4 Ways to Promote Purpose and Meaning for Seniors

Promote purpose and meaning for the seniors in your life with these ideas.

Think of a typical day in the life of a senior loved one. Hopefully it provides several positive and enriching experiences: enjoying breakfast, engaging in a fun hobby or interest, visiting with a friend or family member, watching a favorite TV show. Nevertheless, there’s a difference between positivity and purpose and meaning for seniors; and the need for a life rich with significance and purpose is starting to become more evident, particularly in the life of aging parents.

Viktor Frankl , world-renowned psychiatrist and survivor of the Holocaust, shares poignantly, “What matters is not the meaning in life in general, but rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment.”

For people whose identity has been focused on a career and raising a family, and who now are in a season of retirement and fulfilled family commitments, it may be difficult to find other meaning and purpose. At Hired Hands Homecare, we make it a top priority to help seniors find their interests and channel them into meaningful experiences, such as:

• Volunteering. For a senior who loves children, tutoring, reading to, or mentoring kids at a local school is a wonderful option. Other individuals may care deeply about helping veterans, and assemble care packages of toiletries and snack food items to send abroad. And for animal lovers, bringing treats, blankets, and an affectionate heart to a pet shelter can be extremely rewarding.
• Learning. It is true: you are never too old to master something new. Go to your nearby community college, library, or senior center to discover classes or online programs of interest to your senior loved one.
• Helping at home. Well-meaning family caregivers frequently take over household tasks to relieve their senior loved ones from the tasks they have managed during their lifetime. Unfortunately, this could have the negative effect of leaving seniors feeling like they are no longer useful. Engage the senior in work and tasks throughout the home that are within his/her skill level and interest, such as assisting with planning meals, folding laundry, sorting nuts and bolts in a toolbox, etc.
• Documenting family history. Supplying the next generation with the rich family history and stories experienced firsthand is a treasure that only older adults can offer. Help your senior loved one document his or her lifetime legacy in a scrapbook, writing, or video recording, and then share with relatives.

And, get in touch with Hired Hands Homecare, the top provider of home care assistance in Marin and nearby areas, for the personalized in-home assistance that helps older adults discover satisfaction and purpose, while remaining secure and comfortable in the familiarity of home. 

We’re able to supply transportation to interesting and meaningful activities, help plan and implement ideas to accomplish right in the home, or just look after a few of the daily tasks throughout the house, such as cleaning and cooking, allowing seniors and their loved ones to enjoy quality time with each other. You can reach us any time at (866) 940-4343.