Celebrating Día de Los Muertos with Seniors

Día de Los Muertos (or Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday that inspires individuals to reflect on the lives of their passed loved ones. From October 31 to November 2, colorful celebrations of life take place to commemorate friends and family who have passed.

While the holiday is celebrated by all ages, it is especially meaningful when celebrating Día de Los Muertos with seniors. They have lost a greater number of loved ones throughout their life. As time goes by, they may feel more and more disconnected from them, which is a painful realization to have.

If your loved one is of Mexican heritage and wants to honor their lost loved ones on the Day of the Dead, help with these activities below.

Create a display of marigolds

According to legend, marigolds attract the souls of the dead with their bright colors and fragrant scents. So, gather marigolds from your local garden store and create bouquets to display around the home.

If your loved one doesn’t want fragrant flowers in their home, you could instead make paper marigolds. The process is relatively easy and inexpensive and will allow them to use the same flowers every year.

Decorate sugar skulls

Sugar skulls are some of the most recognizable symbols of Día de Los Muertos. They often accompany marigolds and candles and are placed on the graves of deceased relatives. Many also include the deceased’s favorite food or drink.

You can buy figurines, painted masks, and sugar skull-themed foods at most stores. However, making your own sugar skulls would be a great opportunity to spend time with your loved one. Buy ceramic white skulls to decorate as you see fit. Alternatively, make sugar cookies shaped like skulls and decorate them with royal icing.

Create an altar at home

When celebrating Día de Muertos with seniors, one of the best things to do is to create an altar in one’s home. Help your loved one select a safe place for their altar. It shouldn’t be in the way of walkways, and it shouldn’t be in a location where lit candles are a fire hazard. Then, gather photographs, marigolds, and your sugar skulls to create a beautiful display.

Attend a Día de Muertos celebration

With a relatively large Mexican population in Chicago, there are plenty of Día de Muertos celebrations happening across the city and suburbs. Go online to find events that are accessible to your loved one. If they want to be surrounded by others but don’t want to navigate crowds, they could host a small gathering at home.

Whether you and your loved one attend a community celebration or host one, it will help your elderly loved one feel connected to their culture, their history, and those who are no longer with them.

A home care worker can help

If your elderly loved one wants to take place in the variety of Día de Muertos activities, but perhaps isn’t as mobile as they once were, an at-home caregiver can help. They can run to the store to pick up whatever supplies their loved one needs for their altar. They will also make sure they feel clean and confident for any upcoming events.

At Home Care Powered by AUAF, our staff wants nothing more than to help your loved one lead a quality life. For more information on our services, call us at 773-274-9262.