Thanksgiving at Concordia: Celebrating with Care and Comfort
Thanksgiving serves as one of our nation’s favorite holidays. Whether it’s in retirement living, personal care or any of Concordia’s levels of care, Concordia empowers and encourages residents to celebrate their Thanksgiving traditions their way.
Freedom and Flexibility
Particularly in retirement living, residents love to host small Thanksgiving gatherings or travel elsewhere for Thanksgiving. While all of our retirement living communities feature kitchens in their units, many residents still prefer to flock to family.
For Thanksgiving, Charlotte and Rev. Ken Hoener of Concordia Haven Retirement Apartments enjoy visiting with their children in Plum, Pa.
“Thanksgiving is about family and just being together,” Charlotte said. “First, they all came to our house. Now, we all go to theirs.”
Charlotte said Thanksgiving also gives their family time to catch up on all that’s happened throughout the year. Ken noted their family saw many major milestones and blessings this year that are worthy of reflection.
They celebrated a college graduation, a marriage, a birth, a baptism and Charlotte’s 90th birthday, among others. A retired pastor, Ken, 96, assisted in the wedding ceremony and the baptism. Ken said he was thankful for the ability to do so.
“I was honored to be included,” Ken said. “I felt very blessed.”
While the couple travels for Thanksgiving, their family comes to them for Christmas. Whether hosting or traveling, Charlotte and Ken said they appreciate the versatility offered through independent living at Concordia.
For many years following their move to the Havens in 2010, Charlotte and Ken hosted Christmas dinner in their apartment.
“We still always gather together as a family in our apartment for Christmas,” Charlotte said.
Worry-Free Thanksgiving
For some seniors it can be difficult to travel for the holidays, knowing that chores might be piling up at home while they’re away for the day or longer. Concordia residents have less to worry about than others thanks to our “worry-free” approach to senior living.
Harold and Diane Blaisdell of Highpointe at Rebecca love holiday traditions. Every year, Diane enjoys decorating the apartment with lots of fall décor.
“This place is filled with pumpkins,” she said.
Harold and Diane also enjoy traveling to family for Thanksgiving. Diane likes not having to cook as much, compared to when they hosted dinner at their home for 50 years. There are a lot fewer dishes to clean too.
And while they’re traveling, Harold said he knows he’ll come back home to a shortened chore list. Thanks to Concordia’s team, Harold enjoys the freedom to pursue his passions, such as hand-carving wooden pens.
“I no longer have to mow the lawn, rake the leaves or shovel the snow,” Harold said. “I do like to keep busy, but I don’t have to worry about those types of chores.”
RELATED: Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart This Season
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Thanksgiving tradition transcends all levels of care at Concordia, and some choose to spend Thanksgiving in their Concordia community.
The activities Diane mentioned happen all across Concordia to keep seniors engaged in every care level. It’s crucial to keep people gathering and spending time with one another during what can be a difficult time for some.
According to a 5-year-long survey released in 2017 by the AARP Foundation, 31% of adults say they felt lonely during the holiday season sometime during that span.
Activities personnel across Concordia really know how to keep things light, refreshing and in the highest holiday spirits. And, Concordia’s dietary staff are always finding ways to give those homecooked touches to Thanksgiving dinners.
Ruth S., a Concordia at Ridgewood Place Personal Care resident, said she normally visits with family for the holiday, but she’s shared a Thanksgiving meal with her friends in the past too.
“I’m pleased with the food here,” she said. “My favorites are the turkey, sweet potatoes and the stuffing.”
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Also, families are welcome to join their loved ones at the community’s festivities, which extend beyond dinner. Many Concordia locations, including those that offer retirement living, personal care, skilled nursing and more, host many Thanksgiving-themed activities every year.
Thanksgiving at Concordia is about preserving traditions as much as possible. We give our residents the freedom and security to celebrate the season on their terms. Click the button below to learn more about any of our senior living communities.
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