Lasting Letters
Writing a heartfelt letter to a senior citizen can brighten their day and uplift their spirit.
Program Overview
When seniors receive letters, it can brighten their day, reduce feelings of loneliness, and stimulate memories, promoting emotional well-being.
Volunteers can write letters to the elderly as part of a Gentle Generation's chapter, a community group, a school project or individually.
When we receive letters from volunteers, we send them to senior care centers, including nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, hospice organizations, community centers and individuals.
We welcome all ages to write letters to the elderly but particularly encourage youth to participate. When youth write letters to the elderly it creates a meaningful bridge between generations, offering benefits for both seniors and youth. The youth who write these letters develop empathy, improve their communication skills, and gain a deeper appreciation for life’s experiences and history.
This simple act of letter writing enriches both lives, fostering connection, understanding, and mutual respect across ages.
Impact and Outcomes
Benefits of Letters for the Elderly
Emotional Connection – Letters create a personal bond, helping elderly people feel remembered, valued, and loved, especially if they are isolated or far from family.
Mental Stimulation – Reading a heartfelt letter engages the brain, improving memory recall, attention, and cognitive activity.
Sense of Purpose – Receiving letters can give them something to look forward to and a reason to stay emotionally engaged with others.
Stress Relief – Knowing someone cares reduces feelings of loneliness, anxiety, or depression, which are common among the elderly.
Keepsake Value – Letters can be kept, reread, and treasured, providing comfort and joy long after they’re received.
Project Steps
Recommendations before you begin writing
Writing a letter to the elderly can be an individual project or a group activity.
Before beginning, try and identify who you hope to send the letter to.
Some examples of recipients include:
grandparent (or someone you know)
residents of nursing homes or assisted care facilities
geriatric units at a hospital or hospice center
Knowing your audience will help direct what you chose to write about.
Don't worry if you don't know who the recipient will be. We receive plenty of letters that are not designated for a specific elderly group.
You are almost ready ...one more pre-activity step. Determine how you will send your letter to the elderly:
If you a member of any of our chapters, you can give you letter to your chapter representative
If you are a chapter lead and have already completed our training, you can mail or deliver the letters to seniors directly
If you are an individual volunteer, we would love to receive your letter and will forward it to seniors in need. You are welcome to mail your letters to our P.O. Box (P.O. Box 11, Issaquah, WA 98027).
Consider how your letter will look
The best letters are those that are personal and unique, so make the letter yours!
There are a few guidelines however, that we request all our volunteers to follow when writing to the elderly.
If possible, handwrite your letter. This adds a personal touch that is appreciated. However, we recognize that handwriting is not possible for everyone and if you are not able to use pen or paper, a letter written by whatever means is most accessible to you will be equally treasured. For example, you are welcome to type out your letter or have someone scribe for you.
If handwriting, please make use your finest penmanship. If you are using a computer, please choose an easy to read font with at least a 12point font size.
Consider how you want your letter to look once finished. You can use colored paper, add stickers, or leave room for a drawing. Plan the layout of your letter in advance so that you are happy with the end product. A well thought out and well designed letter gets noticed! Be creative.
You can see a few examples of letters on this page. You will find additional ideas on the Gallery page.
What to include and what not to include
Even though you do not know your reader, start your message by addressing them with a respectful greeting that is gender neutral. A common greeting that has worked well has been: Dear Friend
Avoid formal greetings such as: dear sir, dear madam, or whom this may concern etc.
In your signature closing, please sign off with similarly respectful greeting. Some options that have worked well include: From a Friend or if you prefer, sign off with your first name.
Please do not include your full name or your last name. We will not send letters that include your full name. You can choose whether to include a date or not. Some pros and cons:
Adding a date, provides context to your letter.
It also helps the senior citizen you are writing to, remember the date. Some older adults with dementia may have a hard time remembering the date and your letter will help.
If you letter is delayed reaching your reader, it may seem out dated.
If you decide to include a date, please use the following format: Month spelled out, date, four digit year. For example, January 1, 2020. Do not write: 01/02/2020 as your letter may be send internationally where the convention of date writing may be different.
While a great letter is unique and has personality, please do NOT include any sensitive information or anything that uniquely identifies you. such as: full names, birthdates, addresses, phone numbers, emails or any other information that may be sensitive and is not otherwise publicly available. If you are a minor please ask a parent or trusted adult to review your letter.
What should I write about? And, what should I not write about?
There are endless things that you can write about and share with the elderly. What you write will depend on you.
Choose your words carefully to bring a sense of positivity. This is a perfect time to practice and sharpen your own writing skills.
We ask that you and an adult review your letter to ensure that all content is kind, appropriate, and inclusive and is NOT offensive or hurtful. Please do NOT include any political or religious references or opinions. Do NOT include any personal views and avoid controversial topics.
We recommend that you not include jokes in your message. While many jokes are suitable for all audiences, some can be offensive and hurtful.
Please do NOT include anything that asks something of your reader or makes them feel inadequate. Examples of what NOT to say: “You are capable, continue to be brave.” “Look at the positive side of things.” “I know you can be stronger.” While these may seem like words of encouragement, we do not have insight into the reader’s circumstances and its important to be empathetic without judgement.
Finally, if you are under 18, please make sure that a parent, guardian, or teacher has read your letter and approves of your participation in the program.
Returning the Project:
You can enclose your letter in an envelope or leave it without an envelope - either are acceptable.
If you plan to use an envelope, consider decorating the outside.
Please do NOT include your name or address on the envelope. You do not need to add a stamp to this envelope.
Please do NOT seal the envelope.
The steps you will take to return your letter will depend on whether you are a chapter, school, or individual as described above:
If you are a Gentle Generations chapter, school, or organization whose representative has attended one of our training sessions, you can deliver your letters directly to the chosen organization or senior center.
If you are an individual volunteer, please send letters directly to Gentle Generations.
If you are unsure, in any circumstance you can always mail your letters to us at: Gentle Generations, P.O. Box 11, Issaquah, WA 98027
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or suggestions.
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