If they live right down the road…

Chances are, all your grandparents want is some of your time. Tell your buds you have plans this Sunday, finish your homework early and go spend the afternoon just hanging out with Gram and Grandpa. Go see a movie, learn how to make a prized family recipe, flip through old photo albums, play old-school board games. It doesn’t matter what you do; it’s that you’re spending time with them—that’s what counts.

If they live far away…

Even if you only see them once or twice a year, hearing your voice on the phone (or seeing your face on Skype, if they are tech-savvy or have a tech-savvy friend who can give them a hand) will bring smiles to their faces, guaranteed. Hint: Don’t just call on holidays. Give ‘em a ring anytime, even if you only have a few minutes to talk. Call just to say “hi” and “I love you.” Write letters, send postcards, enclose photos. Trust us, they’ll treasure them.

If a nice older person down the street doesn’t have any family close by…

Swing by to see if they need any help. Bring fresh-cut flowers from the garden, or freshly baked treats. Send a card, say hello. The goal is to bring a little sunshine into their life, so take a second to consider what they’d really appreciate and then do it. Maybe it’s a little assistance at the grocery store, or a jar of local honey for sweetening an afternoon tea ritual. It takes little time or effort to make a difference in someone’s life—go to it.

If you can get your crew to visit a nursing home…

A lot of people in nursing homes don’t have regular visitors. They’re lonely. And while they might seem like old fuddy duddies, they are great company. Go and ask them questions about their lives—you’d be amazed by what they can tell you. Play games, sing songs, read favorite books or new bestsellers.

If you don’t have grandparents…

Sometimes when family members pass, it’s easy to think that cease to exist. But they do, corny as it sounds, live on within you. Take a moment out of your day and consider your grandmother or grandfather, or another elderly family member or family friend who is no longer living. Remember the values they lived by that you agree with, the things they taught you, and do your best to incorporate those things into your life.

by Brittany Taylor | 2/1/2016