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28Jun2013

Service Projects for Kids: Service Projects to Help the Elderly, Ideas to do with KIDS

by Sheila @ Pennies of Time in Acts of Kindness, Help the Community, Service Projects for Kids
Tags: Elderly, Free, In the Neighborhood, Round Up of Ideas, Under $10

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Many elderly live on fixed incomes, do not have someone to look out for them, and may be living in a nursing home or an assisted living facility. The number of people reaching the status of elderly is increasing.  Although countries differ as to what percentage of their population is elderly right now, the US’s elderly population will double in 25 years.  According to an article in the New York Times, the number of children under 15 will be outnumbered by the elderly by 2050, across the world.

Why on Earth do I bring this up?  We need to be more active in caring for our elderly, and we need to teach our children to do the same.  I have lived in several communities where I went weeks and did not see a single elderly person.  As I am being more deliberate with my boys on reaching out to others, I realize that this is a shame.

My boys need to feel comfortable around the elderly.  Not only that, they need to learn the value that the elderly bring to society and our communities.

Service Projects to Help the Elderly

 

Here are a couple of lists outlining acts of service that kids can do.  Some of these will take several days to complete if you go about serving 15-20 minutes at a time (that’s what we do).  Some of these can be easily done several times and others less frequently.  

Teach Children to Be Mindful

of the Elderly in the Community

  • Help a senior in your neighborhood or church congregation.  Be open to asking if help is needed at home with minor projects, cleaning, or offering rides to the grocery story.
      • Offer to pay for a meal for a senior at a restaurant.  Our local hamburger join is the hot spot for seniors in our community.  The boys are always excited to offer to play for a meal!
      • Be aware of when you need to slow down with your children and let an elderly person pass you instead of rushing past them.  Give them your time and your attention just as this little boy did on The Good Long Road.
      • During holiday time, look for opportunities to interact with the elderly as these times can be particularly lonely.  During the last Memorial Day weekend, we helped clean gravesites of relatives for several elderly patrons that didn’t have the resources to do it themselves.
      • Give a garden pot that can either brighten a room or grow food for the senior’s table.
      • Sign up to deliver with Meals on Wheels (once you complete the short required training, you can bring your children along for the meal deliveries).
      • Adopt a grandparent, whether a neighbor or a resident in an assisted living facility.  Visit on a regular basis.

 

Service Projects to Help Seniors

 

Service Ideas to Help the Elderly

Living in Facilities: 

Great for Younger & Older Kids

 

NOTE on Selecting a Facility to Visit:  Not all facilities that serve the elderly are appropriate for kids.  I highly recommend visiting it beforehand and meeting with the Director of Activities about what you would like to do.  You will quickly get a sense on whether the place is a good place to support positive interactions between your children and the residents.
 
NOTE on Communicating with Facility Personnel:  You might find, as we have, that many nursing home directors run away from you when you put “visit” and “kids” in the same sentence.  I think they envision an invasion of 100 snotty, germy noses.   If you are finding this is the case, as you talk to them:
1)  Try focusing on talking about how your family would like to visit. 
2)  Be prepared with specific ideas on what you would like to do. 
3)  Share stories of service where children have successfully helped out a senior or nursing home.

 

Simple Ideas!

      • Decorate doors for a holiday or birthdays.
      • Create cards and pictures to drop off or take when visiting.
      • If you want to make a long term commitment and would rather send letters and packages, Senior Angels is perfect!

Let’s Eat!

      • Attend a lunch at retirement home, play a game with them, and leave a nice treat or note for the staff.
      • Hold a canned food or toiletry drive for key items that nursing homes need for their residents.

Entertainment Time!

      • Put on a variety or talent show!  The kids can sing their favorite songs, tell their favorite knock-knock jokes, and share their special talents!
      • Sponsor a dance party for a nursing home where residents and children can dance to the residents’ favorite songs
      • Consider completing a service project for a nursing home during a birthday party.  We did this, invited our friends, and had a marvelous time!
      • Donate games or supplies for birthday celebrations.
      • With friends, go sing at nursing homes, particularly during holiday times.

Service Ideas to Help the Elderly

Living in Facilities:

Great for Older Kids

      • Sign-up to be a reader for a  resident in a nursing home. 
      • Become a pen pal with a senior.
      • Help a senior use the computer.
      • Volunteer to record a senior’s favorite memories or family history.
      • Help preserve cherished photos.

