Elderly Care in Mt. Laurel, NJ – Use the Holiday as an Opportunity to Spend Quality Time Together
Love and romance are the spotlights on Valentine’s Day. The warm and cozy feelings of first falling in love may be one of the many memories coming back to our senior family members. Unfortunately, Valentine’s Day can also bring feelings of increased loneliness and emotional pain, especially if their spouse has passed on.
It’s important and very special to our elderly family members to find ways to show them extra love and attention on February 14th. You might know exactly what would touch the heart of your own senior loved one but in case you need some extra ideas, see if one of the following would work out for you:
- Spend time with your senior loved one. Do something they like to do. Would he like to go bowling or play mini-golf indoors? Would she like to go to a musical theatre performance or attend a craft class?
- Have some flowers delivered. If you live close by, deliver them yourself.
- Bring something yummy and then sit awhile and share it together.
- Contact as many siblings and grandchildren as you can; encourage them all to make a homemade valentine with a recent picture attached, then gather them all up along with whichever family members can come in person, and deliver the valentines to your senior loved one.
- Help him continue a tradition he may have shared with his wife.
- Help her read all the old love letters she saved all these years.
- Share a special meal with your loved one and tell them all the special things they’ve done for you over your life time.
- Look through old photo albums and reminisce about past events and other family members.
- Frame a photo of you with your senior loved one, and include a card outlining all the things you appreciate about him or her.
- Make a fun valentine’s craft together.
- Find some good, funny jokes online you think he or she would enjoy and make them into a little booklet and take them over to their house. Read and laugh at the jokes together.
- Fix a special meal together and then decorate valentine cookies. Invite a few special friends or family members to join you.
- Make a games night with some great little healthy snacks and make sure you include your senior loved one’s favorite games and snacks.
Some things can become difficult for a senior family member to do for themselves. They may not always tell you because they are embarrassed. You can usually tell if your senior loved one is struggling with something. Do they keep their house in the same state of cleanliness they always have? Do they look neat, clean and well-groomed? Are they eating nutritious meals? What does the inside of their fridge look like? If any of the answers to these questions troubles you, it’s time to consider hiring elder care services to give your loved one the assistance they need.
