Valentines for Seniors at Moraga, CA

Somebody’s Sweetheart

Getting older can be pretty lonely. In fact, as of 2014, about 28% (8.8 million women, 3.8 million men) of non-institutionalized older persons live alone and face isolation. Many of our seniors face loneliness due to no longer having their favorite Valentine living with them, and finding a special way to show them some extra love on Valentine’s Day can make a big difference. Here are some ways you can fill a senior’s Valentine’s Day with extra love:

• Have flowers delivered, or deliver them yourself if you live nearby
• If your loved one has old letters from the love of their life, dust them off and read them together
• A special treat is even sweeter when it’s shared, so sit awhile and share something yummy
• Get the kids involved – seniors love homemade valentines, even better if they include a recent photo
• Share a special breakfast or lunch and stories of your loved one
• Frame an old photo of you with your senior, include a card about how much they mean to you
• Continue a tradition they may have shared with their late spouse
• Be there –your time and presence can add happiness to a day that may have otherwise been lonely
• In one care facility a sign placed lovingly over a patient’s bed reads, “I Am Somebody’s Sweetheart,” as if to say I once dreamed, lived and loved, please treat me kindly.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s occasionally rob the mind of these many treasured memories.  This may mean having to listen (for the umpteenth time) to those same stories of how that elder’s life long love and he/she met. Just remember that by doing so you will be in a position to do them the wonderful favor of being able to retell the story to them when at some point in the future they may forget those details in part or in whole.  Helping them relive their own story will help them remember they were loved even if they can no longer remember. It’s a gift to relive these precious memories of the past. In honor of our Valentine’s at BrightStar Care, we will be delivering cards handmade by the leadership class at San Ramon Valley High School, the Stone Valley and San Ramon Valley High Pledge to Humanity clubs and our own BrightStar Care East Bay office staff. Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at BrightStar Care!  
Christy Wolf, R.N. Director of Nursing 333 Rheem Blvd., Ste. A, Moraga, 94556 P 925 284 8888 | F 925 262 2362| brightstarcare.com   Resources cited: Dosomething.org aarp.com Longtermcare.link.net Thelongtermcarelady.com AdministrationonAging.gov   BrightStar Home Care® East Bay San Francisco, CA proudly provides medical staffing, skilled nursing and non-medical in home care for seniors and children, including elder care companionship, sitter and nanny services in Contra Costa and Alameda County, including Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Walnut Creek, Rossmoor, Lafayette, Orinda, Piedmont, Montclair, Albany, Moraga, Alamo, and Danville. The most trusted home care agency in the East Bay.