Morgan Hill Today 2014 03 Spring | Page 49

extraordinary to bring joy to our elderly parents because they appreciate time with us – over coffee , looking at pictures of the kids , etc . The other day I was visiting a client and overheard her grandson say , “ Mom , I don ’ t know what to do . Grandma is depressed . I am not a doctor !” We need to share the power of a heart-warming simple event with the younger members of our family and the younger caregivers . The younger generation needs to be reminded that ordinary events , that show they care , will make a big difference . And , of course , there ’ s a third lesson to be learned from the study . When younger siblings seem unappreciative , remind yourself that they are wired to tie happiness to an adrenaline rush .
The study is simply a well-deserved confirmation that ordinary pleasures likely are making an extraordinary difference in the lives of older adults . With 60 being the new 40 and so on , it is a fact that even though simple pleasures matter , some older adults still want to take pictures from the top of the EiffelTower . If you can give them those extraordinary experiences , by all means do so ! Just don ’ t forget that on a day-to-day basis , it is about simple pleasures !
The younger generation needs to be reminded that ordinary events , that show they care , will make a big difference .
S P R I N G 2 0 1 4 M O R G A N H I L L T O D A Y
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