Home Care Tips: What to Do With Your Parents’ Book Collection When They No Longer Read Them
Home Care in Springfield VA
If you are like many family caregivers caring for their elderly parents, particularly those who have physical and mobility challenges or cognitive limitations, part of your home care journey with 
them is going to be clearing out their home. Whether it is so that you can transition them into a smaller home or into your home to live with you and your family, or just de-cluttering their space so that it is less overwhelming and safer, clearing out your parents’ home is the perfect opportunity for you to discover all kinds of collections that they have built up throughout the years. For many seniors, one of these collections is books.
It is not unusual for aging adults to have built up large collections of books over their adult lives. While younger generations are more likely to purchase books, read them, and then pass them on, utilize libraries, or use electronic book media, older adults are more likely to have books that they have had for many years and hang onto the ones that they purchase. This can add up to stacks of books tucked in what seems like every corner of the house.
While having books around is a wonderful thing for their mental and emotional health, if there are too many books throughout the house that your loved ones are not reading, they could become a falling hazard or even put their health at risk due to the dust, bacteria, mildew, and mold that could build up in between the pages. Just throwing these books out could not only create a negative emotional reaction in your aging parents, but it is also wasteful. Instead, finding creative and meaningful ways to use them will help make it easier for your loved ones to let go of their personal libraries, and help the books continue to have purpose.
Let these ideas inspire you to find creative and useful ways to handle your parents’ book collection as you are clearing out their home:
• Read them together. The best thing that you can do with those stacks of old books is get together with your loved ones to read them together. Pick out a few that you remember them really enjoying when they were younger, or that you think that they would enjoy now, and start your own book club together.
• Donate them. There are always used bookstores, hospitals, shelters, and schools looking for donations of books. If you cannot find a charitable organization that is interested in the books, you can always donate them to Goodwill or another thrift store to create a treasure for another book lover.
• Decorate with them. Old hardcover books make attractive home accents that create a sophisticated, elevated look whether they are in the living room, bedroom, den, or other area. Try stacking several beside a fireplace, as long as it is not in use, lining them up on the mantle, or storing them in a glass-doored cabinet.
• Craft with them. If they have books that are damaged or missing pages, use them for creative craft projects. Pages make interesting material for decoupage for decorative storage boxes, ornaments, serving trays, or even tables. Try adhering pages or parts of pages to the top of a table with craft glue, seal it with Mod Podge, and then cover with a piece of glass for a personalized piece of furniture perfect for beside a sofa or in a sitting room.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care services in Springfield, VA, call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. 703-273-8818
Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.
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