Valentine's Day Activities for Seniors and Caregivers

Socializing, participating in familiar activities and sharing a treat, meal or laugh can make for an incredibly memorable time. Here are several fun, festive Valentine’s Day activities for seniors and caregivers:

1. Watch vintage movies. Send invitations for a Valentine’s Day movie festival. Dress a table with themed décor and treats. Ensure everyone receives a program listing the afternoon’s entertainment. Treat guests to a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film festival, with dancing afterward for those still in the party mood.

Additionally, caregivers can arrange a special movie festival for patients or loved ones. Turn up the fun and purchase corsages or boutonnieres for both the caregiver and senior. Dress a table with roses and utilize fancy dishes holding holiday treats such as chocolate-dipped strawberries, cookies, scones and finger sandwiches. Create a nice centerpiece with a glass punch bowl filled with pink lemonade and floating gerbera daisies.

2. Photo-share. Hang corkboards in frames and invite friends to share pictures of loved ones. Decorate tables with fun décor and allow everyone time to share and explain their treasured photos.

Caregivers can gather family or friends to join the photo-sharing party. Snap photos of the group and print them while guests are present. Provide each guest a copy of the group photo to take home as a keepsake.

3. Be the giver. Take a “how to” class like flower arrangements or crafting valentines. Create flower arrangements and valentines to deliver to nursing home residents or the children’s wing at a local hospital. Caregivers can scout local hospitals and enjoy a nice day out with patients or loved ones.

4. Make food from the heart. Invite loved ones for a feast of heart-themed foods! Select appetizers, sweets, and dinner dishes that relate to the holiday. Try cinnamon heart candies, salads with artichoke hearts or red velvet cake.

5. Hand out Valentines. You can continue the tradition started in grade school. The valentines do not need to be fancy or expensive. Have fun sending them to loved ones or hand them out at a senior center.

6. Construct personalized crafts. Create a photo album, scrapbook or puzzle with photos of loved ones. Enjoy the stroll down memory lane and share the crafts with friends and family.

Caregivers can sort photos and swap stories of loved ones. Suggest crafting a scrapbook or photo album dedicated to the patient or loved one. Start with the earliest photos of the individual and enjoy stories of their life.

7. Celebrate being a senior. Spend the day enjoying a friend’s company and take advantage of local senior discounts. Caregivers can arrange a special lunch for the patient or loved one.

MediNurse, St. Louis’ premier provider of private duty nursing care, provides care services that are customized to the individual needs of the client or patient and loved ones to ensure the best care possible. For more information, call us at 314-781-2800 or visit www.medinurse.com.