The year is 1959 and Dwight Eisenhower is President of the United States. TV shows like Bonanza and The Twilight Zone are on primetime television. Alaska and Hawaii just became the 49thand 50thstates in the union respectively. And the youngest of 2019’s beloved senior citizens were born.
Fast forward to 2019, and the world we live in is drastically different than the world our beloved senior citizens lived in in 1959 and beyond.
Over the last 60 years a lot has changed, and most of it can be accredited to our elderly loved ones. Their perseverance and hard work is what paved the way for the freedoms and technological progress we enjoy today.
Considering everything older generations have done for us, in August of 1988 President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation that declared August 21 as National Senior Citizens Day. During this annual celebration, people are encouraged to recognize the achievements of our elderly loved ones and take the opportunity to show appreciation for the dedications, accomplishments, and services they have given throughout their lives.
Even though this year’s National Senior Citizens Day has already passed, it is never too late to thank your elderly loved one for everything they have done and accomplished. If simply thanking them doesn’t seem good enough, we came up with 8 other ways you can show them your appreciation.
Keep reading to find out what they are.
Forget the phone call, Pick them up for lunch
Sure, a phone call is a nice gesture but if you really want to show them your appreciation, pick them up and take them out for a nice lunch at their favorite local eatery. It’ll give them a chance to get out of the house, and the face-to-face interaction is always nice.
Don’t live close to your elderly loved one? Get coffee over FaceTime
Sometimes seeing our elderly loved ones in person is difficult because they live too far away. If this is the case, send them a gift card for Starbucks or their favorite coffee shop, then schedule a time to catch up and get coffee ‘together’ over FaceTime.
Start a Family History Project
Whether its filling out a family tree, sorting through old photos and digitalizing albums, or gathering family recipes, a family history project is a great way to spend time with your senior loved one and gives them an opportunity to share some of their past experiences and advice.
Take them to try something new
The saying is true, you can teach an old dog new tricks. And even better, research has shown that learning something new helps slow cognitive loss caused by Dementia or other conditions. Take this opportunity to encourage your senior citizen to try a new activity. Many community centers and local colleges offer cooking, yoga and other classes. Who knows, they may discover a new passion.
Volunteer
If your senior loved one lives too far away, you could show your appreciation of our nation’s seniors by volunteering at a local senior center or living facility. Simply being there for a senior citizen who may not have family to visit would make their day, and probably even their year. You could provide conversation or play a game or help them do chores around their house.
Record them telling their favorite stories
You don’t need a fancy setup to do this. In fact, that smart phone in your pocket has an amazing video and voice recording app already built in. Simply record your senior loved one telling you one of their favorite stories. You could learn a lot and will cherish it for years to come. Take it one step further and record an interview for NPR’s StoryCorp project.
Cook for them
No matter how old or young you are, cooking for yourself can be exhausting at times. A nice way to celebrate your senior’s accomplishments is to cook them a week’s worth of meals that they can freeze or save for a later date. Not only will it save them time, they will probably appreciate the change in food options.
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.