18 Simple Pleasures for Bonding with Your Elder Parents

Caring for your aging parents can be challenging, but it also presents wonderful opportunities for connections. Cherish those small moments spent together and aim to create a lighthearted atmosphere filled with affection, love, and meaningful experiences, especially during tough times. Remember how fortunate you are to still have your mother and father with you every day. Reflect on the love and support they have provided throughout your life, and take the time to express your appreciation for them.

8 Simple Pleasures That Take Less Than 15 Minutes

1. Listen closely. Give your parents your full attention, and make eye contact when talking to each other. This will let them know that you value what they have to say. 
2. Send flowers. Brighten their home with flowers or a plant. No special occasion is needed.
3. Share photos. Even if they check Facebook regularly, your parents would love a printout of a cute photo of their grandkids inside a pretty frame. If you can’t pick just one image, make a photo book.
4. Sing along. Buy or download a collection of golden oldies. It will bring back memories of their high school days or summer road trips.
5. Dance around. Get up on your feet. Try a little ballroom dancing or the twist.  
6. Experience nature. Watch a sunset or listen to chimes ringing in the breeze. Notice trees changing color in the fall or sparkling with ice in the winter.
7. Laugh about it. Tell a joke or a funny story about what happened at work. Reminisce about the silly things your parents did growing up. 
8. Hug each other. Touch is essential to our emotional well-being, but the longer we live, the less we receive. Wrap your arms around each other or squeeze your parents’ hands when you’re coming and going.

4 Light-hearted Ways to Calm Elderly Parents Who Are Moody

1. Fold laundry together – No deep talk needed—just a quiet task side by side, with hands busy and hearts softening slowly. Water plants or tend to the garden—even if it’s just a few pots. Nature calms nerves, and simple routines feel familiar.
2. Do a mini puzzle or sort buttons/coins – It’s not about the activity; it’s about doing something together, side by side.
3. Brush or pet a dog or cat together – Let it be the icebreaker if you have a pet. Animals have a way of lowering tension. If they grumble, say, “The dog insists on sitting with you today.” Blame it on the dog. Seriously, even a stuffed animal or borrowed therapy pet can bring calm. If your parents’ circumstances allow, help them find an older dog or cat to love. If not, bring your dog to give them some affection and entertainment. Call around to see if therapy animals in your area could visit them. 
4. Flip through a magazine or catalog—share funny ads, point out outfits, or share recipes. It’s light and no pressure, but it’s still connecting. 

6 Strategies to Connect with Elderly Parents

1. Write a letter. Letters or cards are more memorable than emails. Drop one in their mailbox.
2. Work out together. Take a walk around the block. While walking, playing music, or talking about a book they read. Offer to drive your parents to senior exercise classes at the local gym or senior center.
3. Gussy up. Grooming becomes trickier in later years. Invite your mother along when you’re having a haircut or a manicure. If your father prefers privacy, buy a kit so you can give him a cut and shave.
4. Chores can be fun. If you agree to vacuum the living room, they’ll treat you to cookies and tea afterward. If you prepare lunch, they will make special drinks and eat as a family in the backyard or the dining room.
5. Volunteer together. Show your parents that they can still contribute. Teach English to recent immigrants or sort food at a local pantry.
6. Plan an outing. Fight loneliness and isolation by suggesting activities outside the home. Take your mother and father out for an afternoon at a local museum or shopping mall. Your local library shows free old movies where you can mingle with other families with the same idea.

Each stage of life has its unique pleasures. Even when you and your aging parents struggle with your changing roles and the loss of independence, facing the transition together draws you closer.