Do You Know How Important It is For Your Elderly Loved One to Maintain a Good Relationship with Their Grandchildren? Learn Ways You Can Help.
Senior Care near Skokie, IL: Helping your Loved One Stay Connected to Grandchildren
Many grandparents will be quick to tell you that having grandchildren is very different from having children, the bond is more about fun, quality time spent together than immediate responsibilities or chores, and as a result the connection that grandparents form with their grandchildren is often utterly unique and indescribable. As grandchildren get older, however, excited visits and begging to stay longer slowly become replaced with apathy and less and less time spent together. This process may be difficult to watch, especially when you see how much loneliness this causes your elderly loved one. The bond between a grandparent and grandchild is so strong, in fact, that in recent years many instances of con artists posing as a grandchild calling their grandparent for money are popping up with alarming intensity and effectiveness.
Senior care involves more than just making sure your elderly loved one is physically healthy, so helping them maintain a good relationship with their grandchildren is important to boost morale and make your elderly loved one feel like they are still relevant and needed. Here are some ways you can help your elderly loved one stay connected to the younger family members they hold so dear.
- Foster Relationships Early
How large a role a person plays in a child’s life has a significant impact on how they view that person later in life, so it is helpful to foster connections when the grandchildren are still young. Even if your elderly loved one is not in perfect health, facilitate non-strenuous activities they can enjoy with their grandchildren such as reading to them, doing a simple puzzle together, or singing children’s songs. These memories will go a long way in helping your elderly loved one maintain a connection with their grandchildren as they grow older.
- Utilize the Internet and Social Media
More and more senior citizens are becoming computer savvy, and this is benefiting them in more ways than one. Take Joan from Kennebunk, Maine, for example, a 72 year-old grandmother of five grandchildren between the ages of 18 and 27. Ever since she learned how to use Facebook like a pro, she has been able to keep in contact with each of them much more easily. Not only has checking her newsfeed for updates and pictures on her grandchildren now become a part of her daily routine, but she can also send and receive messages online quickly and easily, making her grandchildren feel like they can reach her as casually and conveniently as they would their own peers. Teach your elderly loved one how to use functions such as email and Skype, and their grandchildren will just be a click away.
- Arrange Educational Meetings
Age undoubtedly brings wisdom, and your elderly loved one most likely has many things they can teach their young grandchildren. By arranging times for grandchildren to visit and learn from their grandparents, a bond of genuine interest can form. An added bonus is that the grandchildren can teach their grandparents a thing or two as well—modern day conveniences such as programming the DVR, using a Keurig coffee machine, or sending a text on their smart phone can all be acquired through quality time with a grandchild.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Skokie, IL, -contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786.
Our senior care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.
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