Ideas for Adopt-A-Home Visits

There are many ways you can volunteer with the elderly.

According to The Senior Source, a nonprofit in Dallas, Texas, 60% of residents never have a visitor. You can lower that statistic and make a difference in someone’s life.

Adopt-a-Grandparent. Ask the volunteer coordinator at a local nursing home about the process for matching students and residents, and then choose an elderly person to visit regularly. Ideally, you'll be paired with someone who has similar interests. Spend time talking, reading, writing letters, playing games, and simply taking a walk.

Initiate or help with activities at a nursing home or senior center.

Assist with celebrations, games, and outings. There is always a need for extra hands at special events.

Plan and carry out a craft night. Find out what day and time would be most convenient. Then think of an idea for a craft, work out the steps for completing the project, buy the materials, and clean up.

Share a hobby. Maybe your organization would enjoy doing crossword puzzles with residents, gardening, or listening to music. Ask the staff which seniors might enjoy the hobby your group would like to share.

Help with Bingo. Your organization can pass out prizes, call numbers, assist residents, and transport them to and from their rooms. You can also donate prizes to give out at bingo.

Perform a group talent show. Can anyone in your group sing, dance, play a musical instrument or juggle? If so, you can entertain elderly residents and provide a pleasant distraction. Arrange a date and time with the staff.

Escort residents of a nursing home on walks. Push a wheelchair or provide an arm for support so that residents can enjoy being outdoors or in the halls.

Be a lunch buddy. Once each month, take your group to a local nursing home to have lunch with a resident

Become an e-mail pen pal with a resident of a nursing home. Call a nursing home for the name of an individual who would like to correspond with your family. Or check out Elders Without Walls, an organization that facilitates e-mail correspondence between residents of assisted living facilities and the general public.

Bring gifts of love to share with the residents, it doesn’t cost much, but brings such joy!

Make gifts to give, such as a calendar, sun-catcher, table centerpiece, bird feeder, bookmark, or decorative pot for a plant. For more ideas, check out craft books from the library

Make Brownies, cookies or a nice loaf of bread (ask first if the food is appropriate for the resident)

Bring fresh flowers from your garden. Help beautify someone's home or room. You can also bring a potted plant for them to put on their window sill and take care of.

Bring books or tapes from the library. Find the book lovers at your local nursing home, and offer to pick up and return tapes and books for them. Group members can read some of the same books to them.

Bring your family pet for a visit with nursing home residents. A visit with a pet offers people companionship and love. It gives them something to look forward to and relieves loneliness. In addition, it can be a conversation starter. Check with the facility before bringing a pet, and approach each resident first to be certain he or she wants to interact with your pet.

Reach out and call an elderly person. Call periodically and be available if your elderly friend needs to talk. Regular contact can ease loneliness and depression. Members of the group can take turns making the calls.

Organize a dance and invite your organization or group to come and ‘dance ‘with the residents. Bring refreshments, music (try to get songs that relates to their generation) and plenty of cheer.

Holiday Cards- Each one in the group pick a resident and send holiday cards; birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Easter, etc.

Bring your school play or recital to the nursing home. If your school is doing an activity, have them perform at the nursing home too.

Help elderly people write their life stories to pass down to their grandchildren and great grandchildren. Buy a journal and start writing their memoirs for them to keep. See if they have any pictures to add to the journal.

Some of the preceding Information was taken from the book, "The Busy Family’s Guide to Volunteering"