Creative Way to Encourage Others Through the Pandemic

Covid makes things tough. I am sure you don’t need me to tell you that. I bet you have already found reasons that make you “get it”. My reasoning my be a bit different than yours, depending on your situation but I think it is safe to say that EVERYONE is ready for Covid to go away!! 

For me, one of the hardest things I have dealt with (even more so than having Covid myself) was knowing that I have loved ones that I can’t see because of Covid. My grandparents live halfway across the country. When their health started to fail, my grandpa was put into a nursing home. My grandma was doing ok for a while on her own but then started to have health issues herself. Since there is no family nearby to take care of her, the decision was made for her to either move closer to one of us (leaving my grandpa in Arkansas) or move into an assisted living place. She made the decision to move to an assisted living in Arkansas close to my grandpa. She was not needing to go into a nursing home so they could not be together. 

The Hard Choice

The choice was made and she moved into the assisted living home the first week that Covid hit the US. She went from being able to drive around and live in her own home to being “locked in a prison”, unable to leave her room at times. She is in a great, safe place but losing all your freedom at once can sure make it feel like a prison to her. It has been hard, for me as her granddaughter, to see her have to go through so many hard changes and not have any of us to visit. 

Elderly all over are struggling with very similar situations. Some of them may have been in a nursing or assisted living home for many years prior to Covid but Covid changed EVERYTHING for even them, especially them. No more visitors, restrictions within the home, more independence taken away, and no real hugs for going on 9 months now. 

Giving Hope to the Elderly

My daughter’s school had a community service project day last month. Instead of a Walk-a-thon or selling cookies, the students raised money getting others to sponsor them for a community service project. My oldest son worked at the school hauling off some old furniture and doing a deep clean. My middle child and I went with some other students to a local Christian camp campground and helped clean up sticks and leaves from around their main office building. My daughter’s class went to visit a couple of nursing homes. Yes, you read that right!! A couple of nursing homes. This time, different than any other time the elementary kids visited nursing homes in the past. 

This time, for a couple of weeks prior, students in the elementary grades made handmade cards and posters to hold us and give to the elderly. The elderly stayed inside their rooms and the students walked around, outside their windows to wave, smile, hold signs, and even blow kisses to the residents. Even if they could not be INSIDE the building, seeing kids’ smiling faces was the encouragement needed for those elderly. Some had not seen a face outside of nurses and staff in months. It was a pleasant mood lifter for many at the homes but also rewarding for the students, parents, and teachers. 

Covid and the Hospital

I also have a friend who was in a really bad car accident a couple of weeks ago. We may not be able to make a visit to her ICU room but we can send pictures and video encouragement to her and her family. Sending cards is nice but a picture or video message adds the extra personal touch that everyone needs so desperately. 

Posterboards signs are so easy to make and are very inexpensive. The only part of making signs in the past that I dreaded was the fact that the markers always dry out midway through. I would always have to have multiple markers in the same color to complete the task and even then, the coloring didn’t look very even. Crayola saw the problem and made a solution. 

Crayola Poster Markers

Introducing the Crayola Poster Markers. These jumbo markers hold their color for the whole poster-making experience. No more needing multiple markers in the same color. It also makes making a poster much quicker because they are jumbo, so they cover more space with each stroke. 

For your poster, try using the new XL Poster Markers and Metallic Outline Markers. The XL Poster Markers come in regular colors or bright colors. The Quick Dry Paint Sticks work great to add an extra pop to the poster while the Easy Peel Crayons work great for younger children who may not do as well with the markers. I love how the crayons are similar to a pencil but are CRAYON! The easy-peel keeps the crayon tip exposed just the right amount. The Easy Peel Crayons are also great to add little decorative drawings to the poster!

What to Buy

• Crayola’s Giant Construction Paper or White Construction Paper
• 4 ct. XL Poster Markers by Crayola
• 4 ct. XL Poster Markers Bright by Crayola
• 4 ct. Metallic Outline Markers by Crayola
• 12 ct. Easy Peel Crayons by Crayola
• 6 ct. Quick Dry Paint Sticks by Crayola

Encourage someone today. Stop in Walmart and pick up some Crayola Giant Construction Paper or White Construction Paper and a pack of Crayola Poster Markers and crayons or buy on Amazon. Make a sign and send a special video or picture message to someone who needs encouragement. You can also take a quick walk around a nursing home to uplift spirits. They don’t have to know you for you to be a blessing to them!!

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