To help seniors make the most of their Thanksgiving celebrations in senior living, communities like Sunrise offer a variety of joyful and engaging experiences that blend tradition with creativity. Thanksgiving activities for seniors vary based on residents’ interests and abilities and may include creative crafts, seasonal-themed games, storytelling, cooking family recipes, and enjoying a meal together. Whether in assisted living or memory care, these inclusive celebrations bring warmth, connection, and comfort to every resident.
Creating a Festive Thanksgiving Atmosphere in Senior Living
Thanksgiving is more than a meal—it’s a feeling. In senior living communities, that feeling comes to life by adding seasonal touches to shared spaces.
Senior living communities may create a cheerful Thanksgiving atmosphere through:
- Warm décor: Shared spaces may be decorated with autumnal colors, pumpkins, garlands, and autumn leaves.
- Familiar scents: Fall aromas like crisp apple, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie may fill common areas via potpourri, diffusers, or air fresheners.
- Festive touches: Dining rooms may feature themed table settings, game rooms may offer scenic puzzles, or movie areas may glow with spooky lighting.
Fun Thanksgiving Activities for Seniors to Enjoy
This fall holiday is often associated with family togetherness and family traditions. To help continue treasured celebrations, senior living communities often offer an array of meaningful, engaging Thanksgiving activities for seniors.
Thanksgiving Day Activities for Seniors
Thanksgiving Day in senior living communities is filled with opportunities for socialization and delight. Residents can take participate in numerous activities that spark laughter, creativity, and gratitude, including the following:
- Thanksgiving-themed games: Classic games are often given a fun, seasonal twist. For example, bingo may have fall-themed images or a scavenger hunt may have a gratitude theme.
- Movie nights: Many communities have a movie theater or organize movie nights often. To get everyone in the spirit, communities may play Thanksgiving classics like Home for the Holidays.
- Virtual gatherings: For family members who can’t come visit their senior loved one around Thanksgiving, many communities help set up virtual calls. Oftentimes, you can contact the community to set up a surprise.
Making Thanksgiving Memorable with Unique Activities at Sunrise
Thanksgiving in our communities is all about creating genuine moments. From festive treats to heartfelt traditions, each community’s celebration reflects the unique personalities and preferences of its residents.
Here are some examples of how Sunrise communities have celebrated Thanksgiving in the past:
- Thanksgiving parades: In previous years, one of our communities hosted an indoor Thanksgiving parade featuring dressed up residents, staff, and lively performances.
- Food drives: To reinforce the spirit of giving, some of our senior living communities have organized annual food drives for local food banks.
- Fall-themed activities: To welcome the season and set the mood for Thanksgiving, many of our communities hosted a Harvest Fest in October, where residents and loved ones enjoyed fall-themed treats, activities, and more.
- Cooking clubs: In communities where residents love cooking, our activities directors help facilitate cooking clubs. Around Thanksgiving, residents come together to prepare holiday treats.
- Gratitude messages: Many communities invite residents and team members to share what they’re thankful. These heartfelt notes are often compiled into a community-wide display or message, spreading the joy of appreciation throughout the season.
Thanksgiving Crafts for Seniors
Creative projects are a wonderful way for seniors to embrace the season and express gratitude. Here are some of the most popular ideas for easy Thanksgiving crafts for seniors:
- Gratitude tree: Some senior living communities may help residents create a physical or digital display where they write what they’re thankful for on leaves. This could be done on individual, colored paper leaves and added to branches to mimic a tree, or on a painted tree where someone can add each resident’s notes to a leaf.
- Pumpkin crafts: Communities may bring in pumpkins for residents to paint, or mini pumpkins, gourds, and fall-themed items so they can help make cornucopia centerpieces. They may even provide faux pumpkins, which are safer and less messy to carve.
- Fall wreaths and garlands: Communities may provide strings, grapevines, or foam wreaths and other festive materials so residents can get creative and decorate their apartment or the community. To stir up some friendly competition, a community may even host a contest for best wreath.
- Fall art classes: Many Sunrise communities host regular art classes so around Thanksgiving, they are often holiday themed. For example, a painting class may introduce painting watercolor fall leaves, a turkey, or a cornucopia.
Sharing Thanksgiving Recipes and Memories
Food and family traditions go hand in hand during Thanksgiving. To help residents carry on their long-standing practices, many senior living communities invite residents to share favorite recipes or memories tied to Thanksgiving.
Here are some heartfelt ways senior living communities help residents continue their favorite Thanksgiving customs:
- Family events: Some communities encourage residents’ families to join in on celebrations, whether it’s a specially planned family event or just a community event. Family engagement in senior care is proven to have several positive physical and cognitive benefits.
- Memory boards: Residents gather photos or short notes about their past Thanksgiving celebrations, creating a vibrant display that sparks conversation and nostalgia.
- Recipe swap: Residents write down their family recipes and swap them with one another. They can also be shared with the community so a few dishes can be incorporated into meals throughout the month.
- Resident potluck: Seniors bring a dish or sample of their favorite Thanksgiving recipes and share the story behind it, turning mealtime into a celebration of heritage.
- Story circles: Residents come together to share their beloved holiday memories, traditions, and family anecdotes for a couple hours of joy and laughter.
Thanksgiving Meals for Seniors That Celebrate Tradition and Taste
Of course, the centerpiece of this holiday is the grand Thanksgiving meal, and senior living communities help make sure it’s both delicious and comforting.
Thanksgiving menus in senior living have all the components of a traditional holiday meal:
- Roasted turkey breast
- Other lean proteins (eggs, fish, and beans)
- Roasted vegetables
- Mashed cauliflower
- Sweet potatoes
- Casseroles
- Desserts (pumpkin pie, baked fruit treats, etc.)
To help accommodate varying diets, many communities—including Sunrise—also do their best to personalize the dining experience based on preferences and needs. For example, Sunrise chefs may prepare sugar-free desserts for those with diabetes or a meal with no salt for those with high blood pressure.
How Memory Care Residents Celebrate Thanksgiving in a Supportive Environment
Memory care communities focus on creating comforting and familiar Thanksgiving experiences for seniors with dementia. At Sunrise, our Reminiscence neighborhoods help support residents with memory loss by focusing on:
- Familiar routines and sensory cues: Gentle reminders of the season, like favorite music, soothing scents, and holiday foods, can help evoke loving memories and create a sense of calm.
- Simplified participation: Activities are thoughtfully adapted for cognitive and physical abilities, offering smaller group settings and hands-on crafts that encourage engagement.
- Family-style dining and storytelling: Sharing a delicious meal and reminiscing about past holidays help foster connection, belonging, and continuity of cherished traditions.
Celebrating Thanksgiving with Sunrise
At Sunrise, we understand the importance of gratitude and warm traditions, so we strive to make sure every resident feels at home and appreciated. From festive activities and creative crafts to hearty meals and memory-friendly programming, our communities are dedicated to creating meaningful experiences for seniors and their families.
If you’d like to learn more about holidays at our communities or have questions about our care options, find a Sunrise community near you. Our team members are readily available to help.