Thanksgiving is typically thought of as a familial time of year, and unfortunately, the elderly often feel left out or feel like a burden. They cannot participate in the activities they used to truly enjoy. Luckily, there are a number of interesting activities that the elderly can and want to take partake in! 

Draw Secret Santa Names

One traditional Thanksgiving idea is to draw names for a Secret Santa party. Drawing names around Thanksgiving gives participants time to plan and budget their money. However, it’s also nice when families give everyone a simple budget like nothing over $50.

Crafty Cards

Seniors generally enjoy making crafts and contributing in decorating for the holidays. Consider asking them to help make dinner place cards. There are several inexpensive craft ideas for making place cards and the Internet is a wonderful tool to research ideas. 

Dinner Prep

Many older adults also enjoy planning and cookin and would love to contribute to meal preparation. Ask them which foods they would like to cook as well as which foods they enjoyed at past Thanksgiving dinners. Use the Internet it to find suitable recipes to accommodate their preferences and nutritional requirements.  

Holiday Memoirs

One of the greatest gifts that the elderly give the rest of the world is wisdom and one of their favorite pastimes is sharing memories. Choose a time, perhaps after everyone has finished eating, to ask them about their favorite holiday memories. This is a wonderful activity as it creates a time for bonding with the whole family!