No Mother Left Behind: Celebrating Senior Women on Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is an honorary day observed throughout the world and is celebrated in various ways. In the United States, Mother’s Day became an official holiday in 1914 and has been celebrated annually in May ever since. American traditions for Mother’s Day include gifts provided by spouses and children, sending flowers, and writing Mother’s Day cards. It’s also common for mothers to receive time off work on this day, with the expectation of taking the day to rest and be rewarded for all the hard work that’s involved with motherhood.
Mother’s Day is meant to be a joyous event, honoring the women who birthed and raised the members of our communities. However, the day can be a sad affair for mothers who are left behind — most often, the senior women who have either lost or been abandoned by their children. At Alegre Home Care, one of our goals for Mother’s Day is for no mother to be left behind. This is why we participate in the Mother’s Day Flowers event in Sonoma County.
The event is hosted by Senior Advocacy Services, a non-profit agency that advocates for the rights and dignity of those experiencing health and aging challenges. Members of the agency witnessed many senior women spend Mother’s Day alone, without receiving any token of appreciation for their contributions to motherhood. An idea for a simple way to make a difference was to send each woman in their program a bouquet of flowers on Mother’s Day, so that no mother would feel forgotten on this special day.
This tradition has continued, and Alegre Home Care participates each year through sponsorship and volunteering to distribute the bouquets in Sonoma County. This is just one of the ways our home care agency honors the senior women in our communities. We also encourage our home caregivers to honor the senior women in their care and to find ways to make Mother’s Day special. Below are just a few ideas of how to celebrate senior women on Mother’s Day.
Mail a Mother’s Day card. Receiving something in the mail can be exciting and nostalgic for seniors. Even if you often see the seniors in your care in person, sending a card in the mail will be a nice little surprise and a simple, thoughtful way to make someone feel special.
Book a little pampering. If it is within your availability and the caregiving services you provide, book some pampering time for senior women on Mother’s Day. Running a nice bath, arranging for a manicure, scheduling a massage, and even just lighting some candles can help senior women feel both relaxed and honored on Mother’s Day.
Remind relatives to remember the senior women in their lives. Sometimes, parents outlive their children. When this happens, the children are no longer around to celebrate Mother’s Day. However, grandchildren may be around and may be more than happy to celebrate Mother’s Day with their grandmother. After all, grandmothers are important on Mother’s Day, too.
Prepare a favorite meal. Meal preparation is often a service that home caregivers provide. An easy way to make Mother’s Day feel special is to prepare a senior’s favorite meal or to include something extra, such as a dessert. Just remember to keep dietary restrictions and health conditions in mind.
Honoring Senior Women Every Day of the Year
At Alegre Home Care, we honor the senior women in our care not just on Mother’s Day, but on every day of the year. Our home caregivers receive the best training in California, including specialities in dementia care and preventing elder abuse. We pair our home caregivers with clients who will be the best fit and then create care plans that are tailored to the unique needs of the individual. If you have questions about our home care services or if you are interested in becoming a home caregiver, please reach out to us at one of our Northern California locations.
