How to Be More Kind to Your Elders

Many cultures, such as Native American and Asian, still value the wisdom of the elderly. Sadly, in Western society, the elderly may be dismissed, treated with disdain, and considered useless. They are society's forgotten people. If you want to make an older person's day, simple acts of kindness will put a smile on their face.

Spend Time With the Elderly

It's a sad fact that a large number of seniors suffer from severe loneliness. Most desperately crave a visit from their children and grandchildren, but hide it because they don't want to be a nuisance. Yes, life is busy, but make the effort to spend time with your aging parents and grandparents, even if it's just a phone (or video) call once a week. It will make their day. Remember, one day you'll need a psychic medium to contact them, as they will no longer be around in the physical world.

Show Good Manners

The older generation was raised in a world of good manners. Somewhere along the way, manners fell by the wayside. Respect for the elderly is no longer emphasized with children. Older people appreciate it when you speak to them politely and are courteous. If you're a parent raising young children, teach them to say please and thank you and to address their elders appropriately with Mr., Mrs., sir, or ma'am unless told otherwise by the senior. 

Ask Them for Advice

These days, everyone asks Google for the answers to everything from how to raise chickens to how to mine Bitcoins. You bounce ideas off friends and co-workers, turning to everyone else except your parents or grandparents. When it comes to good old-fashioned advice, nobody does it better than the elderly people in your life. Everything you're going through, they've been through three times over. Don't underestimate their knowledge or how much they will appreciate being included in your life. 

Be Tolerant

Older people tend to be slower, hard of hearing, or have failing vision. They also come with their own set of quirks and may be difficult to deal with. It's easy to become impatient or annoyed. Growing anger and irritability in older people is a common trait. A diminished quality of life, physical deterioration, illness, and medication all contribute to this. Try to remain calm, treat them gently, and tolerate their idiosyncrasies.

Remember Everyone Ages

When we're young, it's easy to live life like there's no tomorrow. The thought never occurs to the younger generation that one day their hair will turn gray, their bones will start to creak, and their gait won't be as steady. If a chat with a psychic online predicted that you will live well into old age, think about how you would like to be treated when you are old. Now implement that with every older person your encounter.

Brightening up the day of an older person doesn't require much and will greatly improve their quality of life. Take time to be kind to your elders and bring back the sparkle in their eyes.