A Personal View on how Being a Blessing to Others makes you Grand
I have had one of those weeks where Big ideas, heart and a fresh perspective all converged on my new venture; Grandbox. I took over this business with aspirations to make changes and improvements to ultimately reach more seniors every month. Being a blessing to a senior is an honor. My interest in doing this began years ago when I facilitated BINGO at a local nursing home. I was able to witness the challenges that seniors endure in the later years of their lives. Loneliness and isolation were mainstays and being able to erase those feelings for one night each week was a wonderful challenge.
Fast-forward to today. Did you know there are currently 47 million seniors (people 65+) living in the United States? This number will double by 2060. 100 million. Out of those 47 million seniors in the US, 1.4 million of them reside in nursing homes. Other housing options for seniors include 5,000 continued care retirement communities geared towards seniors. These facilities represent thousands of “community” households. I share these statistics with you to demonstrate that this is a growing population and it will continue to blossom over the next 20 years.
Additionally, the nuclear family is now spread out throughout the country. It usually begins when kids go to college. Roughly 75% of college students move from their hometown and many of them will move once or twice within 5 years of graduating. This often results in families growing apart — literally. There is a famous saying that is “takes a village to raise a child.” I would also assert that it is a gift to have a “family around for a senior.” If this is not possible, in steps Grandbox.
We curate a new theme each month for our boxes. The themes represent the change in season and highlight annual events, for example October will be our Harvest box. The sweet spot of Grandbox is the personalization we offer. Send us 5 photos and a personal note. We will print these and add them to the box. Grandbox becomes a care package for the heart and a true blessing for the recipient. Many families tell me they are surprised at what a gift it is for them as the sender. Each month they stop their activities to focus on their loved one, they write a letter and select photos to share memories. It is a win-win when sending a Grandbox.
This article has been a shameless plug for Grandbox but even more important I hope it is a healthy reminder for all of us to reach out to our loved ones. Life is never too busy to let them know you care and they are loved! Wishing you all a Grand day!