Holidays can be especially tough for seniors with dementia, including those who are no longer living in their long-time family home or who have lost partners or family members and friends through the years. The negative emotions associated with these circumstances can add up, making them feel sad and alone. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to come up with new, fun traditions to remind them that life hasn’t passed them by and there are still memories to make.
With a bit of foresight and planning, you can help your senior loved one fill their calendar with stimulating and engaging activities to chase away any holiday blues and restore some of that cheerful holiday spirit. And there’s no better time to start than this Thanksgiving!
These Thanksgiving crafts for seniors with dementia are not only entertaining, but provide a broad range of mental and physical health benefits, targeting areas like memory, dexterity and physical strength.
Benefits of Thanksgiving crafts for seniors with dementia:
- Reduces stress and anxiety levels.
- Improves self-confidence and gives a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
- Maintains or improves dexterity and flexibility in the hands, especially for seniors suffering from joint pain or arthritis.
- Keeps seniors’ minds sharp and engaged, which can help support moments of clarity or create a calm environment for seniors living with dementia.
- Improves communication, which can relieve their burdens, form important connections with the people they love, and help you better understand their needs.
When crafting with your older loved one, focus on the sort of things they like to do and they’ll be eager to participate, especially if they can make something to brighten up their living space or give it to others as a gift.
Find inspiration in the changing colors of the fall leaves or bright autumn displays. Holiday crafts can be worked on any time of day–in a community space, in a group setting, or in the privacy of their own room in a senior living community.
Try these Thanksgiving crafts for seniors:
1. Photo albums and scrapbooks
What better way to travel down “memory lane” than to get out your photo collection! Organizing pictures into photo albums isn’t only a constructive activity to help our senior loved ones pass the time; it’s a great excuse to open that old box of photos and recall fond memories from family events of the past.
You can create specific photo albums for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Year’s. To make the activity more interactive, create a scrapbook with the photos, and help your loved one cut out holiday-related shapes to glue onto the pages along with stickers, ribbon, stamps, or fun photo captions.
As an added bonus, the scrapbooks will always be there for them to look through whenever they need a quick pick-me-up.
2. Pine cone turkeys with felt feathers
Pine cones are easy to hold and provide wonderful tactile texture for senior hands. Using natural pine cones, pre-cut felt feather shapes, googly eyes, and non-toxic craft glue, seniors can tuck or glue felt feathers between the pinecone scales to create adorable tabletop decorations for the holiday feast.
3. Fall wreaths
For many, the first official act of the holiday season is putting a festive wreath on their front door. Wreaths can be made of a variety of materials, ranging from dyed autumn leaves to fabric ribbons. Try one of these senior-friendly DIY wreaths made of holiday fabric or cardboard and rubber bands! You can also purchase wreath kits from your local craft store that include everything you need to assemble a beautiful holiday arrangement.
4. Yarn-wrapped harvest pumpkins
Using sturdy cardboard pumpkin cutouts and colorful orange, brown, or yellow yarn, seniors can wrap the yarn around the cutout to create textured, rustic autumn pumpkins. Wrapping yarn provides a repetitive hand motion that supports fine motor control and flexibility.
5. Leaf bowls
You’ll need a couple of specialty supplies for this leaf bowl craft. First, a large balloon, brush-on fabric stiffener, and some artificial fall leaves that you can find in your local craft store. Place the inflated balloon in a bowl. Paint both sides of the leaves with the fabric stiffener and press them onto the balloon in layers to cover the entire surface. Let it dry completely, then deflate the balloon, leaving a festive bowl made of autumn leaves.
6. Handmade cards
Writing letters and cards by hand remains popular among older generations. These holiday card crafts can be made with card stock and a variety of other materials that your senior may already have! They are sure to enjoy sharing the holiday spirit with their family and friends.
7. Seasonal Centerpieces
A fantastic way to bring the holiday spirit into your living space is a festive centerpiece. Cover several dried corn cobs with metallic gold and copper paint. After the paint has dried, glue the cobs vertically to the side of a cylindrical vase. Tie gold raffia or holiday themed ribbon around the cobs and fill the inside with floral foam to hold seasonal flowers or your senior’s favorite blooms.
Adapting Thanksgiving Crafts for Seniors with Dementia
Crafting with individuals living with dementia or memory loss requires thoughtful considerations to ensure the experience remains soothing, safe, and fulfilling:
- Emphasize process over product: Focus on the joy of creating together and the sensory experience rather than achieving a flawless result.
- Engage all senses: Incorporate tactile materials like soft felt, textured pine cones, and smooth ribbons alongside warm seasonal scents like cinnamon and nutmeg to stimulate memory and emotional well-being.
- Simplify instructions & preparation: Pre-cut all shapes and lay out supplies one step at a time to prevent cognitive overload or frustration.
- Prioritize safety: Swap sharp tools and hot glue guns for safety scissors, non-toxic glue sticks, and battery-operated LED candles.
- Maintain a calm atmosphere: Set up a well-lit, peaceful workspace with minimal background distractions or soft music to encourage moments of clarity and ease.
Learn more about Bethesda’s Memory Support services and discover more resources to support your loved one on our Caregiver Tips blog!
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