How to Help Your Elder Loved One Start a Gratitude Journal

Sometimes it’s really easy to get stuck in a mode of only seeing the darker side of life and that can especially be true for your elder loved one. Maybe she’s experienced just a few too many losses or her health is bringing her down. When that happens, it can be really hard to see any sort of silver lining. Starting a gratitude journal can really help your elder loved one to focus on the positive aspects of her life.

Think about Different Kinds of Formats 

Your loved one might be perfectly thrilled to keep a gratitude journal in a traditional journal format. It’s also possible, though, that she might run into trouble with being able to write with a pen. In that case, it’s a good idea to be open about using different types of formats. Maybe your loved one wants to keep a digital gratitude journal because it’s easier for her to type. Or perhaps an art journal used for gratitude is just the thing. Some elder adults might enjoy keeping a gratitude journal as a series of audio files or even videos. The possibilities are endless. The key is to be creative about the process and to allow your loved one’s individuality to shine through.

Set Aside Time for Journaling 

One way to really make gratitude journaling effective is to set aside time for journaling every single day. Perhaps you can incorporate it as part of morning activities along with breakfast or maybe it’s something that your loved one enjoys doing every afternoon as a form of quiet time. Work with your loved one to come up with the best time of day and schedule for journaling. Once you have her ideas and preferences narrowed down, you can add it to the schedule and make gratitude journaling an official part of every single day.

Help Your Loved One if Asked, Otherwise Let Her Handle It 

In some cases, your loved one might want and enjoy your help. Perhaps she wants to dictate her gratitude journal entries and have you write them down for her. That may not always be the case, though. Some elderly loved ones are extremely private and want to deal with this type of activity on their own. Let your loved one come to you instead of pressing to help.

If you’re not able to be there in person, make sure that your loved one’s elder care providers or other family members are able to help if needed.

If you or an aging loved one are considering in-home Elder Care Services in Stamford CT, please contact the caring staff at Fairfield Family Care today.