Ideas for Mom at an Assisted Living Community
For those of us with a mother living in an assisted living community, we have a few ideas to make her day even brighter.
Here are a few other ideas to celebrate the day:
Family Serenade. Mom would be excited to hear a favorite song sung by her children and grandchildren on video. You might not have the best voice or be in tune, but your enthusiasm is sure to bring mom a lot of joy! Warm up your pipes and tune up your kazoos, it’s showtime!
Send a Box of Sunshine. Working with limited shopping options, make mom a box of sunshine! Every item in the box should be in shades of yellow. These can be inexpensive items that you pick up from the grocery store, but the impact is big, bold, and fun. We suggest yellow napkins, candy in yellow packaging, Juicy Fruit gum, creamy lotions, sunny dishtowels, Golden Oreos, or lemon tea, to name a few! And what a fun way to get the kids involved to create sunny cards and drawings for their grandmother in shades of yellow and gold. Hello, Sunshine!
Cookie Care Package. Baking up a favorite family treat will bring back fond memories, and you will feel closer together. Do you have a family recipe for cookies that mom loves? She will appreciate the time and effort you spend in your kitchen! Don’t worry if you are not a baker. Cheryl’s Cookies has you covered with beautiful bouquets of delicious buttery cookies for Mother’s Day! Every mom deserves a yummy treat!
Artwork in the Parking Lot. If you have small children, grab a box of colorful chalk and head over to your mom’s assisted living community. With an empty parking lot, your family has a blank canvas to fill with hearts, rainbows, and lovely messages for your mom and her fellow residents to see and enjoy.
Give a Warm Hug (sort of). A warm neck and shoulder wrap is a lovely gift to give your mom a warm hug. A buckwheat seed-filled neck and shoulder wrap can be heated in the microwave to soothe muscles and alleviate aches. Many seniors tend to feel cold, and a Bucky wrap can warm them right up!
Virtual Party. If you don’t live nearby set up a Zoom video call for the entire family to wish mom a wonderful day and share smiles together. Decorate the space behind you in your video with balloons, streamers, and handmade signs. Or have each family member make a short video to send to mom in an email that she can see throughout the day. You can even get the family dog involved with a funny talking app, which is sure to bring a smile!
Ideas for Mom at Home
Here are some creative ideas on how to spend your day together at home and clever gift ideas to make this holiday special.
Support Local Restaurants. Plenty of local restaurants create special menus just for Mother’s Day. Make your reservations early and take the scenic route on your way to enjoying a delicious meal to share together. Bon appétit!
Picture Puzzles. Indoor activities and entertainment are always fun. Give your mom a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle with an image of those she loves most! I See Me allows you to upload a favorite photograph, which they will then create into a jigsaw puzzle. She will love it to pieces!
Personalized Gift from the Heart. If you have a way with words or can write from your heart, share a handwritten letter expressing what she means to you. Or craft a poem that’s either silly or sweet, and she will love the gesture. If you are crafty, you could create a family scrapbook with photos and fond memories with little notes. And if you have a talent for painting or sketching, consider making her a painting or drawing to frame. Nothing says, “I love you” like creating something with your hands.
The Perfect Pillow. Give your mom the comfort of a restful night’s sleep on a pillow customized just for her! You can adjust the plumpness by adding or removing the fill. It’s available on Amazon and delivered to your door.
Plant an Herb Garden. Create an herb garden kit for your mom. Small herb plants can be easily bought from many grocery stores. Pick up a few plants like basil, mint, oregano, and rosemary, along with cheery colored pots, or have your children paint simple terracotta pots you may have on hand. Choose an area in the garden with colorful homemade plant markers, plant pots on a garden bench at a height she can easily reach, or place pots on a sunny table in the kitchen. Seed packets are in big demand, but you may be able to find a few to include with your gift. Herbs will bring wonderful smells into the home and tasty additions to your meals.
Sign up for an Online Class Together. You are never too old to learn something new, so kick-off a new class on Mother’s Day with your mom. You can choose from over 450 classes taught by Ivy League universities that are free! Learn more about modern poetry or Italian Opera together.
At Aegis Living, we want to take this opportunity to wish all the strong and loving moms a wonderful day where you are celebrated! From our residents to our staff, we are surrounded by caring mothers who make our lives better. Happy Mother’s Day!
