5 Tips to Make an Elderly Parent Feel Loved and Appreciated
Taking care of our elderly parents is our priority as grown-up children. Though some of them may opt to live independently or may need to move into an assisted living facility for better care,
we all have a responsibility to make sure that they receive the proper care, support and comfort to enjoy and enrich their lives in their retirement years. Thus, making them feel loved and recognized can help them find their purpose in life and prevent them from feeling depressed or isolated.
Here are some tips to make your elderly parent feel loved and happy.
- Do some repairs or refurbish their home.
Some of our elderly parents may not ask for our help because they don’t want to be a burden, so if they are living alone — visit them and ask if they have anything that needs to be done or repair such as leaking pipes, changing light bulbs or refurbishing their furniture or home. Also, as a concerned loved ones, you should be mindful in designing homes for elderly –safety-proof their home and consider using a non-glass furniture and decors to prevent falls or injuries such as lightweight wood frames, banners or wood strip wall calendar. Involve your elderly loved ones in choosing their home decor and shop together; doing these things for your elderly parent will remind them that you really care for them. Also, make sure that their place has adequate lighting and free from clutter. Putting additional grab bars, holders and anti-slip in their bathroom is also a great idea to ensure your elderly safety at home.
- Send them sweet notes or letters.
Find some time to write them sweet notes, emails or handwritten letters. Sending cards to seniors will make them feel appreciated and loved. Share your stories, your success, and you can even ask for their advice. Write them motivational and inspirational quotes or send them Bible verses. Simple notes like “Thank you!”, “I appreciate you!” or “I am grateful to have you!” are some of the examples that you can write to them. Be vocal and expressive with your feelings to them and express it warmly and with sincerity.
- Spend quality time with them.
Spending quality time with your elderly parents despite your busy schedule means a lot to them. Know their interest and try to do some fun activities with them. Treat them in their favorite restaurant, surprise them with a tea party or do grocery shopping together. Or if they love arts and crafts, surprise them with stuff like colored pens, washi tapes, stamps, stickers, embellishments, notebooks and journals to make a beautiful scrapbook scrapbooking for seniors is a great way to boost their cognitive skills, prevent memory loss or dementia, improve hand dexterity and can even reduce stress. Or simply do activities at home such as cooking, baking, gardening; or encourage them to reminisce, to tell their fond thoughts and memories – reminiscing preserves your family history and improve their quality of life by remembering happy moments together.
- Honor and value them.
Honor your parents always and don’t let them feel that they are taken for granted. If your elderly lives independently, visit them regularly and don’t fail to greet them on their special occasions. However, if your schedule doesn’t permit you to visit them in their place — video call or call them regularly to make them feel that they are not forgotten. Show them your affection by hugs and kisses, give them a warm hand or foot massage, compliment them and say that you love them. Saying “I love you” to your elderly parents is a great reassurance that you really care and it will make a big difference in their lives. And, if you and your elderly parents have different perspectives — don’t let these things get in your way and always respect them no matter what. Be careful with your words and speak in a polite and kind manner, always.
- Surprise them with special gifts.
Giving gifts is one way to express your gratitude and appreciation to them. Give them special gifts like personalized jewelry, house plants, throw blankets, a pair of comfortable shoes, or perfume. Buy them gadgets like a cell phone or tablet to get connected with their distant friends, a medical alert device or a fall detection device so they can immediately call for help in case of an emergency. Your gifts are a token of appreciation that will always remind them that you really value and care for them.
There are so many ways to make your elderly parents and loved ones feel loved and appreciated. Let them know that you really care to help them find joy and purpose in their retirement years.
