"Palentine's" Day: Celebrating Love at All Ages

“Palentine’s” Day: Celebrating Love at All Ages 

Valentine’s Day is all about love, but it doesn’t have to be limited to couples. Showing your appreciation for someone you care for, or even just taking the time to appreciate yourself, can be a fun and meaningful way to celebrate this holiday. You might have seen marketing campaigns with slogans such as Rosé instead of roses to emphasise that celebrating with friends can be just as fun as with a partner. Read on to discover some fun ways to celebrate Palentine’s Day with a loved one.

Celebrating Friendship and Companionship at Home Instead Richmond

How Home Instead Richmond Helps Your Loved Ones Create Lasting Friendships: Home Instead Richmond goes beyond just providing care services; they foster an environment where genuine connections and friendships can flourish between your loved ones and caregivers. By prioritising personalised care and building trust-based relationships, Home Instead Richmond ensures that your loved ones feel valued, supported, and understood. This approach not only enhances the quality of care but also contributes to the emotional well-being of both your loved ones and Care Professionals.

Why Celebrate Palentine’s Day?

For some of your loved ones, Valentine’s Day will be something they might want to avoid – it may remind them of loved ones they’ve lost, or perhaps be a holiday that they never fussed with in the past. But changing the focus to Palentine’s Day (a day to celebrate with your pals) could be a fun way to do something different.

1. Celebrating different festivals is a great way to offer your client new experiences and bring some joy into their lives. They might not have heard the modern take on it and be confused about what Palentine’s Day represents, but if they have a nice day, it’s worth putting in the effort. You could even tell them that your own version of it is called Companiontine’s Day, where some of your loved ones can appreciate the friendship of their cherished companions.
2. While some of your loved onesmight not want to remember Valentine’s Days gone by, others will be keen to reminisce. They might want to look at old photographs or tell stories about their youth which will bring a smile to your face. Give those close to you the opportunity to share something new with you.
3. Importance of Friendships for Mental and Emotional Wellbeing: At Home Instead Richmond, the team members emphasise the profound significance of friendships for mental and emotional health. Mark, the son of one of our clients at Home Instead Richmond, expressed his satisfaction with the service provided to his father by Home Instead Richmond over the last four years, highlighting the friendliness, professionalism, and ability to meet his father’s continued requirements. He mentioned that his father has “developed genuine friendships with several caregivers and always looks forward to their visits.”Mariecar Lightwood-Clark, Operations Manager at Home Instead Richmond, expresses gratitude for Mark’s kind words and acknowledges the privilege and wonderful experience it has been to care for Mark’s father for four years.

How to Celebrate Palentine’s Day?

Planning entertaining ways to celebrate gives you an opportunity to think creatively about how your loved ones will enjoy and remember that no two people are the same! Here are some different ideas about ways to celebrate.

1. Get Crafty – some seniors enjoy taking part in craft activities, and what better way to celebrate than by making a Palentine’s Day card? The card doesn’t have to be for a significant other – you and your client could make each other a card, or you could support them in making a sweet card for a family member, friend, or person in the community who they appreciate. Another craft related option is to make paper flowers – there are plenty of online tutorials whether you want to try your hand at origami, tissue paper, or perhaps a floral painting.
2. Sweet Treats – Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to mean boxes of chocolate, but perhaps getting in the kitchen is a fun activity that you and your client could do together. Baking some heart shaped biscuits or a decorative cake to share with friends is a fun way to celebrate, or for those with an artistic flair, making your own chocolates would be a great activity to do together. If you like the sweet treats but aren’t so hot in the kitchen, how about using Palentine’s Day as an excuse to go for an afternoon tea, or even just a coffee and cake in a local café.
3. Meaningful Music – there are lots of ways to use music in your Palentine’s Day celebrations. Perhaps you could ask your client to tell you three pieces of music which are meaningful to them, and you can listen to them together, before you share your own desert island discs! Or you could look up some romantic songs that were popular when your client was young, or even from the year they were born. Perhaps they’d like to share with you the song that played when they walked down the aisle, or a song that reminds them of their parents? Listening to music can be a moving experience for many seniors, and a perfect way to relax while having a slice of your homemade Palentine’s Day cake. They might even want to sing along!
4. Acts of Kindness – it’s been proven that doing small acts of kindness is beneficial to the giver as well as to the recipient, so this is a great feel-good way to celebrate. Ask your client to think of someone they’d like to be kind to – it could be the girl at the corner shop who always tells them to have a nice day, or the postman who goes the extra mile in making sure their packages stay dry. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture, but something small to bring joy into the life of another, and to make your client feel good about themselves, too.
5. If you’re planning a special outing with your client to celebrate Palentine’s Day, there are plenty of great choices. From taking a stroll in Richmond Parkto going for a coffee at Coffeology, we’re sure you can think of a unique place to visit.

Not everyone will be up for celebrating Palentine’s Day, but perhaps this modern take on a traditional celebration will put a twinkle in the eye of your favourite client. In care, every day is different, and thinking of unique ways to bring joy to each day is all part of caring for someone and sharing their lived experience. Use Palentine’s Day to spread joy and make your loved ones smile! 

On this Valentine’s Day, the team at Home Instead Richmond sends heartfelt wishes to you and your loved ones. We are dedicated to providing compassionate care and support for elderly family members, ensuring they receive the care they deserve. At Home Instead Richmond, we prioritise relationship-led companionship care. Discover more about Finding the Perfect Carer Match.

If you or someone you know requires high-quality home care services, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of seniors in our community. Reach out to Home Instead Richmond today at 0203 879 7877.