I have had an idea kicking around in my head, that I would like everyone's opinion on.
A lifetime ago, when I was in the Navy, the highlight of the month was mail call. Back then we were cut off from all communication back home, and there was a tremendous sense of loneliness and of being forgotten. When the mail came, it didn't matter what it was, I was excited. My mother would send me cookies, and by the time I got them they were just crumbs, but I knew she remembered me and I wasn't forgotten. The mail also broke up the monotony of being at sea with very few port calls.
I think our parents probably experience these same feelings of loneliness and of being forgotten, especially if we live in other parts of the country and can't visit them often. We love them, but we have our own lives to live as well.
Would a monthly care package brighten their day? Maybe with a message of love?
I am wondering if this would be a service I could start.
Trust me, with all of the very real problems being discussed here, I understand that my question could be taken as self serving and I truly mean no disrespect to the people here with much weightier problems.
I don't think you are being self serving. I know my parents would LOVE to get something special in the mail from out of town children. Don't forget your caregiving sibling (if there is one) as well. ;)
Just a small token of something saying you are thinking of them and that you care makes a world of difference! (In my opinion)
As for a start-up business, I am not sure. I think aging parents rather get something put together by their grown children and their grandchildren then something that was ordered on-line. Everyone has different taste in items, and especially food ideas where as people get older there are sodium and sugar contents to worry about, and very soft cookies are more welcomed then regular cookies. But toss that idea around to others and see what they think.
I remember getting brownies in the mail ,when I was in college, from my mother. Good idea.
It doesn't have to be expensive - anything to say "you are not forgotten"