How can I cheer up my Grandpa?

[anticlimatic]

My grandfather is 85 years old and in fairly good health, the last few years not withstanding. He had some trouble with his hip (cliche, I know) and spent a lot of time in surgery and physical therapy. Lost most of his weight. He is an ENFJ, and made a living as a sales rep for a plumbing company. Very social guy, but most of his friends now are dead. He's also the last surviving member of his siblings too. We have breakfast every other week or so and talk for a few hours, and he confided in me recently that he had no energy and was depressed. Asked me if I ever got depressed (I do) and what I do about it. I told him that I eat oranges and try to have patience until the good vibes roll back around, but I'm not sure if that would work for anyone else. This was the last time we spoke. I want to have breakfast with him tomorrow, and I'm wondering if anyone had any advice I could give to him on how to perk up and maybe get some energy back. He likes to do small projects around the house, but he's mostly from an uneducated background. He likes to read a little here and there, especially if it pertains to local history and Catholicism. That and just being social are about his only interests that I know about. Ideas?

 

[Kas]

Have you ever done any of these small house projects together? Maybe you could plan something like this? For sure he would enjoy the company and would have something to focus on which sometimes is enough to make the bad thoughts to go away

Also it will sound trivial, but fresh air is alway good

Btw I agree oranges are great.

 

[JAVO]

^ Good ideas.

Maybe there is a meetup.com group for senior adults?

 

[miss fortune]

are there any volunteer activities he might enjoy? I know that my ESFJ grandma LOVES to volunteer as a greeter at the hospital so that she can be out and about and meet new people all of the time

and the other suggestions in the thread as well... things that get him doing something with at least one other person should be a GOOD thing

 

[kyuuei]

Yeah, maybe there are some events around town.. Or maybe ask him about stories from before? Older people like to be reminded of all they accomplished in their lives I found.. Listening ears are good ears, because they feel like they don't have as much time left to share things.

Also, maybe you can show him some things that might make him happy to be alive right now.. Stuff like this is pretty simple, free, and shows off things that he probably never even dreamed of as a kid. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS3vlbzFd4A

 

[anticlimatic]

Thanks for the tips!!

I'm trying to come up with some kind of ideas for things to do when I'm not around, but there's a bit of a (triple) generation gap so it's tough to come up with them. His idea of a good time is stacking firewood and having regular bowel movements. On top of that he has some OCD and is predictably stuck in his ways. I wonder if suggesting he just try something new might help, without maybe specifying what that new thing should be?