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Every senior citizen deserves that perfect retired life after lifelong struggles that laid down roads for the bright future of their children. Providing your elderly parents with an environment that fulfils all their needs both physical and emotional is not an easy task. It requires you to consider various aspects of elderly living.

Loneliness is one of the major challenges every individual faces at certain point of their life. However, it would be seniors who experience it the most considering the challenges that are brought by age – challenges such as not being able to keep their social life due to reduced physical mobility, hearing and vision.

Engagement, life that does not make them feel monotonous and an opportunity to make friends even in the elderly is what seniors need the most as they step into the retired life. Here are a few ways how you can increase their engagement with life.

These tips work for both the seniors who are living in modern senior living communities and for elders who are living in their home but alone. Efforts Change Their Mindset – Seniors might feel their age is carrying them away from all the beautiful moments of life. Take efforts to make them feel they are important and their elderhood is being considered in every decision you make. Keeping them in loop about the whole progress of your life – little things about your kids like their school, sports involvement and other progress in your life will make them feel good.

Connection Over Contact – Just a call over the evening does not move loneliness even by a inch from the surroundings of your parents. Try to establish a special connection, especially if your elders are living assisted living facilities, and try to nurture it as much as possible. Talk something that makes them feel better and make them think they are being given preference in your life.

The Real Talk Helps – More than just knowing their wellbeing at the facility and asking if they have had their food, try to get into details. Ask what they did the whole day and every detail of it. Talk to their friends or housemates and ask them about your parents’ wellbeing. This not only helps them in feeling connected, but also make them feel that you indeed care  for their wellbeing.

Visit in Person – No matter how many hours you voice call or video call, a physical visit regular visits will make your parents feel that they is someone who is longing to see them. Your sight or your children’s sight can bring immense happiness to your aging parent. A touch of your hand is worth a thousand calls for them. Do not let your own life carried away from your parents. Try to visit them at regular intervals.   

Write Them Regularly – You might think this is an old and unconventional idea but your parents won’t. No video or virtual call can fill the emotional void like the old-school letter does. Write to your parents regularly. It would make their day more than you could imagine. Talk about how you feel about them and what impact their presence in your life is making. Try to be honest when you are writing letters as letters carry not words but emotions. 

Few children think that their parents are with them and so they wouldn’t be a chance for them to feel lonely, only to be surprised by the reality check. Even if the senior surrounded by hundreds of people, loneliness can still hover their life. It is not about being with people but being with those who kindles the spark of fun and engaging life.

Consider assisted living  centres and senior living communities that take care of your parents’ emotional and physical needs in such a way that your parents do not have a chance to think of your physical absence in their life. Yes, it is possible with a few assisted living facilities.  


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