February is arguably the most romantic month of the year. Afterall, it’s host to Valentine’s Day.
Even though the central theme of Valentine’s Day is to treat a romantic partner to thoughtful or delicious gifts such as chocolate and roses as well as a fancy night out, it doesn’t have to be.
In fact, a poll shows that in recent years there has been a shift from Valentine’s Day being a strictly romantic holiday to instead being a great opportunity to remind your loved ones just how much they mean to you. The poll found that “people also show their appreciation in the form of gifts for family members (59.4 percent), friends (21.7 percent), teachers (20.4 percent) and colleagues (12.1 percent).”
While chocolates and flowers are great gifts, they are quite cliché. Not to mention, flowers wilt and chocolate is quickly eaten and forgotten. If you have an elderly loved one on your Valentine’s Day list, we challenge you to show them just how much you care about them by going above and beyond this year.
Keep reading for some great out-of-the-box ideas to show your senior loved one just how much you care about them on Valentine’s Day.
Digitalize Their Wedding Album
This is a great gift for a senior loved one who has/had a happy marriage. With all the technology available nowadays you can easily scan old photos, retouch them, and store them in a digital album using tools like Shutterfly. These updated albums can be a great way to reminisce about past and present romance.
Make Your Own Cards
Although your senior would absolutely love a card you personally picked out and bought from a store, making the card by scratch is even more special. Break out your colored paper, markers, glue, scissors, and stencils and get to work. You could take this one step further and hold a card making party with your senior and other loved ones, then exchange the cards at the end.
Turn Your Family Recipes into a Cookbook
Was your senior loved one known for their love of cooking? Collecting all of their recipes and making them into an actual cookbook is a great gift that can be passed down for generations. In addition to giving them the book, you could secretly plan to cook a special meal out of it with them.
Watch a Sappy Movie with Them
Everyone has a favorite romantic film and since Valentine’s Day is in the middle of Winter, it is the perfect excuse to plan a sappy film movie night with your senior loved one.
Give them a Houseplant
Giving your senior a houseplant for Valentine’s Day is a great twist on the cliché tradition of giving flowers. Houseplants help improve indoor air quality and give seniors something to care for which has been proven to be beneficial for senior loved ones.
Bring the Benefits of the Sun into Their Home
Being Winter, it is often gray and gloomy outside on Valentine’s Day. Light up you loved one’s living space with a light therapy lamp. These lamps imitate the positive benefits of daylight and have proven to provide a positive mood boost for those who use them.
The Portrait Puzzle
Does your loved one have a cherished family portrait? If so, you could turn it into a puzzle to give to your loved one. Wal Mart Photo Center and other companies provide an easy way to do this with minimal turnaround time.
A Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets seemed to become all the rage this last holiday season and for good reason; they’re proven to help reduce stress and anxiety. Simply pick the best weight based on your loved one’s size and you’re off to the races.
The Family Tree
Many of us enjoy learning about our roots and heritage. Thanks to improvements in DNA testing, it has never been easier to trace family history. You could gift your senior with a DNA test kit from Ancestry, 23 and Me, or another genealogical testing company.
Spend Time with Them
This may sound cliché as well, but the best gift you can give a senior loved one is your time. Gifts fade but memories made will stay and be cherished for years. Plus, you get the gift of spending time with them, so it is mutually beneficial.
Bonus: Invest in Companion Care
We know that if it was up to you, you would spend every minute with your senior loved one. But, between work, your family and a social life, you simply can’t. Which is why Wiser Home Care Services provides a Companion Care Service.
Our companion care caregivers provide the interaction seniors need to help make them feel connected. Wiser Home Care Services has wonderful companion care caregivers that are there for conversation, able to take seniors to social outings, run errands, and participate in activities as well as do light house duties. In addition, companion care can provide the support needed for seniors to live safely at home.
If you care for an elderly loved one and would like help developing a care plan of any kind, please feel free to contact us. We can help your family establish a care plan to personally accommodate your loved one’s needs.
Click here to request your free care assessment.