Mother’s Day is approaching – a time when we honor the women who molded our personalities, supported us through adversity, and celebrated our great accomplishments. The key to honoring your mother lies in spending quality time with her. Why not celebrate your mother as she truly is – a formidable, inventive, and resolute individual who deserves to be commemorated for a lifetime instead of simply giving her a bouquet or artistic creation
Health challenges can restrict our loved ones from staying active, social, and engaged. It’s crucial to ensure that they feel connected and lively throughout the year, and not just on special occasions. At Anvayaa Kin Care, we understand that families may live far away or have busy schedules. That’s why we offer in-home health aids that provide not only assistance with daily tasks and post-hospitalization care but most importantly, companionship. Our main aim is to eradicate loneliness from seniors, and we feel grateful to make their days more special by bringing joy and liveliness into their lives.
Presented here are a few ideas to assist you in celebrating Mother’s Day with your senior mother. Remember, she is one-of-a-kind, so be sure to incorporate your unique ideas to convey your appreciation for her.
Activities for Mother’s Day when Mom has limited mobility:
Create a personalized playlist featuring her favorite songs
Crafting a perfectly curated playlist featuring your mother’s favorite retro artists can do more than just ward off depression and enhance her mood – it can also evoke a sense of nostalgia, transporting her back to her rebellious, carefree teenage years. This is especially true for aging mothers with limited mobility, making it an excellent gift option.
Offering the gift of music can be cherished by all mothers, regardless of their abilities or constraints. Consider creating a personalized playlist that includes your mother’s preferred music from her younger years and favorite musicians and singers. You could also gift her with modern radio like “Sa re ga ma pa” or a smart speaker like an Alexa that can be programmed to play her music upon saying the command, “Play my music!”
Have a movie night
Your mother has a movie that holds the power to transport her to a different era – whether it’s the first time she was captivated by her favorite actor in the theater or felt the intense romance of a superstar hero of that time.
One of the best ways to celebrate Mother’s Day is by hosting a family event where everyone watches their mother’s favorite movie, show, or musical together. To enhance the experience, you can set the mood with some popcorn and use mood-setting candles or dim lights to create a fitting ambience.
Treat her to a fancy meal
For mothers who have some degree of mobility (such as being able to move around using a walker or wheelchair), consider making a reservation at their favorite restaurant or arranging for catering to be provided at home. You could cook their preferred meal or get takeout from their preferred restaurant, then serve it on lovely plates and decorate the table. To make it even more special, you might consider using candles, flowers, and fancy cutlery.
Alternatively, you could organize a casual potluck party where everyone brings a dish to share, relaxes, chats, and eats together. Another idea is to bake cookies or cook a favorite dish together with your mother, depending on her abilities and interests. She could work alongside you, prepare a few basic ingredients, or simply observe and act as your taste tester.
If you live far away from your parents, you could consider reaching out to Anvayaa Senior Services, who can take your parents out for a nice lunch or dinner at their favorite restaurant or cuisine.
Mother’s Day activities for a mom who is struggling with cognitive impairment (dementia or Alzheimer’s):
Craft a memory collage
If your mother still retains some of her memories (and may just need visual cues to jog them), consider crafting a photo album or “memory collage” of her favorite photos and family pictures. This can assist your mother in revisiting significant moments in her life and potentially reigniting pleasant emotions that she experienced during each event.
Try using aromatherapy to relax and soothe her
Research has indicated that a single scent can trigger a flood of memories and even improve our mood (especially if it is a pleasant memory!). This makes baking or cooking particularly beneficial for mothers with some cognitive impairment or memory loss.
Another idea to consider is whether there was a specific flower arrangement at your mother’s wedding or a perfume that she used to wear that you could present to her.
Work on a puzzle or play a card game together
For mothers who are experiencing early-onset dementia or have specific cognitive limitations, it may be beneficial to arrange a family game day. If your mother enjoys games, puzzles, or puzzle books, you can select games with varying levels of complexity or simplicity.
Playing games together can provide a wonderful opportunity to engage in conversation, stimulate your mother’s memory, and reminisce about her favorite memories. Additionally, singing along with her and creating a relaxed environment can also be beneficial.
Mother’s Day activities for mamas who are isolated or lonely:
At certain points in life, such as after the loss of a partner or close friend, Moms may be more vulnerable to feelings of loneliness and isolation. While rebuilding a social life can be daunting, you can provide support by doing it together. If you need extra help, consider contacting our Anvayaa services. Our caretakers can assist in arranging visits to her friends or relatives, or even taking her to her favorite places.
Set up a video call with her favorite people to connect and celebrate together
Mothers are the embodiment of selflessness, and for them, their children are the center of their universe. To show your love and appreciation for your mother, consider setting up a video call with her grandkids or arranging a phone call with her beloved siblings. This will not only make her day, but it will also help her feel connected and cherished by the people she loves most.
Unique ideas to make Mother’s Day more extraordinary:
Fulfill a wish from her bucket list
If your mother is capable both physically and mentally, fulfilling a long-cherished dream of hers can be one of the most fulfilling things you can do for her. Many mothers often put their desires aside to take care of their families. Mother’s Day can be an opportunity to surprise her by taking her to her dream destination. For instance, some mothers may wish to visit a particular place, such as Varanasi (Kasi) or to Chardham yatra, Mecca once in their lifetime, while others may dream of meeting their favorite celebrities. Some may desire to visit their birthplace and relive childhood memories.
Plan a fun day out together
Consider taking her to a botanical garden to enjoy the beauty of nature and even have a picnic if the weather is nice. For those who appreciate art, visiting a nearby museum can be a great option. You can engage them in a conversation about their favorite pieces and ask open-ended questions to get the conversation flowing. If your loved one has a particular hobby, such as art, gardening, or music, consider joining them in the activity or taking a class together. And for sports enthusiasts, watching a live game, whether it’s a local or national team, can be a fun and exciting outing.
Take her for a shopping trip
Take her to her favorite clothing stores and surprise her with a special gift of something she loves.
Conclusion
The value of a gift is not measured by how much money is spent on it. The most valuable gift you can give to your mother is your undivided time and attention. Even if you cannot be physically present with her, you can make a call or send an email to let her know you are thinking of her. Writing a heartfelt letter expressing your love and appreciation for her can also be a great gesture. You can also create a personalized card for her or involve your kids in making a card with messages on what they love about her. In case you are far away and unable to visit her, you can reach out to Anvayaa Senior care services to help make her day special.
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