After decades of hosting holiday dinners, it can be hard for Kentucky's seniors to turn over hosting duties to someone else. Even when they're moving more slowly, have trouble standing long enough to peel mountains of potatoes, or lack the strength to mash them, they may still resist the idea of someone else taking over. Fortunately, there are things loved ones can do to make the transition easier for them.
Enjoying Holiday Dinners While Others Do the Work
Maintaining holiday traditions is important for a senior's mental health. They may be afraid that those cherished holiday traditions will vanish if they don't keep them going. Reassuring elderly loved ones that their beloved traditions will be carried on is a good way to help them let go of doing everything themselves.
Sharing Favorite Family Recipes
Eating involves seeing, smelling, tasting, hearing, and touching either the food or the implements used to eat it. No wonder food memories are so vivid — all five senses are involved in their creation! That might be why so many favorite holiday memories revolve around food.
Your favorite senior may know their holiday recipes by heart or they may have treasured recipe cards that have been handed down through the generations. Asking them to share copies of those cherished recipes with the rest of the family will help reassure them that their favorite holiday food traditions will remain an important part of the holidays for future generations.
Helping With Planning and Logistics
With decades of experience behind them, a senior will probably be delighted to help you plan the menu, make out the shopping list, and create a timeline to ensure that everything arrives at the table at the same time. Would they also be willing to work on the invitations or any of the other light tasks involved in such a large gathering? Asking for their help will help them feel like they're still an important part of making the holiday dinner special.
Hosting the Holiday Dinner
Why not ask elderly loved ones to act as the hosts of the holiday dinner while the rest of the family does the cooking? Your senior chef can supervise while the new generation of holiday dinner cooks learns all the secrets behind everyone's favorite stuffing and how to make those perfect pumpkin pies.
The elders of the family can be responsible for setting the table at their leisure, perhaps with a willing helper to do the running back and forth. Or they may just want to sit back and socialize. This is a great opportunity for them to reminisce about past holidays with younger generations. Perhaps they can watch a favorite holiday movie or play a special game together. What a wonderful way to keep family traditions alive and well!
If your senior needs at-home care in Hopkinsville, Madisonville, Murray, or Paducah, contact us. You'll find the help, companionship, and other personalized services they may need at Senior Helpers of Western Kentucky.