Fun Ideas for Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day With Your Senior Loved One

Saint Patrick’s Day was initially observed in Ireland with religious services and feasts to celebrate the life and work of the titular saint, who passed away in 461 A.D. Cities in America turned it into a secular celebration of Irish culture, starting with Boston’s parade in 1762.

The holiday affords us a fun opportunity to celebrate with the ones we love, but the street celebration may be too raucous for our elderly loved ones. Below are some options to still celebrate this festive holiday in the comforts of home.

Celebrate by Cooking a Traditional Irish Meal

The Irish are well known for their distinct, hearty meals, and the Food Network has a list of 47 different recipes to celebrate this wonderful culture. An example of a traditional Irish stew is known as Irish coddle, a slowly simmered stew of bacon, sausage, onions, potatoes, parsley, and a black pepper base. Pair this stew with traditional Irish soda bread, a sweet, baked good.

Televised Saint Patrick’s Day Parades

While cooking or eating your meal, tune into one of the televised parades going on around the country. If you prefer to tune into your local city’s parade, check your local listings to see if your city’s parade will be televised. Chicago, Boston, and New York City all have televised viewing options for their parades, so you can easily enjoy these large festivities from the warmth of your home.

Fun & Easy Irish Craft Ideas

After the parade, there are several fun and easy craft ideas that you and your elderly loved one can work on. With simple materials from a craft store, you can make creative Irish-themed crafts such as:

Saint Patrick’s Day is a beautiful celebration of a country’s culture, and we hope the ideas above will allow you to enjoy this day with your elderly loved ones from home. At Milestone, we pride ourselves on bettering lives, which is why we provide a blog offering ideas for older adults to stay healthy and happy.

If your family needs senior living assistance, please visit one of our communities. You can also contact us for additional information.