Showing Your Love for Your Parent When You Care from a Distance

• Don't always focus on care efforts. Not every conversation you have with your aging parent, or visit you are able to have with them, should be focused completely on their care needs.  It is very important for you to take the time to remind them regularly of the love you have for them as their adult child, and that you are caring for them because you love them, and want them to have the best life possible. Enjoy phone calls, video chats, and the occasional visit that focuses primarily on spending quality time with your parent, and sharing your lives.
• Keep up a correspondence. Talking to your parent on the phone is only one way to stay in touch with them. Get into the habit of keeping up a written correspondence with them. Receiving personal mail is not common anymore, but it is every meaningful. Writing letters and postcards lets your parent know you were thinking about them, and enables them to re-read or revisit this correspondence whenever they need a boost. This is a great opportunity for your children to get involved as well. Encourage them to draw pictures, write notes, and send photographs of themselves to their grandparent.
• Send care packages. Every now and then, put together a little package of gifts and items you know your senior will enjoy. These are a great way to show them you're thinking about them, and also help them to feel more comfortable, or to revisit memories. Items such as lip balm, lotion, tissues, and other things may not be items your parent immediately purchases for themselves, but can help him to feel comfortable at home. Little treats such as retro candy they might have enjoyed when they were younger, a book of puzzles, or even a gift card to a local takeout restaurant offers little bright spots in their day that can help them to feel your love even when not having a conversation with you.