4 Ways to Love the Elderly on Valentine’s Day

Love it or hate it, everyone seems to have an opinion about Valentine’s Day.

Whether you’re going out for a romantic dinner with your sweetheart, celebrating Galentine’s Day, or making an anti-Valentine's playlist, there is no shortage of ways to acknowledge the upcoming holiday.

With conversations surrounding Valentine’s Day becoming more inclusive and people seeing it as a time to celebrate other types of love, let’s not forget our elderly relatives and friends. No matter what your plans are this February 14th, these 4 ideas will help you spread happiness and make the day special for someone else too.

Send a Card

Valentine’s Day cards are a simple but classy way to acknowledge the holiday. You can easily tell your loved one that you’re thinking of them and why you’re thankful they’re in your life. Receiving a card in the mail, especially if they recently lost their sweetheart, is sure to bring smiles. My grandma faithfully sends me a card for every holiday, and I want to be more intentional about sending cards to her and other relatives around the country.

Mailing a card is relatively easy and affordable but often makes a big impact on its recipient. It’s thoughtful, sweet, and increasingly rare in our modern world. Bonus points if the card is homemade!

Give a Personalized Gift

Some people just love receiving gifts. If that’s your elderly loved one, consider giving them a small, thoughtful gift. Whether it’s chocolate, a personalized mug, or a framed family photo, the gift is sure to be appreciated. Personalization adds an extra meaningful touch: my mom makes a custom photo calendar for my grandma every year, and everyone enjoys seeing our family’s shared memories displayed in a new way. Knowing that someone put in the effort to make or buy something especially for you can help anyone feel a little more loved.

Have a Family Day

This year, consider making Valentine’s Day a family activity and take an elderly loved one out for the day. Spending time with them shows your love and provides much-appreciated companionship. Be sure to take their energy levels and medical condition into account when you plan what to do. The important part is being together, so keep the focus on that rather than on the specifics of the activities.

If your loved one lives far from you and you can’t spend time with them in person, making a phone call also embraces the spirit of this idea. The call doesn’t have to be long, but keep it positive and encouraging.

If, in your contact with them, you sense that they seem depressed or otherwise “off,” it may be wise to familiarize yourself with the common warning signs of elder abuse and take action as needed.

Spread Even More Love

Now you have some good ideas of how to make this Valentine’s Day extra special for an elderly loved one. If you’re feeling inspired and want to spread the love even further, why not reach out beyond your own circle? Letters of Love, a project of Love for the Elderly, collects letters year round and sends them to people in senior communities around the world. February is a particularly good time: if you miss Valentine’s Day, you can write in honor of Letter to an Elder Day on February 26!

One last note: If you’re still not sure how to celebrate your loved one this Valentine’s Day, consider their love languages! You can read about the 5 love languages to try to guess what theirs are, or even have them take the online quiz for free. Now get out there and start spreading the love!