Dec 13, 2007

Teach kids how to be generous with seniors

While many adults understand the value of gifts from the heart for seniors, what a gift you can give the seniors and the little ones in your life by encouraging kids to be thoughtful and generous, without costing money.

Here are a few ideas perfect for kids' holiday giving:

Take a nature walk with a senior and collect interesting objects on the way. Later, paste them in a collage as a present, writing or saying: Thanks for the fun walk!

Interview an elderly person about what it was like when they were young, in the service, or at another meaningful time in their life. Use a tape recorder or take notes. Draw a portrait of them or write a short biography.

Write an acrostic poem using their name, such as:
Beautiful
Energetic
Talented
Happy

Go caroling -- especially at nursing homes or at neighbors who are lonely or housebound. Bring goodies with you to give them.

Give an award – such as “My Hero Award.” Make sure you list or draw at least three reasons they are so great!

Dec 11, 2007

Holiday Gifts for the Elderly: Thought, Love, Time

Dear Abby had a great column just in time for holiday gift-giving, remindig all of us that the last thing most seniors needs is another tie or sachet. Here's some of the great advice she shared:

One grandaughter helped her "grandmother with Christmas cards. (She had arthritis, and it was hard for her to write.) It was one of the best presents I ever gave her, and it was lots of fun for me.
I visited her, asked for the names and addresses of the people she wanted to send cards to, and wrote them all down on notebook paper. Then we went through her address book together. She had a story about everyone in the book. At Thanksgiving, I took her to the store to select cards and then addressed them and had her sign them."

Another person "went shopping at a local toy store and selected a bunch of cute items (stickers, balls, jacks, puzzles, etc.). The store generously included enough gift bags and colored tissue for each little purchase.
When I presented Aunt Jane with 10 bags of tiny gifts she could give to her great-nieces and -nephews, she was thrilled. We had a wonderful time together deciding which child would receive which toy and writing appropriate messages on the gift cards."

The best gifts needn't cost any money:

Grabbing some kids -- even teens, what warmth many of them have with older people! -- and caroling in a retirement or nursing home is a gift for all involved.

What willl you do to spread joy to seniors this season?