Pausing to Honor Grandparents

(NAPS) - In recent years, more and more Americans have taken a step back from their hectic lives to focus on family. Yet all too often, our most significant family members - our grandparents - are ignored. As the "return to home" trend continues, we should all take a moment to share with our elders and honor the role they play in our lives as friends, mentors, and family leaders.

According to a recent study sponsored by Bankers Life and Casualty Company, an insurance company dedicated to the financial needs of seniors, elderly adults wish to be remembered as a responsible and loving grandparent/parent more than anything else. "Spending time with your grandparents is one of the greatest gifts they can receive from you," said Donna Avolt, manager of the Lafayette, Ind., Bankers branch.

Spending time together also offers health benefits for senior Americans. Robert N. Butler, M.D., world-renowned authority on aging and head of the International Longevity Center, an affiliate of Mt. Sinai Medical School, New York says, "Playing with grandchildren is a great way to stay young at heart. Chasing a toddler around can be just as much exercise as an afternoon at the gym, and is more fun." Scientists have also found that laughing is contagious and is good for the heart. According to Nobel Prize nominees Dr. Gael Crystal and Dr. Patrick Flanagan, children laugh about 400 times a day, while elderly adults laugh only 10-15 times daily.

The grandparent/grandchild relationship is one of the more special bonds in the world and celebrating this relationship can only strengthen the bond. Bankers' Avolt suggests the following activities to help families spend some quality time together:

• Have grandparents teach you a card game or play a favorite game. Playing this game can become a tradition that occurs every time you get together. It can also be fun for the grandchild to learn a game that their grandparents enjoyed when they were young.
  
  
• Go to a favorite place together. Whether it be the grandparent or grandchild's favorite spot, it can provide the opportunity to learn more about each others interests.
  
  
• Create a "Hot or Not" list. Grandparents list "hot" items, toys, television shows from when they were young, and compare lists with the grandchild's.
  
  
• Write titles and dates on the backs of photos. Grandparents can help grandchildren write names and dates on the back of old family photos. In the process, grandparents can tell stories about relatives and help to preserve family history.
  
  
• Create a family web page. In doing this, the child can learn more about family history and the grandparent can learn a little more about current technology.
  
  
• Make homemade ice cream or bake cookies. Not only is this a tasty idea, it is fun to decide what flavor to make and to eat your creation together.
  
  

To learn more about seniors and aging, visit www.bankerslife.com.

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