Christmas Challenge 2012

Remember this guy from last year?  Yep, he is back.  But not as often as last year.  This year I have a new Holiday Challenge for each of you.  Something a little more specific than the previous year.

Last week I had an amazing experience.  I had the opportunity to spend an hour at one of the local Assisted Living homes.  I was there for a Sacrament Meeting with the residents.  When the meeting was over I had a few minutes to visit with some of the residents.  Their faces lit up as we visited with them.  What a very humbling experience I had. 

I want each of you to also have this kind of experience.  So here is my Christmas challenge this year.  (I will be doing this as well.)  This year, what I challenge each of you to spend some time with the elderly. First and foremost, if your parents or grandparents are still around, take an evening or a few hours on a weekend and just spend some quality time with them. Time with the TV off and focusing on just them. Maybe it is going to lunch with your grandma or helping your grandpa with a project. Spend that time with them, don't rush, just make it about them. Maybe you take a plate of cookies to your parent's home and you spend some time catching up on the family gossip.  Oh, I mean family history. For most of you, this shouldn't be a stretch, it shouldn't be difficult.

Secondly, I would also like to encourage each of you to take some time to visit one of your local assisted living homes. I spoke with a relative of mine that works in nursing management for an assisted living home.  She gave me the following suggestions:

• Call ahead to a care facility.  Tell them that you are interested in providing service, etc.  Then ask them if they have a specific resident (or to) that does not have family or does not get any visitors.  Ask if there is something specific that they might want.  Focus on these people and do something for them.
• My relative told me that the residents just like visitors, but if you want to bring them gifts.  Something along the lines of just ordinary things.  Things that make them feel normal.  You know what makes you feel normal, probably the same for them.
• Sweet treats are also a good idea.  But try to make something that is sugar free or diabetic friendly. 
• They love to visit!  Talk to you about their family or tell them about yours.  I few years ago, for one of our wards youth activities, we had a "social mingle" type of thing with the youth in the ward and of few of the older people.  We made up a questionnaire to give the youth ideas of things to talk about.  Questions like:  Where were you born?  What kind of things did you do for entertainment?  Things that were genuinely simple, but so much fun to discover.  What was your first car?  How did you meet your spouse?
• They also love music and singing, so if you have that talent share it!

 

There you have it!  Last year I was inspired by all of you.  Your thoughtfulness and generosity were amazing!  So, let's go out and rock it this year.  Let's hit this challenge out of the ballpark and make some folks feel loved.