Dear Di-ary….
Question: There is an elderly lady in my neighborhood who lives alone. Do you have any suggestions of something that I could do to brighten her day?
Submitted by Michele D
Living alone has so many challenges. When you’re younger they are easier to manage but as you get older it can be very overwhelming at times. The hardest is the solitude….not having anyone to talk to or do things together.
For me, I know I have to keep busy. Perhaps you could find out if there are senior events that your neighbor might want to attend to get her out and have some social activity with others. Some churches in our area have senior meetings twice a week to gather the seniors together. They enjoy a lite breakfast, some fun crafts, exercise and then feed them lunch before they go home. I don’t know if your neighbor is able to get out or do much, or if she even drives. If she can’t get out perhaps you could drop off a meal to her. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy….even something from Chick-Fil-A, Wendy’s or McDonalds can be a welcomed treat for someone who is shut in, especially if you top it off with a frosty or small sundae!
If you know of any organizations that drop things off to seniors/shut-ins you may want to give them her name. I know prior to pandemic our church had a bread baking drive around Thanksgiving. Parishioners baked small loaves of banana bread, pumpkin bread or cranberry bread and they were distributed to seniors/shut-ins in our area.
Dropping off a bouquet of flowers or small flowering plant around the holidays always cheers you up! Or fresh baked homemade cookies and who could resist a “box of chocolates!” Also with the colder weather coming in a new warm throw is something to cuddle up with. I love getting comfy with my fake fur throw…it makes me feel special!
If you are friendly with her you could suggest going out for a lunch or having her over for a luncheon at your home. Even sending a note card to let her know you are thinking about her. Any act of kindness is so greatly appreciated when you are living alone, especially if she doesn’t get much company or have anyone to talk to.
Thank you for thinking of her and I hope these few ideas help you to “brighten” her day a little!
Editors Note: OFM does not condone any of the sex parts of the blog. Diana has gone rogue and I’m sure Dena is the blame for it.
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