holiday spirit. When a loved one is living in a nursing home the holidays can look a little bit different. However they don’t need to change entirely. With the correct approach you can bring a ton of holiday cheer to your loved one. Here are a few tips for celebrating the holidays in a nursing home:


Decorate their room together

Nothing says holiday spirit quite like the decorations. You can get a mini tree, hang garland, put up a few decorations around the room and add a wreath to their door. This can help create a sense of normalcy.


 Bring your loved one holiday food

Holiday treats are the most universal tradition. Families often have special recipes and decorating traditions. You can bring your loved one cookies and cakes. You might even be able to bring in icing and sprinkles to decorate them together. 


Gift giving

Picking the right gift for a loved one in a nursing home can be tricky! Three of the top gifts to give include; comfortable loungewear, photo albums or picture frames and cozy bedding. All three of these gifts are great for loved ones in nursing homes. These gifts are great for comfort, homeliness and capturing memories. 


Bring family to visit 

Your loved one likely misses being able to see the family. The holidays are a perfect time to bring everyone to visit in the lounge. Bringing new additions to the family that they haven’t met yet or family members that they haven’t seen in a while can bring lots of joy! The more people that you can get together, the more holiday-like and festive it will feel. 


Collect holiday cards for them 

Displaying your holiday cards from friends and family is a common tradition. This is an easy tradition to bring into a nursing home. Collect cards that are addressed to your loved one and set them up on display for them to see. Your loved one will feel cared for and loved when they see the cards that have been written for them.  


Fighting the holiday blues can prove to be challenging in a nursing home. We hope these tips can bring joy and cheer to you and your loved ones this holiday season! 

Some of these tips will require an okay from your loved ones nursing home. Be sure to call and check ahead of time before pursuing any of these ideas. Some nursing homes have strict rules regarding diet, decorations and visitation. 


At ActivePro Nursing & Homecare Inc. we have experienced caregivers and home nurses

who are willing and able to provide you with the best and most specialized care, adapted to

your needs, in the Toronto and Niagara regions. You and your loved ones can count on us!

Active Pro: The well-being of our older adults is our top priority!