With Thanksgiving right around the corner, now's the time to start planning those gatherings with friends and family. However, as we're still in the pandemic, leaving your assisted living community may be too risky. But that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy yourself! You can still have a Thanksgiving to remember with the ones you care about.
Not sure what to expect with a Thanksgiving in assisted living? In this post, we'll discuss six activities to enjoy in your assisted living community.
Battle in a family recipe competition
Do you think you make the #1 spaghetti in the world? Well, now you can battle it out to see who really has the best family recipes. While everyone typically makes some similar Thanksgiving entrées, there are some unique food options out there. In this game, everyone submits their famous family recipes to share with the group. After sharing, everyone takes a vote to determine the best dishes. Finally, the winning entrées get prepared and served on Thanksgiving Day. This is a great way to share a fun and festive holiday with your friends. And you can't forget about the exceptional food!
Craft thank you cards
Another fun activity involves making thank you cards. If you want an interesting craft idea, you can make them yourself and write your own messages. Alternatively, you could also write your messages in thank you cards already made. Whatever approach you take, this is an awesome way to show people you care. Whether these are sent to your family, friends, or neighbors across the hallway, a thank you card can do wonders. While you can send these any time of year, having them show up on or around Thanksgiving is special. This is the perfect way to show thanks to the ones you care about most.
Have a video call with loved ones
As we are still in the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing your loved ones in person may not be possible. Every state has different rules and regulations, so be sure to speak with your assisted living community regarding visitations during this time. If seeing your loved ones in person isn't possible, you can still enjoy Thanksgiving with your family and friends — it may just have to be in a virtual setting. That said, make sure your assisted living community is ready to accommodate your virtual calls. They should have all the technology ready to go before Thanksgiving time rolls around. During these calls, you can play games, share stories, and even enjoy a Thanksgiving feast together!
Build a thankful tree
One creative way to show your thanks during this holiday season is to build a thankful tree. You can either craft one with a few friends or build one as an entire group. These trees work great in shared spaces where everyone can add their messages whenever they want. Community members simply write what they're thankful for, then hang the note from the tree. Make sure to put up the tree at least a few weeks before Thanksgiving so everyone gets a chance to share their messages. Once Thanksgiving Day arrives, the group can pull down the notes and share them with everyone. This is an excellent way to show what you're thankful for while learning about your friends and what they care about most.
Craft Thanksgiving place cards
As you can see, an assisted living community is an ideal place to build some arts and crafts. One other creative idea for Thanksgiving involves building place cards. These simply sit on the table to determine who sits where during a Thanksgiving feast. You can either craft your own place cards or build multiple for the group. These can be made however you wish, but one popular idea involves using an apple, almond, and peanuts to craft a turkey. There are tons of unique ideas out there, or you can build your own. This is a cool way to test your crafting skills while spending some quality time with your friends.
Play some classic games
While it isn't the most unique idea out there, you can also play some famous games. This can include classic board games like Monopoly, Clue, or Life. You can also choose more modern games like Jenga or even corn hole. These games are perfect for getting the blood flowing, and you can even show off your skills. One fun idea is to set up multiple games and have a competition. At the end of the battle, the assisted living community can crown a champion.
Learn More About Vista Springs Assisted Living
Vista Springs is an assisted living community with locations throughout Ohio and Michigan. During the holiday season, we make sure our residents feel loved, welcomed, and comfortable at all times. We host events and always have fun activities to enjoy.
Call Vista Springs today to learn more about our thriving assisted living communities.
