Christmas day

Perhaps a Christmas afternoon tea with activities.

Having worked over Christmas as a career, sitting down with the clients for Christmas dinner and a little gift , something they like. It was joining in that made it, plus they also let our families come for Christmas dinner, but depends on the size of you residence and the policies, we also made sure that if you worked Christmas you didn’t do New Year and the following year was swopped, I know rostering can be difficult though. Just a few ideas 🙏

First, have the receptionist announce over the intercom a staff member's name (those who are on duty) and that person must come to the main day room in their unit. Call someone new say, once an hour. Give them a 5 question funny Christmas quiz in front of residents and when questions are answered everyone has to give a huge round of applause. Finally they put their hand into the Santa Lucky Dip (put all secret Santa presents in here, in shredded paper) each staff member will have a little fun, make a nice memory and go home after the shift with a nice present.

Have ALL staff wear a Christmas decoration or hat. The funniest voted by other staff gets a double tea break 😀

Put on some good comedy. The residents will enjoy it so much and you will find staff do too! I'm thinking Dad's Army...Only Fools and Horses, the Two Ronnies. Even Laurel and Hardy or Norman Wisdom. If busy staff even get occasional moments of catching what is on tv, it will make them smile.

Value staff talents...ask for guitarists, singers, massage therapists, manicurists, to donate an hour of their time to the other staff. Be sure to pay the staff with a nice bottle of wine, box of Chocolate or a pack of mince pies.
Have a 'let's be extra nice to each other' policy. I know the stresses are unimaginable but if we all took part it could be a fantastic day!

Pass the parcel with the residents..

Thanks for all your comments, please keep any ideas that come to mind rolling. I want to make things good for the residents which is relatively easy, but for the carers working and not with their families it needs to be special too.

Allow carers to wear work appropriate Christmas clothing
If in a care home allow them to have Christmas lunch with the residents if working a full day

management do the morning visits and we make handmade/homemade presents which the carers go around in pairs to deliver. Usually the carers dress up in xmas jumpers or some antlers. lots of fun and a role reversal.

I would ask all those who they care for to give you one positive quote about the carer and make all the quotes into a pucture frame or onto a laminated bauble and either wrap them up a gifts or decorate a tree....pintrest will have some great ideas....make the carer feel appreciated and special xxxx

Hi all were all dressing up "Mrs Xmas" we also have activities throughout the day Musical wheelchairs and pass the parcel. Staff are doing secret santa so they will have something to open while on duty.

we are going to dress up for Christmas day to make everyone laugh, we are also holding a house meeting for the residence to see what activity they would like to do on the day and my manager always buys all the staff a Christmas present and puts it under the tree so that staff can open with the residence.

We have a large 76 bed home so we are putting on '31 days of Xmas'. We have organised various different performers and school choirs over the month. We have 4 separate floor parties for the residents planned in the weeks running up to Xmas for residents and staff on duty - families are invited to join too, with entertainment booked for each party. We have organised a mini bus trip for staff and residents to visit the city centre for Xmas lights and winter wonderland.
On Christmas day itself the majority of staff on duty will only work half days so they still have their own family time. For the staff who chose to work the long day they will have lunch with the residents and and have a party in the afternoon. All staff regardless if they are on duty or not get a gift from the company. (Last year a m&s gift voucher) We have also invited family members in for lunch on Christmas day. (Small fee per head that goes straight to our residents fund for future entertainment). All of our residents get gifts and card from us.
We also have a new years eve party planned and we plan to dress the residents up to the nine for an evening of glitz and glam with an Elvis impersonator to entertain. The staff are invited to wear festive but suitable clothing to work for entire month and for news years eve they can wear glitz and glam.
It's hard to make it perfect for everyone as there are so many varying needs - but for the ones who can't join in the festivities for whatever health reasons we have one to one time with the activity co ordinators where they do the same activities as the group sessions just on a one to one basis. ( making Christmas cards.. tree decs.. painting baubles for loved ones etc).

Some of you may not like this idea but I know my team well and know the will like it- We are a domiciliary care agency and as a team we have called ourselves 'THE A TEAM' with this in mind all staff will be receiving a bottle of bubbles, chocolates and a pen engraved saying 'THE A TEAM' (we always need a pen when in the community) and thought it would be a nice touch.

All our residents and carers working Christmas day receive their own stocking from us (the manager and owners). We all sit down in the lounge and open presents, just like Christmas day at any normal home. Carers working can wear their own Christmas clothing and enjoy Christmas lunch with everyone. We also include the staff in arts and crafts when making Christmas things which they thoroughly enjoy!

Fantastic idea, you must have a very special team. Well done, Chris

Wonderful things you are all doing for Christmas to make it special for the Residents.
I do hope other places follow your ideas.