Making Cards for the Elderly in Nursing Homes

Today’s activity is a little different than the others. It’s not so much a “how-to” as it is an idea.

With all the social distancing it has been a struggle to know how to help people. What feels natural is to be a community and bind together. But in a weird twist, the most loving thing to do is to be apart. It feels counterintuitive and it has left me wondering what I can do to help when so many people are feeling scared, helpless, and isolated.

If you didn’t already know, (at least in Pennsylvania where we live) the nursing homes are under lockdown. Since they’re the most vulnerable population it makes sense. But I also heard that many of them are feeling so sad and lonely because they can’t visit with their loved ones. That’s why some people have suggested sending them cards and letters.

I loved this idea because it gave my kids something to do that is able to help someone else. So even when we aren’t able to physically assist, there is a small way we can be kind.

What You Need to Make Cards

Here are ideas of things you can use for this project:

• Paper
• Cardstock
• Envelopes
• Stickers
• Buttons
• Glue
• Construction Paper
• Stamps
• Crayons
• Markers
• Glitter

I chose to sit out supplies and let my kids get creative! I will offer one caveat. If you have them glue buttons to the cards, perhaps give them a little guidance. They could make the buttons look like the sunshine, or little flowers, or balloons on a string. However, if you just hand them buttons and glue the end result will probably look like buttons glued to a card.

My daughter wanted to make her card look like Elsa, but when she was finished she said “I’m not very good at this. It really doesn’t look like Elsa.”

So maybe I could have offered a little direction.

But otherwise, I let them do whatever they wanted to creatively & they had a lot of fun. Ned and I even made a card.

Is it Safe to Send Mail to Nursing Homes?

This is something I considered about this project. Are we putting people at risk by sending them mail? Now the news changes day-to-day, so there are no guarantees. However, the consensus so far indicates that it is safe to send things in the mail. If you’d like more info on it, this article I read was pretty helpful: US nursing home residents are trapped in isolation amid coronavirus. Cards and letters are brightening their days.

If you don’t know anyone in your area who lives in a nursing home, I suggest calling a local nursing home. If they’re accepting cards, I think they would be willing to give you information so you and your kids can make cards for the residents there.

OK, enough talking, now for the pictures of us making cards tonight.

I’ll add one last little tip. After we made the cards I made sure that I addressed them right away. Otherwise, knowing my tendencies, those cards would have been stacked somewhere and even with my best intentions, they wouldn’t have been mailed. So I filled out the envelopes and put the cards inside. Tomorrow they’ll go in the mail.

OK. That’s all from me. God bless you all. If you have any ideas going forward, we’d love to hear from you. Please drop your thoughts in the comments below.

Much love from the Making Life.