ENCOURAGING SENIORS

• Pray with them
  
• Pray for them
  
• Treat the elderly with the honor and respect
  

• Set aside a whole morning or day to spend time with them

• Practice creative listening while in their presence

• Call them before they call you….. it means they matter to you

• Take them to see a friend and allow them time to visit

• Take one of their friends to visit them
  
• Remind them that God cares for them
• Thank an elderly person for their Christian example

• Read the Bible with them or to them

• Ask their opinion about a scripture and really listen

• Talk with them about their expectations of Heaven

• Ask them about their favorite Bible character

• Take them to worship services frequently if they are unable to go alone

• If they attend worship services regularly on their own offer to sit with them

• Remember their special days with a visit, call or a card (help them celebrate)

• Remember their spouse’s death – allow them to talk about them

• If they have lost a child allow them to talk about their life and death

• Take them to a funeral of a friend and let them tell you about their friendship

• Listen to their stories no matter how many times you have heard them

• Really listen to them talk about whatever is on their mind

• Ask about their children and grandchildren - Remember their names and situations for future conversations

• Ask them if they have a family Bible or a family picture album they would like to share with you during your visit

• Offer to help them make a scrapbook of their life (validate their existence)

• Ask about their family history - everyone loves to talk about their family

• Share a compliment with them that you have heard about them

• Allow them to share the sad times in their life

• Talk with them about some adversity they overcame and how

• If you know they like flowers/plant take time to send/take them 

• Go for a walk with them in the country
  
• Send random “Thinking of You” or “You’re Special” cards

• Take them shopping

• Offer transportation for appointments

• If they mention chores that need to be done try and take time to help

• If you know they enjoy games, take time to play a game with them

• Mow their yard for them

• Drop by and take them anywhere they want to go

• If possible take them to visit their childhood home

• Play their favorite game - you may actually learn to enjoy it

• Check on their air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter

• Ask them to tell you about what invention has most changed their life

• Ask them to tell you about the day they became a Christian

• Take them an old fashioned, home-cooked meal

• Discover their favorite dessert and make it for them

• Have your children color or paint them a picture

• Send them a card with pictures of your family

• Spend time with them by cleaning their home

• Watch a sunset together or maybe a sunrise

• Send them a postcard during your travels

• Sing with them or to them

• Offer to take them to a special event

• Offer an elderly woman a hairstyling, a manicure, a pedicure, etc.

• If an elderly person lives alone, be sure they have one good meal per day
• Create a safe environment for them (Read the book: Safe People by Cloud & Townsend)
• Be one of their balcony people (Read the book: Balcony People by Joyce Landorf Heatherly)
  
• Study the bible together (www.studythebibleyourself.com)
  

If you have ideas that are not listed on this page, please email us your ideas here