HAVE FUN WITH MOM BY ‘SNAIL MAIL’

Here’s an on-going Mother’s Day idea to give to both local and long distance family members. Letter-writing and receiving correspondence via the post is a soon-to-be lost form of communication, but one that is very familiar to the current generation of seniors living in care facilities. Why not play with Mom via ‘snail mail’!

Depending upon the abilities of mothers residing in care, consider sending any of the following which may be appropriate for the individual:

  • newspaper clippings from hometown papers
  • brochures or postcards from tourist attractions you have recently visited
  • fridge magnets-many care facilities have metal cabinets or metal head boards on beds in resident rooms.
  • photos of the kids, grandkids, your current house renovations, trips etc.
  • theme pictures and photos-e.g. flowers, pets, scenery, old friends
  • find books of word searches or puzzles and send them to mom, one page at a time.
  • play ‘turn-taking’ games via the mail-e.g. hangman, tic tac toe etc.
  • lace handkerchiefs, pretty pens, costumejewellery, scented sachets

Try to drop something in the mail once a week to keep the fun, interest and novelty going with this ‘snail mail’ project. Set a regular routine to post your mail and then the fun is more likely to become habit.

Most importantly, enclose a large stamped, self- addressed envelope each time you mail something to mom. This encourages mom to send you back other games, puzzles and random collections of doo-dads and to be part of the family.

Regardless of what is sent in your envelopes or what mom sends you back, you will be giving your mom a true gift of fun!

Adapted from: The FUNe-mail Archives, DEEPFUN.com.

Submitted by Karen Schaefer & Shelley Purdon. Editors of CanGO Quarterly Magazine: Canadian Geriatric Opportunities in Therapeutic Recreation.

 

Author

  • Shelley Purdon, family caregiver & editor of CanGO Quarterly Magazine: Canadian Geriatric Opportunities in Therapeutic Recreation.

    CanGO Quarterly is a quarterly magazine available by subscription for health care providers and activity & recreation professionals working with seniors.