The Priceless Offering of Quality Time
Submitted by Beacon of Hope Hospice
As
we speed through our over-scheduled days, helping care for our aging
parents can take the form of checking off a to-do list: get-in, do what
is necessary, and get back on the road. As we rush toward another
holiday season, the gift that may best indicate our affection for them
is taking the time out to share some memories… and to make new ones.
Simply
spending time together is one of the greatest gifts for elderly
parents. Make your mother comfy in the kitchen, and bake a batch of the
family’s favorite Christmas cookies while you recall how she used to
make them every year. Look through an old photo album with your father,
and ask him about his college football days.
Taking the time for
casual conversation, and updating your parents on the daily events of
your family life helps them to feel involved and important. It is also
reciprocal — take advantage of their life experience to benefit from
their advice on parenting and grand-parenting. All of us want to feel
valuable and useful, and allowing our parents to contribute their
perspective on the decisions and events of our lives is a win-win
situation.
Some practical suggestions for spending time together include:
• Creating a scrapbook together: A way to relive enjoyable memories while preserving a lasting legacy
• Taking a drive to the home where you grew up: Bringing back warm and wonderful memories
• Going to lunch at a favorite restaurant: An opportunity for some quiet conversation
• Watching an old holiday movie together: A time for laughter and nostalgia
As
those we love get older, it is important to them to know that they
aren’t forgotten. Charles W. Chesnutt wrote, “We sometimes underestimate
the importance of little things.” Taking the time to make a phone call
just to chat, or mailing a card with a short note lets our loved ones
know that they are remembered and valued.
However you choose to spend
the time, giving the gift of yourself demonstrates your love and caring
in a way no purchased gift could do. Knowing that we are making the
most of the time we have left with our parents, despite the hectic pace
of our daily lives, will be a source of peace and pleasure this holiday
season.
For information on end-of-life options for the elderly, please contact Beacon of Hope Hospice at 888-932-2732.