CiminoCare staff and residents love the holiday season and all the traditions it entails. But holiday traditions are not just something fun to do; they hold great importance for our senior residents. Most families grow up with traditions passed on by the matriarch or patriarch of the family. Often, those children grow up to pass along the traditions to their children and add some new ones as the family grows.
As seniors age and live away from their families, those traditions can get lost. That’s why at CiminoCare communities, we place emphasis on continuing our residents’ favorite traditions with one another and incorporating new customs from our dedicated caregivers, sometimes making up new ones or blending different traditions together.
Holiday traditions often bring back memories from good times past, happy childhoods and the early days of parenthood. Holiday traditions offer a path to reconnect after time spent apart, helping bond us to our family and friends. When you engage in a treasured activity with a loved one — even after years spent apart — you get brought closer together through shared experiences. It can seem like no time has passed! For seniors, especially those living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, beloved holiday traditions can transport a person back to happy times and help them re-engage with their community, family and friends.
“Our mother taught us from a young age that the older adults she cared for were extended family. That is why we always include residents in our holiday traditions — it doesn’t have to be grand, just heartfelt.” MaryAnn Cimino Shinn, Regional Director of CiminoCare, recalling fond family memories with her mother, the founder of CiminoCare, Wilma Cimino.
The holiday season is typically a time for family to gather together and reconnect. For residents that stay in their senior care community for the holidays, CiminoCare encourages family and friends to visit and relive beloved holiday traditions, always taking into account the health and well-being of each resident.
Perusing old photo albums or listening to favorite songs can bring up fond memories and foster conversation and relationship building. Our seniors often share their favorite pastimes and memories with their caregivers and fellow residents. For those with memory impairment it is often the oldest memories that are easier to access, making holiday traditions an ideal way to bring back the old self through happy memories. It is also a chance to create new joyful memories with our compassionate caregivers and new friends.
Celebrating cherished family traditions not only is a fun way to reconnect, but they bring great joy and smiles to the faces of those living with dementia or Alzheimer’s, providing a moment of normalcy and connection. CiminoCare would love to see your family’s favorite holiday traditions brought back to life within our senior care communities!
