7 Activities to Enjoy with Your Elderly Relatives this Christmas
For many people, the Christmas and New Year festive season means elderly family members coming to stay or spending more time with them over the holiday period.
The Christmas/New Year holidays are an opportunity to spend time with elderly loved ones doing some things you may not have had time to during the year. We have compiled a few ideas for you and your family over the Christmas holidays with elderly loved ones, to enjoy one another’s company and make this time special for all.
See the local Christmas lights
There are many suburbs in Adelaide now boasting Christmas dazzle with homes being decorated with Christmas lights for the public’s enjoyment. Taking a stroll down the streets of some of these Adelaide suburbs is relaxing and enjoyable. There are always lots of people but mostly everyone is there for the same reason, to appreciate and enjoy the dedicated commitment of people decorating their homes at Christmas for the rest of us.
If you are concerned about too much noise or walking, then take a slow drive down the street and see the lights from inside your vehicle.
Visit these two links for a good selection of Christmas Lights in Adelaide to see with the family.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au...
https://www.kidsinadelaide.com...
See a show at the Adelaide Festival Centre
There are a few events coming up at the Adelaide Festival Centre that might delight your elderly loved ones. For example the John Denver Celebration Concert or Christmas Proms 2018 which is a collaboration with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
Or, if anything French is desirable, the Adelaide French Festival has many things suitable for all ages.
Make the most of local events
Your local council will have events listed for Christmas carols and other events through January. Have a look at their website, staying local means you will bump into people in your local community and wish them a happy holiday season!
There are several local theatre groups putting on shows for the Christmas season. Have a look at the local Adelaide local theatre guidefor what’s on over December and January.
Walks in nature
On those Adelaide summer sunny days that aren’t too hot, there are many easy walks around the metropolitan area that take you into nature for some fresh air and increased oxygen, for some bird watching, for a nice gentle stroll and a chat and for exercise.
Walking SA is an excellent site to find walks around Adelaide and you can search for walks by grade, wheelchair access, dog friendly and other criteria.
Also, the City of Adelaide website has many walking opportunities with the Heart Foundation Walking group, a self-guided Heritage and Folklore walk.
Scrap-booking – for family memories
Art and craft activities are very enjoyable for elderly people. At St Louis’ nursing home, our Art Therapy Classes are thoroughly enjoyed by our residents.
Scrap-booking brings together old photos and invites a bit of storytelling that you can get straight from your elderly relative. A scrap-book that has the input of your elderly loved one and other members of your family will become a treasured family heirloom worth passing down.
Jigsaw puzzles
Completing jigsaw puzzles is a quiet but interactive task that brings people together to collaborate. It is an excellent activity to connect young and old. It stimulates the brain’s cognitive processes and provides the following benefits:
- Improves short and long term memory
- Uses left and ride hand side of brain
- Lowers stress and blood pressure
- Improves spatial reasoning as you work out how a small piece fits onto a bigger picture
If you have not done one before, then start with a 250 piece puzzle and move up from there.
Visit nurseries and garden Centres
There are several garden nurseries that have a café where you can stroll and get new garden ideas and then stop for a coffee and lunch or treats.
Here are some of our favourites:
Semaphore Pets and Garden – Semaphore https://www.facebook.com/pg/Se...
The Topiary Café – Tea Tree Gully
Doncho’s Café, Virginia Home and Garden – Virginia
https://www.donchoscafe.com.au/
Bonsai Café
Visit the SA Museum and SA Art Gallery
TheSouth Australian Museum is always a great day out with the grandparents and grandkids. They will both love it. There are many ways to interact with young and old and it is a quieter experience to encourage some conversation about the displays.
Likewise the Art Gallery of South Australia is a welcome and familiar place in Adelaide where a quiet walk through the galleries eases the senses. At the end of the tour, you can sit and relax at the café for a cup of tea and a debrief.
Even though we have listed here activities that are ideal for the elderly, they are activities that can be enjoyed by young and old alike.
We wish you the very best for Christmas and the holiday season and hope these suggestions help you enjoy your time with your elderly loved one even more.
St Louis Aged Care – Looking After the Elderly in Adelaide for more than 70 years
For further information about St Louis Aged Care, please call us on 8332 0950. We offer boutique residential care, government funded and private home care services and we have independent living units next to our nursing home. We have over 70 years of providing care for the elderly. Call us to discuss the various options to care for an elderly loved one.