Create Taggie blankets for seniors.  Use the same idea for making a child’s Taggie blanket.   Sew tags and other items for hands to manipulate on the blanket:  zippers, buttons, and long ribbons to tie.   Add a long tie on each side so it can be tied to the wheelchair.  Taggie blankets for Seniors, designed by Sylvia of Flying Stitches

Taggie Blanket for the Elderly

Want to see more examples on how to serve the elderly population?  Check out the Pinterest Board:  Serve the Elderly

Would love to hear ideas you have on serving the elderly!

More from my site

  • A Guy’s 42 Acts of Service on His 42nd Birthday!A Guy’s 42 Acts of Service on His 42nd Birthday!
  • Fun Summer Service Ideas!Fun Summer Service Ideas!
  • Act of Kindness:  Letters to a Senior HomeAct of Kindness: Letters to a Senior Home
  • “In the Community” Service Project Ideas“In the Community” Service Project Ideas
  • 5 Acts of Kindness to do WITH Your Kids5 Acts of Kindness to do WITH Your Kids
  • Service Projects for Kids on MLK DayService Projects for Kids on MLK Day

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Sheila @ Pennies of TimePost author

Sheila brings to life acts of kindness and service projects that kids can do. In her daily adventures of serving with her young boys, she has witnessed the awesome things that happen when kids serve others. She earned her BS in special education from The University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has taught in a variety of settings from a classroom in small town Texas to a psychiatric unit in Chicago.

10 Comments on “Service Projects for Kids: Service Projects to Help the Elderly, Ideas to do with KIDS”

  1. Jennifer Fischer June 28, 2013 at 1:28 pm

    I love this post, and it reminded me that I have been meaning to show up at an elderly woman's house in our small town and do some cleaning for her. She has a large house and limited income and has mentioned to me her struggles with cleaning it. I realize it would be very helpful for her if I popped in with my cleaning supplies and just insisted on helping out! Also, thanks for including our

    Reply
    1. Pennies of Time June 30, 2013 at 2:31 am

      My boys are at the age where cleaning is something they can do. I need to keep my eyes open to have them do that more often. I know that with one of my neighbors in the past had a hard time just because his eyesight was too poor to see the crumbs on the counters and tables. Just wiping those down helped him feel so much better about his quality of life!

      Reply
  2. Kiri June 28, 2013 at 8:21 pm

    I find it so hard to put myself out there to do things like this. In fact I was trying to track down a post this morning that I read somewhere about just that. Last night I gave $5 to a guy sleeping in doorway and it kind of brought up guilt that it was too small a thing to do, which reminded me of the post about how sometimes giving opens up unexpected feelings.

    Reply
    1. Pennies of Time June 30, 2013 at 2:36 am

      I can see what you mean, Kiri! Some days it takes a great deal of courage, faith, and willingness to 1) serve, even in a small way, and 2) do it even though you might feel it too small an offering. At the same time, when I was going through a particularly hard time, a friend watched my kids four two hours. Even though she couldn't heal me physically, pay my bills, or ensure that everything

      Reply
    2. Kiri June 30, 2013 at 8:56 am

      Yes those small things that give you hope, or if not hope, somehow peace knowing you are cared for. So powerful. Heard of another childhood cancer relapse in our community today, wondering how I can help. Freezer meals I am thinking, but nothing seems like enough, even though I know how those things made a difference to me. Wish I was not working full time! One of the fantastic things at our

      Reply
  3. Carrie July 12, 2013 at 7:34 pm

    Such wonderful ideas!! And such an important message/lesson. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!

    Reply
  4. Julie Rogers July 14, 2013 at 12:21 pm

    Some more great ideas, thanks for the list! Thanks for linking up last week, hope you join The Chirping Moms every weekend for our Super Summer Saturday:) <br /><br />Julie<br />www.thechirpingmoms.com

    Reply
  5. Bobbie September 23, 2014 at 1:39 pm

    Found you on Pinterest and repinning
    GREAT article! as an Activity Director at a nursing home, I am always excited to see families teaching their children that the nursing home is not a scary place (as I thought when I was a kid) and that there are lots of Grandmas and Grandpas that need some extra love! Thank you!

    Reply
  6. Sharkaylar May 6, 2015 at 9:36 pm

    I would love to help elderly people even if im 13 its a good oppotunity for me to help them all the best xx

    Reply
    1. Sheila @ Pennies of Time Post authorMay 7, 2015 at 8:37 am

      Yes, you are right! You can make a difference at the age of 13. We need more people like you that seek out ways to help others. Good luck with your service project and let me know if you need any help. Cheers! Sheila

      Reply

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