What do these occasions have in common for an elderly person?
- A big birthday, such as 80, 90 or even 100.
- A big anniversary.
- Thanksgiving.
- Christmas.
- A move from one home to one with more care.
Answer: They all call for a big celebration.
In our family, we’re not only celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow. It’s also the day my mother-in-law turns 90. A birthday luncheon and a Thanksgiving dinner: what a day!
My husband, his sister, and the grandchildren have all been working on a Group Legacy Letter. See Your Aging Parent’s Legacy, Pt. 3 A Sample Legacy Letter.) It will be read at Mom’s birthday luncheon. They each wrote expressions of love and appreciation, including examples and stories. They were asked to answer: What has she taught me by her life and her example? I combined their letters into a whole, editing and trying to keep their individual voices.
My husband, Don, will read the letter aloud to his mother at the luncheon.
I’m pretty sure Mom will be pleasantly surprised. After all, most of these kinds of tributes are presented at a funeral. Though 90, Mom is very much alive, and we wanted her to know how much she means to us and to others.
How have you and your family celebrated the “Big Occasions” in your elderly loved one’s life?
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