Spending Father’s Day with Your Grandfather

For the past few years, you may have had to scale back—or entirely skip— spending Father’s Day with your grandfather. After lockdowns and social distancing, we are finally at a point where the whole family can come together and celebrate the day.

If this is the first time in years that you’re spending Father’s Day with your grandfather, make it a special one. Here are a few ways you can do that.

Gifts Your Grandfather will Enjoy

A good rule of thumb for finding a gift for grandpa is to give them something meaningful. At this point in their lives, many seniors don’t find as much value in material items as they used to. So, when gift-giving, don’t just present your grandfather something frivolous. Get him something you know he’ll like.

• Cook his favorite meal/treat: Cooking or baking is a great way of showing that you care. When you make something your grandfather enjoys, he’ll feel noticed and appreciated. So, get in the kitchen and make your grandfather’s favorite meal, or perhaps bake his favorite dessert. It will be especially memorable if you use a family recipe.
• An Audible subscription: Is your grandfather a voracious reader, but maybe struggles with eyestrain? Consider a subscription to Audible—an audiobook service. This will allow him to keep reading without having to pull out his glasses. Even better, he can keep “reading” no matter what he’s doing. As long as he has his phone, he has his favorite books with him.
• A new iPad/tablet: Increasingly, seniors find a great deal of their entertainment on their tablets. Some keep connected with family on social media, others read, and some even watch their favorite movies and television. While this gift is certainly a splurge, if your grandfather falls in this camp of seniors, he will be floored by this gesture.

Spend Quality Time with Your Grandfather

More likely than not, your grandfather doesn’t want a grand gift—he wants to spend time with you and the rest of the family. That’s the perfect gift. To many seniors, it’s quality time that is the most important. Spend the day doing things you know he loves.

• Enjoy his favorite hobby with him: No two grandfathers are alike. Think about what it is your grandfather really likes to do in his free time. Is he an avid fisher? Does he hit the golf course every chance he gets? Does he enjoy crafting birdhouses? Whatever that thing is, treat him to it.
• Watch his favorite TV program together: Some people prefer to stay indoors and relax on their special day. If that’s the case for your grandfather, plop down on the couch and watch his favorite television program with him. Find out if anything he particularly enjoys is airing—is his favorite team playing? Or his favorite movie? That will make the day at home even more fun.
• Gather around and listen to a story: For many seniors, reminiscing on times gone by is enjoyable. Sharing aural tales of family history is a valued tradition in many cultures. Allow Grandpa the chance to pass down that tradition by sitting down with him to share tales about his childhood. You might end up with just as many treasured memories as he has.

Give Grandpa a Zoom Call

Of course, spending Father’s Day with your grandfather isn’t always possible.  When spread across great distances, the next best thing to do is talk to your grandfather via a Zoom call. It’s a step better than a phone call because it allows you to see one another face-to-face.

If your grandparents haven’t used a video calling service before, make sure someone is available to help them through the process. This could be a nearby family member or an in-home care aid.

Caregivers can do more for your grandfather than you think

If your grandfather wants to stay in the comfort of his own home but requires help with some tasks, an in-home caregiver is a great option. In-home caregivers do so much more than remind seniors to take their medicine. At Home Care Powered by AUAF, our caregivers can help seniors with many of the main factors they need assistance with, including:

• Personal care
• Meal preparation
• Light housekeeping
• Errands
• Provide companionship
• And more

Find out how Home Care Powered by AUAF can help your grandfather live independently by calling 773-274-9262.