Did you know that November is National Gratitude Month? It makes sense since the Thanksgiving holiday falls in the month, but sometimes for many people, they lose their sense of gratitude for all that is around them. It can be because they are dealing with health issues, have suffered great loss, or have simply lost their appreciation for what’s around them.
This November, why not make it a goal for you and your aging loved one to work on your gratitude attitudes? You can include all the family members or have it just be the two of you, whichever you find works best. Doing it with at least one other person, helps you be more accountable and enjoy the process. The goal during November is to make living a daily life of gratitude a natural habit so that it will continue long after the month is done.
Let’s look at how to develop this attitude of gratitude.
- Start each day off with a verbal statement of gratitude. If you help your loved one get ready each morning, you can both tell each other one thing you’re grateful for that morning. It could be the smell of coffee brewing or the sun peeking through the window. It doesn’t have to be monumental. If your home care provider comes for a visit in the morning, they would love to hear about how grateful you are for them.
- Notice the little things. Help your loved one see the little things around her to be grateful for. Sometimes the day-to-day blessings get overlooked so making an intentional point to notice them can help increase your gratitude. For example, when sitting around the table having coffee with her home care provider, ask your loved one to look around the room and list one thing in that room that she’s grateful for.
- Have a gratitude journal. If you or your loved one don’t see each other every day, a gratitude journal is a great place to write down daily gratitudes to review later. Set a goal of writing 3-5 gratitude statements in the journal each day.
- Share gratitude. Help your loved one see what a wonderful gesture it can be to others when she shares her gratitude. This can feel a bit awkward at first, so have her practice with someone she feels comfortable with like her home care provider. Each time the home care provider visits, she should share one reason she’s thankful for her. Then she’ll become more comfortable with telling others like her car mechanic or grocery clerk how grateful she is for them.
- End each day with a gratitude reflection. Even if it was a really hard day, encourage your loved one to think about one or two things that happened that day that she is grateful for.
Having an attitude of gratitude not only helps your loved one appreciate the world around her, but it can also improve her health. Studies show that being thankful can increase immunity, improve sleep, and boost overall mood.
If you or someone you know needs home care in Hutchinson, MN, contact Adara Home Health. We provide quality and affordable home care services for many fragile or senior members in the communities we serve. Call us at (888) 660-5772 for more information.