Whether you are the person giving them or the person receiving them, simple acts of kindness lift the spirits of everyone involved. It feels great to realize someone took time and effort to add joy to your day, but it also feels great to be the one that takes the time to bring that extra joy to someone else’s life. Seniors are often the recipients of these acts of kindness, but in many cases do not have opportunities to perform them for others. Below we share some ideas for simple acts of kindness you can do WITH a senior loved ones to help them spread the love and joy!
Some acts of kindness are small but significant gestures that can be done spur of the moment.
- Hold the door open for strangers.
- Let someone go ahead in line.
- Spend time intentionally giving compliments at the store.
- Tell a manager or supervisor about the great service someone performed.
Some acts of kindness take more planning, but can have a really big impact.
- Leave a thank you card for the mail carrier or someone who cares for your senior loved one regularly.
- Volunteer at local libraries or schools to read books with kids who need an adult helper and role model.
- Record and send a video message to those friends and family members who are far away.
Some acts of kindness can be accomplished through organizations devoted to bringing joy to those who need it.
- Send a card to hospitalized children through Cards for Hospitalized Kids or Cardz for Kidz.
- Write a letter to a deployed or wounded member of the military or veteran through Operation Gratitude or Soldiers’ Angels.
- Send a card to lonely seniors through Love for the Elderly, a 501(c)3 non-profit started by 13-year-old Jacob, now an 18-year-old college student, social activist, writer, and founder and director of the organization.
Do you have more ideas to add to this list? Share them with us! You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.