5 Ways To Serve The Elderly

December is a month that turns our hearts closer to giving. We become more observant of what is around us and tend to show a bit more gratitude. This year, I would like to encourage you to take some time out of your month, and serve the elderly in some way. Often times, elderly are pushed off to the side of society . . . forgotten, and left to themselves. But they are the ones who have paved the roads we walk, work in the places we work, lived in the neighborhoods we live in. So this year call up your local nursing home, retirement center, or elderly living community (every place seems to call them a bit different these days), and plan something to do for them to express your gratitude and thankfulness for what they’they’ve done throughout their lives.

Here are 5 ideas that may help you come up with some ideas of what to do:

1. Prepare and take them a meal. I don’t think I’I’ve met an elderly person who has ever turned down a good meal. They LOVE to chat and share their stories, and what better setting than over some good food. So bake something up, or cook up your favorite dish and take it over to your local nursing home or retirement facility.
2. Plan a class or workshop. Are you good at knitting? Or maybe crochet? Or maybe your creative talent is crafting, sewing, or fitness. Call up your local nursing home or retirement facility and plan an afternoon workshop one week. My mom manages an assisted living center, and EVERY time she arranges for someone to come and teach a workshop she says that the residents just come alive. They love the learning experience, and love LOVE to be able to make something with their hands.
3. Piggybacking off of #2, plan a donation with the crafts they make. A lot of hospitals are in need of donations of baby items. Maybe you can arrange to makes baby booties or even baby  beanie hats, gather them up and take them
4. Plan something musical like a mariachi band, or fun sing-along songs from previous decades. Before the big day, find a way to take a pol in the community to ask the residents what their favorite songs are.<
5. Card games and board games. In addition to the first go to thought of Bingo, think of other games like Yahtzee or card games. Headbands is a fun game that everyone enjoys too!

The sky is the limit here, but the important part is to find out what they would like to do in each event. And if you encounter some that don’t want to participate in group activities, maybe you can arrange to visit them once a week and read to them. I’m sure that would bless someone!