This
10 October 2013 is World Mental Health Day, an initiative of the World
Federation of Mental Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise
awareness on mental health issues via its strong relationships with the
Ministries of health and civil society organizations across the globe. This
year, the theme centres on “Mental health and older adults”.
How
can we include the grandchildren in caring for their grandparents?
Here
are some suggestions that you can opt for:
- Weekly
family time
Arrange a time to have a little family gathering on
a weekly basis. Some of the activities that can be arranged are having a meal,
watching television or movie, or playing puzzles together.
- Reading
Let your child read to the elders. It can be from a
favourite book or even engage in a role play.
- Travel
Have a vacation with the family once a while. This
experience can provide a quality time for both the grandparents and the
grandchildren, and strengthen their relationship.
- Hug
Hugging is beneficial to health. It helps to reduce
stress and anxiety, and improve memory. It also teaches your child on how to
give and take. According to Virginia Satir, a respected family therapist, “We
need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We
need twelve hugs a day for growth.”
These
activities create a quality time for the whole family (3 generations) and teach
the children to cherish family relationships. Nurture the children as early as
possible in caring for the elderly so as the value will be ingrained into their
heart.
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