GRACE Adoption is committed to becoming more and more connected with our “friends”, our “senior citizens”, our churches, and our community.
As I use the word “friend” throughout this site, I felt I should tell you who we call a “friend”. A “friend” is someone who is willing to take some time to visit/minister to a senior citizen(s) in a senior facility twice a month, developing a caring relationship with that senior. That “friend” can become their greatest source of love, healing, and encouragement. “Friend” was chosen to describe these individuals as that is what Jesus called those who were closest to him and those who wished to follow him. The Bible says in Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” John 15:12-15 is a key passage about friendship. PLEASE always know, we can use more “friends”.
GRACE Adoption Inc. accepts no liability for “senior citizen” if removed from facilities premise.
- Talk about what you both have been up to since your last visit.
- Bring photos of family/friends from days gone by or recent snapshots.
- Create a photo album, framed photograph collection, or poster to hang up.
- Make a special scrapbook celebrating his or her lifetime.
- Write or tape your older adult’s biography…give copies to their family.
- Share your own favorite stories and memories.
- Bring vacation photos, souvenirs, postcards, maps and tales of your travels.
- Read newspapers/magazines aloud to keep your older adult “in touch.”
- Look at magazines that have a lot of large, colorful pictures.
- Subscribe to your older adult’s hometown newspaper and bring it along.
- Read religious or inspirational articles, magazines, or books.
- Read letters and cards from family and friends.
- Listen to messages from family/friends, recorded on your cell phone.
- Bring a taped greeting from family/friends.
- Help your older adult write emails/letters or send cards to people.
- Find a pen pal and help your older adult correspond with this new friend.
- Create a poster or mobile from pictures cut from magazines.
- Bring things related to the season/upcoming holiday to do or talk about.
- Have an indoor picnic with your older adult’s favorite picnic foods.
- Enjoy a cup of a favorite beverage that you’ve brought along.
- Bring the musical instrument you play for your older adult’s private concert.
- Teach your older adult to play an instrument …or learn together.
- Sing, hum or whistle together.
- Play “Name That Tune” with your iPad, tapes, or music on the radio.
- Listen to music.
- Play charades.
- Bring yarn for a knitting project.
- Work on a craft project together.
- Try a new artistic pastime together such as drawing, painting, or needlework.
- Make simple gifts for your older adult’s grandchildren.
- Bring along your sewing basket, button box or tool kit to organize together.
- Bring a bird feeder or house to hang outside your older adult’s window.
- Bring along a bird book and see how many different types of birds drop by.
- Bring out the mending while you do your visit…your older adults' or yours.
- Brush, comb, or style your older adult’s hair.
- Pamper your older adult with makeup, perfume, aftershave, or manicure.
- Ask for help in planning your garden and look through the seed catalog.
- Plant and take care of an indoor window garden together.
- Create terrarium to enjoy which needs very little care.
- Play word or trivia games to keep your older adult’s mind alert.
- Play board/card games together – their favorites and new ones.
- Keep a running tally of the scores in your games.
- Do crossword puzzles together.
- Do jigsaw puzzles together, large and small.
- Watch television together and talk about the programs/movies you’ve seen.
- Keep up on soap operas or reality shows that your older adult watches and you may miss.
- Bring a CD of an old favorite movie/musical to watch together or when you are gone.
- Go shopping from catalogs for clothes, needed items or frivolous necessities.
- Go “window shopping” infancy catalogs filled with things you would never buy.
- Bring a favorite recipe book to explore or plan a meal together.
- Bring along a treat made from a recipe your older adult likes.
- Bring along a treat made from a recipe that sounded good.
- Give your older adult a gentle massage with lotion to keep their skin soft.
- Bring things to stimulate the sense of smell like spices, perfumes, or flowers.
- Bring different textured fabrics to touch such as silk, wool, denim, corduroy, or velvet.
- Share pictures on your cell phone or share those pictures on your cell phone that create a travelogue.
- Bring home movies to watch together….and don’t forget the popcorn!!
- Have grandchildren bring or send along artwork and school papers.
- Bring a pet to visit.
- Bring a pet that the older adult can enjoy and perhaps even adopt (fish or a bird).
- Start a collection or hobby that you both enjoy.
- Invite others who share the same interests as your older adult.
- Do exercises together to keep limber and improve balance.
- Read a devotional, short story, the Bible, chapter of a novel or a poem(s) each time you visit.
- Write poetry or a short story together and send it off to be published.
- Look at or listen to an old-fashioned music box.
- Make a “joy box” by filling a decorated shoebox with fun, favorite items.
- Watch the seasons change out the window together.
- Take photos of the changing season or keep a “window diary.”
- Keep a mutual journal of interesting discussions you have during your visits.
- Make a potpourri together and hang it up to keep the room sweet-smelling.
- Tell jokes to one another and bring along a joke book if you need help.
- Start a friendly, news-filled “chain letter” among your older adult’s friends.
- Bring along an old friend of your older adult for a special reunion.
- Take photos of your older adult to send to family and friends. Ask for theirs, too.
- Take a walk together outside as weather permits…sit on the porch/patio.
- Bring along your children or grandchildren. Enjoy watching them play.
- Have someone bring a baby to hold and “coo” over.
- Make scarves, mittens, toys or the like to give to a children’s home or hospital.
- Celebrate the holidays together with special parties for two.
- Keep track of favorite sports teams and make a friendly wager on the next game.
- Learn a new word each time you visit together.
- Challenge your older adult in a two-person spelling bee.
- Play along with the television game shows or host your own version.
- Dance or tap your shoes to your older adult’s favorite dance music.
- Bring a travel book/brochure to dream about your fantasy vacation.
- Use some small rhythm instrument, maybe a kazoo, to make your own music.
- Read the Farmer’s Almanac and keep track of which predictions come true.
- Play tic-tac-toe or hangman.
- Ask your older adult to share memories of how the community has changed.
- Make a list of all your older adult’s favorite foods, movie stars, and songs.
- Decide what you both would do if you had $1 million.
- Design or make your own Christmas or other holiday cards to send.
- Toss cards into a hat, pitch pennies, shoot marbles or play jacks.
- Sit and hold your older adult’s hand and lend a good listening ear.
- Try your hand at drawing each other’s picture(s).
- Blindfold your older adult in order to guess the flavors of tangy fruit candies.
- Recite nursery rhymes and songs from both your generation’s childhoods.
- Work on a latch-hook rug for your older adult’s room as you sit and talk.
- Think of your own 101 things to do while visiting.
- Give your senior friend a hug as you arrive & each time you say “goodbye”.