Fun Crafts to do with the Elderly During the Holidays
Take on these simple projects with seniors to make special holiday memories together this season. The crafts are easy and fun.
Part of the joy of the holidays is making memories together. Senior mobility and energy may be limited, but making simple crafts at home are special ways to brighten the holidays.
Benefits of Crafting for Seniors
Making something offers a number of benefits to seniors, especially during the holidays. Benefits include:
- A sense of purpose
- The joy of giving gifts
- Fun and laughter
- Something to share with others
- Nostalgic feelings and reminiscing
- Honing skills
- Learning something new
- Memory making
- Conversation starters
- Adding cheer to living environment
- Mental boosts
5 Nostalgic Projects to Make This Holiday Season
These crafts are fit for seniors because they are calm and simple. They’re also nostalgic, adding joy to the time spent making them. Seniors might also enjoy making these crafts to give as gifts over the holidays.
- Recycled Card Bookmarks – Use ribbon, glue, and old Christmas cards to make simple bookmarks.
- Mason Jar Snow Globes – Encourage seniors to put knick-knacks collected over the years in their mason jar snow globes. Only a few materials are needed.
- Memento Ornaments – Clear, hollow ornaments can be fun to fill with special mementos. These are often valued as priceless memory holders and conversation pieces.
- Scrapbooks/Photo Albums – Good old-fashioned scrapbooking allows seniors to reminisce and share stories with a sense of purpose and delight.
- Needlework/Sewing Projects – There are a ton of easy, fast, adult crafts seniors can make using fabric, needle, and thread (or yarn). Search online for adult sewing ideas and directions.
Simple, Decorative Holiday Crafts Seniors Will Love
Being able to decorate or make decorations to give as gifts can brighten the holidays for seniors. Decorative items seniors can easily make include:
- Basic jewelry
- Holiday pins
- Candleholders
- Gift tags
- Ornaments
- Pinecone decorations
Check sites like goodhousekeeping.com’s Easy DIY Christmas Crafts or countryliving.com’s 45 Holiday Craft Projects for a Very Merry Christmas for holiday craft ideas.
Make Holiday Projects More Special
Whether seniors really love making crafts or not, spending time working on projects over the holiday can create precious, joyful memories. There are many ways to make these activities more meaningful to seniors.
- Turning on holiday music while crafting
- Planning projects as gifts to loved ones
- Inviting friends or family to participate
- Using the projects to decorate
- Encouraging storytelling and memory-sharing while crafting
- Completing projects to donate to charity
- Incorporating mementos or favorite knick-knacks into crafts
- Making regular time to work on crafts over the season
Some seniors’ fine motor skills deteriorate over time. If that is the case, offer to help seniors write cards and select crafts that don’t require precision. Seniors should retain a sense of ownership over projects, even if they are unable to do some of the tasks independently.
Happy Holidays!
If you or your family member is considering in-home care as part of a plan to age in place, contact Family Matters In-Home Care today for a free consultation. Our team is dedicated to supporting your family and helping older adults enjoy life in the comfort of their own home for as long as possible.
Some of the services offered by Family Matter In-Home Care include: Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care, Bed & Wheelchair Transfer Assistance, Companionship, Housekeeping & Meal Preparation, Personal Care, Recovery Care, and Transportation.
Serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Greater San Diego, Family Matter In-Home Care has offices in Campbell, CA, Palo Alto, CA, Pleasanton, CA, San Marcos, CA, and San Mateo, CA.
Sources:
- https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/1708580/Marketing%20Monthlies/PDFs%20from%20Windfarm%20Marketing/1118-CraftswithyourSenior-RGB.pdf
