If your aging loved one is a senior, then taking the time to honor him or her during Veteran’s Day is a great way to show them how much you appreciate the service they gave. Whether your loved one served overseas or stateside, in whatever capacity, his or her service was valued and appreciated. And don’t forget about the spouses of those who served. If your aging loved one was married to someone who served, they deserve to be honored as well.
If you’re looking for some ideas to take the time to celebrate them this November, then here are a few to help get you started.
- Look for community events. Many communities have events that celebrate the day with things like parades, gatherings, or even small festivals. If you have one in your community, ask your loved one if he’d like to attend. If you are not able to bring him, this is a great event for his home care provider to attend with him. Remind his home care provider to help your loved one find and wear any pins or clothes that he still has from his days of serving. Most guests at public events go out of their way to thank the service men and women that they see, which can be a day brightener for your loved one.
- Visit the local veteran’s memorial. Some memorials are tucked away in corners of parks, some are large multi-acre cemeteries. Doing a quick Google search can help you find those around your area for your loved one to visit and take a moment to think about those who served beside him. If possible, find a memorial that is dedicated to the conflict he served in or the branch he served with.
- Take some time to talk about it. Some people have served our country and yet never talk about the time that they served, especially if they were involved in combat or war activity. It can be hard to talk about painful memories. If your loved one struggles to talk about the time he served, ask him questions that are more positive and don’t focus on the painful memories. Ask him about what the country looked like that he was in – what was the weather? You can ask him if he ever ate any unique foods while serving. Don’t forget to ask about the friends he made, the comrades that made his time serving better.
- Watch a documentary together. If your loved one doesn’t want to go out, see if he’d like to watch a documentary that focuses on the time he served. He could share insight as you watch together.
- Don’t forget to fly the flag. If your loved one has an American flag, make sure it is out and flying on Veteran’s Day. If he doesn’t, have his home care provider pick him up one (or a bunch) of temporary flags to attach to the railings on his porch or balcony.
Your loved one will appreciate it when you honor him and other veterans for their patriotism and willingness to serve our country.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HIRING HOME CARE ASSISTANCE IN MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT HOME HELPERS TODAY. (408) 317-4969
