Author: Grant Mongin | Digital Marketing and SEO Specialist
Even in normal times it can be difficult to visit our elderly loved ones as much as we would like. And now that we are living in a post-COVID world, the ways we show care to our elderly loved one(s) needs to change. Our elderly loved one(s), who are already more likely to experience loneliness, cannot be visited by family and friends or go about their daily lives as normal. While this is a very real loss, it is also an opportunity to become even more creative with the ways we show support and love for elderly people in our lives.
Zoom and phone calls are wonderful but there is something special about receiving a hand-written letter from someone you love. As a millennial, I didn’t always understand letter writing, because it seemed to me like the same thing could be accomplished more efficiently through a phone call or email. However, to older adults for whom life has slowed down, efficiency is no longer a top priority, and the simple act of taking time to write and mail a hand-written letter shows that we are really thinking about them. Additionally, the opportunity to tell someone exactly what want in exactly the way we want is a unique thing in the modern world, and letters are a perfect opportunity to do just that. Even if your loved one(s) struggle with reading or writing, if they receive home care, their caregiver can assist them. And that’s why we at Homewatch CareGivers of Crystal Lake are committed not only to the “hard-skills” of care but also to the interpersonal connection with your loved ones. Because of this, we will do everything we can to make little acts of love, like receiving your letters, are special and meaningful experiences for them.
This simple practice will tangibly show your loved one(s) your care. It will give them a physical token from you that they can go back to whenever they want, and it can do the same for you. Of course, you are the ultimate judge of if you and your elderly loved one(s) will enjoy a regular letter writing practice, but if you’ve never done it maybe try writing on during this COVID time of physical distancing, because you never know you both may love it!
