Celebrating seniors on Grandparents Day

Grandparents Day will be celebrated on Sunday, and the official flower of the day will be the forget-me-not, a sweet reminder to stay connected to the seniors in our lives.

Canada established official recognition for the day in 1995 to recognize grandparents and the importance of their place in families and for their help in raising and educating children.

Beyond their families, grandparents and other seniors play an important role through their work lives. They help to form the social network that gives communities their character. Seniors often support their communities with volunteer work and with their presence as friends and neighbours. One organization that helps to ensure seniors are active and engaged is Brandon Seniors for Seniors.

“As our population ages, it is increasingly important that we create communities where older adults feel valued, included, and supported,” said Eleysha Klaassen, executive director at Brandon Seniors for Seniors, where she oversees all aspects of the organization that serves older adults in Brandon and the surrounding area.

Programming at Brandon Seniors for Seniors provides a broad range of services and programs, all with the goal of fostering active engagement with others and supporting independence. The goal is to meet a vast array of everyday needs, such as meal programs, assistance with transportation, help to navigate technology, opportunities to maintain health and wellness, educational presentations for ongoing learning, activities for socializing and other recreation, connection to volunteer opportunities, income tax clinics, and support for emergency preparedness. The organization also acts as a clearing house for information and referrals to community resources.

All of these provide opportunities to flourish with age. And, importantly, Brandon Seniors for Seniors encourages community connections with intergenerational activities, bringing together people of all ages.

For some seniors, reaching out to join in may come naturally. For others, particularly right after retirement or a big life change, there could be some uncertainty.

“We absolutely welcome family members reaching out on behalf of a senior,” Klaassen said.

“Often family members are looking for support, resources, transportation, social opportunities, or assistance connecting their loved one with services that can help them remain independent and engaged. Seniors, family members, caregivers and community members can contact us by phone, email, through our website or by visiting our centre.”

Klaassen said that Grandparents’ Day is a wonderful opportunity to recognize and celebrate the important role that seniors play in our lives.

“Grandparents provide wisdom, guidance, support, and a connection to our history and traditions. Many continue to volunteer, care for family members, mentor younger generations, and contribute their skills and experience in countless ways,” she said.

She adds that togetherness need not be elaborate, suggesting simple gestures such as a phone call, a visit, a shared meal, a handwritten card, or finding ways to spend time with each other. She adds that community organizations, schools, and businesses can also look for opportunities that specifically bring generations together through organized activities and events.

“At Brandon Seniors for Seniors, we have seen firsthand how valuable intergenerational connections can be. Bringing younger and older generations together helps reduce isolation, builds understanding, and strengthens our community as a whole,” said Klaassen.

At home, any day can be Grandparents’ Day. If you’re looking for a few more ideas to make this particular Sunday a more “formally planned” day, there are lots of ideas to choose from:

• Spend some time in the kitchen whipping up a favourite family recipe that has been passed down. This is an especially good thing to do if grandparents are the kind of cooks that just “wing it” because they are so familiar with a particular dish they don’t have it written out. Plan to get it on paper and don’t forget any special tips or tricks that make it unique to your family. Get a photo of the cook(s) with the finished dish.

• Go through some old photo albums. Photos are going to inspire some storytelling so record those stories and reminiscences or get them down on paper. Have some small stickers and a pen at hand so you can add names and dates to photos. If the collection is already all digital, go through them and select some special ones to be printed.

• Have the grandparents choose one of their favourite movies for a family movie matinée. Find out why it’s a favourite. Do a bit of research to find out the who, what, when, where, and how the movie was made. See if there are other movies by the same director to be discovered and shared on another day.

• Do older family members have a favourite board game? Get a round of that game in and then introduce a new board game for everyone. You might rekindle an old family tradition or establish a new one.

• If you are living in the same city the grandparents grew up in, see if you can drive out to see their childhood home or the schools they attended. Find out how things have changed and whether the neighbourhood is very different. Find a place to park and have a walk around. It might be another opportunity to share some stories and family lore.

“Seniors have made significant contributions throughout their lives and continue to play an important role in our community every day,” Klaassen said.

“Grandparents’ Day is a great reminder to take the time to recognize and celebrate those contributions.”

Contact Brandon Seniors for Seniors phone: (204) 571-2050 or online: brandons4s.ca

Prairie Mountain Health offers support for seniors as well at: prairiemountainhealth.ca/programs-and-services/home-care/services-to-seniors.

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