At Rockaway Care Center, we have a variety of ages, backgrounds, and family statuses represented among our residents.  But one thing we all share is that we all have, or had, parents, and with Mother’s Day around the corner, Rockaway Care Center is gearing up for the celebrations. And yet, with so many adult residents, including those in their golden age, many of us have lost our mothers over the years, which gives Mother’s Day a different focus. And so, we offer here some suggestions for how we can honor Mother’s Day when our own mothers have passed on.

1. Write Mom A Letter. Pen to paper. You can just write to her about your day, about what matters to you now, and about your present needs.  Sometimes it helps to just talk to mom, and write out what you’d say in conversation. 
2. Draw Her A Picture, Paint Her A Painting. When you were a child, you probably drew or painted pictures for your mom – aplenty, right? And now, even though she isn’t here and you are in a later stage of life, it is still not too late. What would she want to see in a picture from you, today? What picture would make her happy? It doesn’t have to be high-end artistry, what matters is that it’s coming from you. 
3. Make A List of Her Influences. What did mom represent for you? What were her accomplishments in life, in the home and outside the home? How does she influence you (and perhaps others) still in her absence? On the flip side, we know many people had issues to work out with their mothers – if you are still doing so, this list is a successful step in the process. 
4. Pass It On. At Rockaway Care Center, many of the women have become mothers, others grandmothers, and still others – great grandmothers. Even though your own mother is not with you, you are honored through the generations you brought into this world.

At Rockaway Care Center, we are here to help you celebrate or commemorate Mother’s Day in whichever ways suit you best. While Mother’s Day is a reflective time for anyone, for those who have lost their mothers, Mother’s Day can be trying. Our aim above was to provide some tools for opening up our minds to remind us about the good times with mom, and how we can continue her positive influences ourselves.  With that in mind, we hope you will enjoy a Happy Mother’s Day, 2015, at Rockaway Care Center.  

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Letter Writing Day: How Pen-to-Paper Helps Us
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