Christmas activities for care home residents: ideas by ability

Plan December around the residents, not the calendar

Start with a short conversation with each resident, or their family if they can't easily tell you: how did they spend Christmas, which carols do they know, did they go to church, is there a food or a game they remember? Dementia Support Australia suggests involving the person in the planning, because talking about decorations, food and faith is itself a good reminiscence activity.

Then spread the activities out. A rhythm of two or three themed sessions a week from early December gives residents something to look forward to without upsetting their usual day. Dementia UK's Admiral Nurses advise keeping to normal routines over Christmas, with meals, medication and getting up at the usual times, and keeping activities short, with a break every 30 to 40 minutes. Families will want to know your plans too, including what is happening on Christmas Day and when they can visit, so put the programme on the noticeboard and send it to families early.

Activities for residents who enjoy a challenge

Many residents want a game with a bit of competition, not something that feels childish. Large print and adult wording make a big difference.

• Christmas bingo. Our large-print Christmas word bingo has 24 different cards made from 36 words such as mistletoe, tinsel and mince pie, with caller cards and a checklist. No two cards share a winning line. Use buttons or counters for residents who find a pen hard to hold.
• Word searches. The large-print Christmas word search has eight words in big letters, with an answer key. For a longer session, add tea time or months and seasons.
• Number puzzles. Large-print sudoku starts with gentle 6×6 grids and goes up to easy 9×9 ones.

Gentle activities for residents living with dementia

Dementia UK's list of Christmas activities for people living with dementia puts the simple things first: singing along to familiar Christmas songs, pass the parcel, looking through photo albums, puzzles, reading together, watching old holiday films and colouring in together. It also stresses letting the person decide how involved they want to be.

• Colouring. Bold and easy pages have thick outlines and a few large shapes, which suit low vision and less steady hands. The bold stars pages fit a Christmas table, and an easy snowflake mandala works for residents who like a pattern. Our guide to colouring for people living with dementia covers setting up and when to stop.
• Helping with the preparations. Folding napkins, sorting baubles by colour, putting cards in envelopes or setting the table all give a sense of contributing. Dementia UK suggests wrapping presents, writing cards or place cards and putting up decorations.
• Reminiscence. Old Christmas cards, a tin of decorations or photographs of past Christmases can start a conversation. Alzheimer's Society notes that reminiscence can sometimes bring back sad memories, so sit with the person, follow their lead and change the subject gently if it upsets them.

For residents in the later stages, the NHS says activities still matter but are more likely to focus on the senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. A pine sprig to hold, a hand massage with a familiar scent, a soft blanket or a favourite carol played quietly can all be a Christmas activity.

Carols and music

Music is often the activity that reaches the most people. NHS England's clinical director for dementia has said that familiar seasonal songs and old Christmas films can stimulate memories and bring people together. Dementia UK suggests printing the words to carols and hymns in a large font so residents can read and sing along; one carol per page in big type is easier to follow than a crowded song sheet.

If a school choir or local group is visiting, ask them to sing songs residents will know rather than new pop songs, keep the performance to about half an hour, and leave time afterwards for the singers to chat with residents. For residents who don't want to sing, humming, clapping or tapping along still counts.

Christmas crafts residents can make

• Cards. The Merry Christmas page folds into a card to colour and send to family. Staff can help with the message and address.
• Paper decorations. Our paper snowflake templates come in easy, medium and hard designs with folding steps; the easy ones have big shapes that are kind to stiff fingers. The Christmas ornament template and star template print in three sizes, to colour, cut out and hang in the lounge.
• A group display. Give each resident one ornament or star to decorate, then put them all on one big paper tree on the wall, with names if they'd like.

Use round-ended scissors, cut out shapes in advance for residents who can't cut, and be ready to finish together rather than for them.

Food, drink and decorations, safely

Food is part of most people's Christmas, and it needs checking against each resident's care plan. Some residents have swallowing difficulties and eat texture-modified food. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in Australia explains that texture-modified diets follow the IDDSI framework, eight levels from 0 to 7 for drinks and foods, and that preparing them correctly is essential to avoid choking and aspiration. Before a baking session or a mince pie round, check with the kitchen and the speech-language therapist or dietitian which residents can have what, and plan a version everyone can share. Dementia UK adds that alcohol may increase disorientation and can interfere with some medicines, so ask the pharmacist and offer alcohol-free drinks.

For decorations, use battery-operated candles. Fire and Emergency New Zealand reminds people to never leave a candle unattended, which is hard to guarantee in a busy lounge, and a flameless candle gives the same glow without the flame. Keep decorations steady rather than flashing, and don't move furniture people rely on to find their way. Dementia UK also suggests cutting unnecessary noise such as Christmas crackers and loud music.

Visitors, video calls and a quiet space

Busy days with lots of visitors are the hardest for many residents. Dementia Support Australia suggests one conversation at a time, turning the festive music off when people are talking, and arranging a video call if family can't visit. Keep one room or corner calm on party days and on Christmas Day, with a chair, a blanket and something to do, so anyone who needs a break can take it.

When grandchildren visit, give them something to do with their grandparent: the Christmas memory game can be coloured together and played face up as a matching game, and the easy Christmas I spy gives a child and an adult something to look at side by side. If a resident is going out to family for the day, Dementia UK suggests having a practice run first and coming back in daylight, when people are usually less disorientated.

Residents who don’t celebrate, or find Christmas hard

Not every resident celebrates Christmas, and for some it brings back the loss of a partner, a home or friends. Ask rather than assume, make every activity optional, and offer something that isn't Christmas at all, such as winter pages or a flower word search. Staff can mark the day with a resident who would rather spend it quietly, and Dementia UK points families coping with bereavement towards support such as Cruse.

In New Zealand and Australia, Christmas falls in summer, so a snowy theme may mean little to residents who grew up here. Pages like the pōhutukawa Christmas tree and our guide to a summer Christmas in New Zealand and Australia fit local memories of the beach and the bach.