Spending Thanksgiving with Your Senior Parent

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to slow down and spend some quality time with your senior parent. Whether your parents are living independently or in assisted living, holidays are especially important, and Thanksgiving is often a time they look forward to. 

If you are planning Thanksgiving this year, take some time to think about the best ways to accommodate everyone in your family. This article will discuss a few things to keep in mind for spending Thanksgiving with your senior parent.

Make It Convenient and Comfortable

Thanksgiving should be about traditions, enjoying food, and spending time together. There’s no need to overdo it. Aim to create a convenient and comfortable environment so that your senior parent can enjoy themselves the entire day. 

Thanksgiving should not be a pain or a stressful event, so keep it simple if you can. If your parents are senior living in Rio Rancho, think about moving the meal to them to save them travel time.

Carve Out Time for Family

With the business of the holiday season, it can be easy to get caught up in everything that needs to be done. Don’t let yourself become too busy that you don’t stop to take quality time with the ones you love. 

Make sure that your Thanksgiving schedule has some downtime, so your senior parent has the time they need to catch up with everyone in the family.

Make the Menu Together

If you are hosting Thanksgiving, give your senior parent an opportunity to help out. That could mean help with cooking the meal or deciding what to put on the menu. Even seniors with limited mobility or health challenges can contribute to the family meal. 

Your senior parent has probably attended or hosted many Thanksgivings in their lifetime, so take advantage of their knowledge and wisdom.

Don’t Forget About Nutrition

Thanksgiving is a meal for indulging, but that doesn’t mean nutrition has to go out the window. Nutrition is especially important for seniors, and every meal should include at least some nutritious food. 

You can easily incorporate healthy foods like vegetables into your meal. Your senior parent can enjoy all the turkey they want as well as a serving or two of healthy food.

Make This Thanksgiving Special

The most important part of Thanksgiving is spending time together as a family. For your senior parent in assisted living, there may not be many holidays each year where everyone comes together, so make the most of it. Ensure that your senior parent is included in the planning and that they have ample time to spend with the family. 

With a bit of thoughtfulness, you can make this Thanksgiving special for your senior parent.