Moms and Dads

6 Ways To Make Senior Citizens Feel Valued

by Kevyn Gohu
August 18, 2022

There are so many ways to make senior citizens feel appreciated.

Taking care of senior citizens or mostly our grandparents and aging parents may sound taxing. But for many who have a good relationship with them, there’s no question about doing it or not. It’s more on how — since a lot of times, they can get a bit ornery and sharp with their barbs and comments. But here are some ways we can make them feel valued.

1. Find tasty but healthy food options.

A lot of their irritability comes from them stuck with eating the same bland food every time because it’s healthy for them. Anyone would go insane from that! With different restaurants popping out, there’s bound to be something out there that can support their diets. There’s keto, vegan, and many more!

2. Amuse senior citizens a little about their age.

Some senior citizens enjoy messing with people’s brains about their age. They can be 60 years old but have the strength and looks of a 30-year-old. They can give a hearty grin and tell people, “Oh, don’t worry, I’m just a harmless senior citizen” and later proceed to push a car backward with ease to save gas just because it was a few inches away from the tire blocker. No wonder people are skeptical about believing in senior citizen IDs!

3. Help them with technology.

These people taught us how to eat with a spoon. The least we can do for them is to help figure out how to work the iPad so they can watch their favorite show on Netflix.

4. Set up an online phone.

Not everyone likes keeping a landline so it’ll be good to set up an online phone for them. But it’s okay if they find difficulty in managing an online phone. Landlines usually come part-and-parcel with our internet bundles anyway.

5. Let them use their IDs.

Filipinos love going for a good bargain and senior citizens get 20% off a lot of things. They even get free parking in malls, depending on the city they’re in. They feel important and valued when their ID can help the family save a little money.

6. Visit.

A lot of senior citizens are our grandparents and our parents who are living in another house. A once-a-week visit to their place helps them feel remembered and valued.

Senior citizens still have their place in society!

A lot of times, senior citizens are viewed as people who no longer have their use. But the truth is, a lot of them are still lucid and have vast knowledge to share. All it takes is a little sitting down and talking to them to help keep senior citizens happy. Doing so also keeps the dreaded Dementia at bay.