If you’re the kind of person who loves to give back to your community, help people, and volunteer for the good of the people around you, there can be nothing more rewarding than supporting the seniors in your life to live happier, healthier, more connected lives.
With that in mind, here are a few things you can do to help the seniors in your community today?
1. Talk with them
A lot of seniors are pretty isolated. They may not have family or the family that they do have may live a long way away, which can leave them feeling lonely a lot of the time. Loneliness is really bad for humans. We need it to feel loved, heard, and happy. Seniors who have no one to talk to often end up depressed and can experience a swift decline in their physical health too. So, by simply making time to speak to them for an hour or two each week, or a few minutes every day if you can manage it, you could really help them to feel better.
2. Help them to get help
Many seniors struggle with health conditions, personal care, and chores that they can’t really manage themselves when they could actually be entitled to help with all those things. If you notice a senior in your neighborhood is struggling, why not take the time to help them find out what help is available. Something as simple as applying for CDPAP so they can get a personal carer could make such a difference to the quality of their life if only they were aware of it and knew how to apply and you can help them with that.
3. Volunteer at a senior center
Senior centers are always looking for kindhearted volunteers who can do a range of things from helping to prepare meals to sitting with seniors and listening to their stories or maybe even reading to them. If you have a little time to sparrow each week, visit your local center, and as well as supporting your local seniors, you will probably find that the act of volunteering enriches your own life too. Volunteering really is good for the soul.
4. Let them borrow your pets
Okay, this one may seem a little weird, but pets have been shown to provide excellent companionship to humans. They can lessen feelings of loneliness and isolation, boost mood, and even lower blood pressure. Unfortunately, a lot of seniors aren’t in a position to own pets either because they are no longer fit enough to care for them, they cannot afford to do so, or they live in facilities where pets are not permitted to live. By letting a senior borrow your dog or cat for a few hours, you could truly light up their lives and enable them to enjoy the kind of love, joy, and acceptance that only a pet can provide.
Seniors are an important part of the community, so show them your love and respect by being there for them including them in neighborhood fun, and serving them when you can.
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
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I love elderly people. They have so much wisdom. I have an adopted Grandma. Her name is Miss Mary and I buy her groceries fo her and help her do whatever needs to be done. I love her! She is 92 years young.
I love this article! Just spending a few minutes talking to a senior can make a huge difference. I used to see an elderly fellow sitting on a bench I passed a few times a week. I’d sit and chat for maybe 5 or 10 minutes. A year later he said his family was moving him out of state to be closer to them (hooray), and he told me how much it had mattered to him to pass the time of day with me. He tried to give me a watch (an inexpensive one) as a thank you. I refused a few times, then realized it would make him happy, so I finally accepted. I told him I’d be back in a bit, and went and bought him a small going away present and a card. We hugged, and he was glowing with happiness. All that for just a few minutes of my time. It matters.
I used to work in a nursing home as a speech therapist. When I had the time, I would just sit and talk with some of the residents. There is so much to learn and, a good listen helps everyone feel better!
I love the seniors! I worked as a CNA at our local nursing home for years so this is very important to me! Thanks for sharing!