From November through the New Year, most families are focused on celebrations, traditions, entertaining and time with family. As time passes and life changes occur, the holiday season should be a steady source of happiness and love (with a small dose of frenzied madness along the way).
At The Saybrook at Haddam, we know each resident has his or her favorite way to celebrate different holidays throughout the year. Their traditions come from their parents, grandparents, religions, and from their own life experiences. We respect these traditions and want to honor them as best we can through our programs and events, meals, entertainment, religious services, decorations, and more.
Over the past few years, The Saybrook at Haddam has hosted a holiday stroll filled with wonderful food and entertainment. We transform the community into a gorgeous “winter wonderland,” decorated from top to bottom with all the beauty of the season. We have carolers and musicians playing songs that bring back the best of memories. We also invite local vendors to set up “shop” during our holiday stroll so residents have a chance to conveniently and easily browse for gifts without having to deal with real winter weather or large shopping mall crowds. It has become a special event for everyone here – and we look forward to hosting it this Friday, December 2.
We appreciate that residents welcome new “traditions” like our holiday stroll as part of their festivities. For us, the stroll now seems to be the official start of the holiday rush and we know friends and family join us looking forward to this event (which seems to become a little bigger each year).
In our hearts, we always think of seniors who may be far from family during the holidays or who may be struggling with the loss of a loved one. A recent care.com article about seniors and the holiday blues discusses the importance of keeping seniors busy during this time of year. Valentin Bragin, New York psychiatrist and author of “Conquering Depression in the Golden Years,” says during the holidays it is essential for seniors to feel connected to other people, to stay active, and to avoid being alone. Experts strongly recommend spending time with elderly friends and relatives during this time of year (and year ‘round, of course), delivering meals to them, bringing them to holiday services or community events, and helping raise their spirits. We always open our doors to seniors who may want to join in a prayer service, sit in on a guest lecture, or walk through our beautiful winter wonderland holiday stroll.
The end-of-year holidays have a way of bringing out the best in each of us. We are glad to play a part in making the holidays a steady source of happiness and love for all who live, work and visit here. (With a small dose of frenzied madness along the way.)
To learn more about our holiday stroll, or to schedule a private tour of The Saybrook at Haddam, please contact David Downey by e-mail or by calling 860-345-3779.
