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What to Talk About With Your Senior

Donna Nichols • September 14, 2023

Never be at a loss for words again.


Have you ever been at a loss over what to talk to your parents or grandparents about? If you ask questions such as, how are you, you are asking one sided answer questions. Elderly people love conversing with others, especially family members and often feel left out of conversations.


Here at Assisted Living Made Simple , we came up with some questions to ask that will help them join in the conversation and keep them engaged longer.


1. Did you ever play any tricks on your parents and what was the worst trick? Hopefully this will bring up some funny memories for them and tell you a little more about them. Perhaps you’ll find out you have more in common with them than you realize.


2. What was your first car and how did you pay for it? Maybe your parents or grandparents were really cool and had a Mustang convertible or some really cool car like that. Finding out how they paid for it can tell you something about how they may have struggled to raise enough money to afford a car.


3. Were you ever fired from a job? This may seem like an open-ended question, but you can try to pry if they just answer with a “no”. Try to keep the conversation going with more questions like really, not even close?


4. What is the worst thing you ever got in trouble for? Oh boy! You could be opening a whole bag of worms here!! This subject may keep them talking longer than you like, but at least they’ll be conversing; let them go with it and enjoy!


5. Did you ever face any disadvantages? You may find out they lived through the great recession, or perhaps saw many people die from polio, you never know what you may find out when asking some of these questions.


6. What did you think of me when you first saw me? This is where you can find out the truth about what they thought of you, if they tell you the truth (HAHA)! Actually, this answer may make you cry, so get out the Kleenex prior to asking this question.


7. What did you learn about life? You may find you have learned some of the same things they learned, or you may learn that they really do know what they’re talking about!


8. What five things have you discovered that are most important in life? Here’s another question that may help you learn some very interesting things about your loved one(s). You may find out they’re so much smarter than you think.


9. Did you find the happiness you were looking for? This could be another question to have the Kleenex ready; it could be a real tear-jerker of an answer.


And then the last question . . .


10. What does it take to be happy? Who really knows what it takes to be happy? An elderly person will know what happiness is more than we do because their journey has been a lot longer than ours. Remember, they have been through it all, the good, the bad, the ugly. If anyone knows what it takes to be happy, it could be your parents or grandparents.



When visiting with your elderly relatives and are at a loss of what to talk about, try using some of the above questions to start an engaging conversation. You could learn more about life than you ever expected to and also hear some funny stories and gain incredible wisdom.

Make Valentine’s Day Special for Seniors

By Donna Nichols • February 5, 2025
Valentine’s Day tends to zero in on romantic love, but what about our seniors? They too often get forgotten. We have some ways to make Valentine’s Day special for them too. Spend the day with your loved one. Spending quality time with a loved one is more important to a senior than anything else. There is no greater gift than time and please make sure you have enough, so you are not rushed. Do your elderly loved one have a favorite meal? Perhaps you can prepare it for them, or if they are able, you can prepare it together. How fun would that be for you both? Be sure to discuss the enjoyment it brought you while you are sharing the meal together. How about a game of name that love song? You could prepare a playlist of love songs from the generation and play them to see how many they get correct. Or, if you can sing, you can sing some for them and see if they can recollect them. Take some time for reminiscing, go through old photo albums, or ask about old times. Ask them about when you were young and what trouble you caused; this will give you all something to laugh (or cry) about. Has your loved one been cooped up all winter? Take them out for a nice lunch, or weather permitting, a picnic in the park. Go for coffee and a donut, then head out to see a movie. Make a “date” of it. Maybe your senior is into crafts. You can design special Valentine’s Day cards for other family members. This way your senior can express their love for them and send it to them in their own unique way. You can create other greeting cards as well. Bake some special treats together. Does your senior have some favorite cookies or cake? You could bake it together, or you can bake it for them. Then you can enjoy it after you have the meal you prepared together. Yummy, delicious!! You can watch some romantic movies together if they prefer to stay in the house or the weather isn’t so good. If they like to color, you can buy them some of those large coloring books and you can color together. Don’t forget the decorations and the flowers! Make the house or apartment as festive as possible. Even if they live in as assisted living community, you can still decorate their room to the nines! Make it as festive as possible! If you live in another state or can’t be close to your senior for Valentine’s Day, how about sending them a specially crafted care package. You can hand make some gifts, add some photos of family and friends, and send a personally recorded message. You can bake some homemade treats and incorporate some things that are of personal interest to them. This will show how much you care for them and make their Valentine’s Day extra special even if you can’t be with them.  There are so many ways to make Valentine’s Day special for seniors. Let’s not forget about them; make sure to show them they are so loved too!

February is National Heart Month

By Donna Nichols • February 4, 2025
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Hydration Tips for the Winter

By Donna Nichols • January 8, 2025
I’ve written many blogs about the importance of staying hydrated in the summer, but did you know it’s just as important to stay hydrated in the winter months? I’ve shared some important tips on how to stay hydrated in the winter and why. Cold, dry air can dehydrate you easily and quickly. Even if you don’t feel thirsty. Proper hydration can help regulate your body temperature, maintain healthy organ function, and prevent fatigue, dry skin, and headaches. In the colder months, you do not feel thirsty, that’s why it’s so important to make sure you drink plenty of water. Why is winter hydration so important? Colder air tends to be drier causing moisture to evaporate through your breathing which can cause dehydration. In colder weather, you may not feel as thirsty, causing you to become dehydrated quickly. Also, wearing more clothing traps sweat inside your clothing causing more fluid loss. What are some of the benefits of staying hydrated in the winter? • Drinking enough water helps keep your skin hydrated and prevents dryness. This will help with that dry, itchy skin feeling we all get in the winter. • Water helps your body maintain a regular core temperature. Which is so important to maintain in the winter. • Drinking plenty of water supports your immune system, which helps fight off winter colds and the flu. We all want to fight those germs off! • When you are dehydrated, you become tired easily, so drinking plenty of water helps keep your energy levels up. How do you stay hydrated in the winter? • Make sure you drink plenty of water. Set reminders if you must; you probably won’t feel as thirsty in the winter, but you need to keep drinking that water! • You don’t have to drink cold water; room temperature water works. You can also drink tea or water with lemon, as long as you’re getting your water. • If you’re going out, carry a water bottle with you to ensure you have water to drink. • Eat fruits and vegetables that contain water. Tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, watermelon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumber, apples, and pineapple are just a few that contain high water contents. • If you think you’re dehydrated, check your urine; if it’s a darker color, that can suggest dehydration. Urine should be a pale, yellow color. As you can see, staying hydrated in the winter is just as important as staying hydrated in the summer, if not more. In the winter you don’t realize you are thirsty therefore you tend not to drink as much water as you should. This has the potential of wreaking havoc on your body. Please make sure you drink plenty of water in the wintertime as you do in the summertime. We have rebranded our company, we are now Assisted Senior Services! Call us for ANYTHING SENIOR!! 386-847-2322!
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