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I've advised a few posters who wanted/needed to have more contact with distant loved ones, or who wanted to stay in touch but reduce face-to-face contract to consider sending greeting cards. The loved one I was caring for lived with me so I didn't actually do this myself. I based the suggestion on how much he enjoyed getting personal mail.

Now my mother (92, dementia, mobility issues) lives an hour's drive away, with my sister. I am sending her a couple of cards a week. She loves it! My sister displays them on shelves, rotating in new ones after a while. Mom especially likes really corny jokes. I print out cartoons from online and enclose them in the cards that don't have jokes.

But here is the benefit I didn't expect: I'm getting a kick out of picking out the cards! Every time I'm in a store that carries cards I look to see if there is anything appropriate. Many of the jokes she wouldn't get, so I have to read a lot to find one or two ... and spending a little time reading silly jokes is not a bad break from a shopping chore!

I printed a whole sheet of address labels for her, so it is really quick to get a card ready to mail.

Got an elderly loved one you can't (or don't want to) see often? Send cards!

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Awww , surprise, that is so sweet. It is the little things that can make such a difference.
I have thought about doing a Facebook account asking for postcards for my daughter who was going to have to have a surgery on her spine that would put her in a body cast for 4-8 weeks, unable to move. I was all set to set the account up and set up a post office mail box- so strangers wouldn't know where we live -but we got the awesome news that surgery was not needed for now -still keeping an eye on her spine and spinal cord but for now we are good ( TY LORD!) I thought that post cards from around the world would really cheer her up! Something to look forward to with each day.
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When I went off to college, one of the little old ladies in the neighborhood was a shut in. When I visited anywhere remotely interesting, I sent her a postcard from there. Even when her son took her to WY to live in Asst Living near him, I continued - through my courtship and early years of marriage until the dear old soul passed on.

I had no idea how much these meant to her until I ran into one of her nieces recently and she talked about how much her mother used to tell the niece how much her aunt enjoyed MY cards. And, I was not even related and I remembered the aunt, so why didn't she send Auntie cards? She could laugh about it now, but it used to be a sore point for her - but not for her aunt!
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That is a such nice thing to to Jeanne. What kind of humor does your mom like? I can keep my eyes open for some jokes for her and post them on your profile page if I find any appropriate ones. :0)
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Jeanne, what a sweet idea! You and your mom are both benefitting from your gesture. Makes me smile picturing how proud your mom must be to look at her display and you in the card shop having a good laugh. Love it!
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