7 Meaningful Ways to Bless an Aging Father This Father’s Day

1. Pray for him regularly – including in person.

The most powerful and lasting way to bless your aging father is through prayer. As your dad ages, he may face a lot of battles that you can help him fight by praying for him – such as fear of losing his health, sadness over the passing of old friends, or worries about the future. Commit to praying for him every single day, asking God to give him peace of mind, encouragement, and all the help he needs for the specific situations he’s facing. I’m grateful that my dad Jim (who is nearly 88 years old at the time I’m writing this) and I pray for each other regularly. This habit has inspired us in every part of our relationship. We know we can count on each other to ask God to work in whatever situations are on our minds and in our hearts.

Connecting with God, the source of all love, is a guaranteed way to make sure that God’s love flows between you and your dad regularly – and to see God’s best happen for you both, as God answers the prayers. So, pray for your father regularly when you’re alone, and pray over your father in person this Father’s Day. One way to pray in person is by giving him a blessing, like this one from Numbers 6:24-26: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” 

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2. Listen to his life stories – and record them.

One of the most valuable gifts you can give your aging father is your undivided attention. As the years pass, older dads often look back on the many years they’ve lived so far, remembering how God was at work in all the good times, the challenges, and the most important experiences of their lives. This Father’s Day, encourage your father to get started sharing his life stories with you. Set aside a special, unhurried block of time to sit down with your dad and plan a schedule and process for him to share his stories in ways that will preserve those stories for future generations.

My dad and I meet regularly to record videos of him sharing the stories he most wants to leave behind to encourage others. We also plan to compile his stories into a memory book that our family and his friends can enjoy. Talk with your own dad about what the easiest times and ways would be to help him tell you stories while you record them. You may record audio or video on your phone or a computer, interview your father and write down his responses, look through old photos together to see what memories and stories they trigger, and write down key quotes from what he shares, purchase a memory book and help your father work on it, or any other process that works well for you both. If you have siblings who are interested in helping with the process, invite them to join you. When your dad shares his stories, listen well, without interrupting, and ask questions to clarify what he says.

Storytelling reflects the wisdom in Deuteronomy 32:7, which commands us to: “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will explain to you.” Storytelling is a powerful way for your father to pass down testimonies of God’s goodness from one generation to the next. Years from now, you, your children, and future family members will be able to benefit from hearing firsthand accounts of God’s faithfulness in your family history. Listening to and recording your father’s stories shows your dad that his life matters for eternity and that his legacy is worth keeping safe. 

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3. Share how his wisdom shaped your life.

Aging fathers often wonder if they did a good job raising their children, and they can sometimes feel regret over past mistakes or feel like their days of being needed are completely gone. You can bring lots of joy to your dad by telling him exactly how the wisdom he has taught you helped shape the person you are today. I often tell my father how something he taught me inspired me to do something good in the world. For example, my dad has a long tradition of visiting me and other family and friends on a regular basis by delivering newspapers to us and talking with us about the news in our world, community, and our personal lives. Dad inspired me to become a journalist, and later to follow God’s calling to be an inspirational journalist who focuses on faith and helps share good news with people. Now, my father and I talk regularly about the stories I write.

This Father’s Day, talk with your own dad about specific lessons you learned from him, and how those lessons have helped you in your life so far. Maybe you watched your father practice honesty in his work or saw how he prayed through a difficult problem and trusted God to help him solve that problem. Whatever lessons stand out the most to you, tell your dad what they were and how God has used those lessons to help you. When we share how our fathers’ wisdom has shaped our lives, we validate their good work and illustrate the truth of Proverbs 1:8-9, which encourages us: “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.”

By showing your dad that his words and actions continue to bless you in your adult life, you can bless him with a wonderful sense of peace that his legacy of faith and integrity has become an important part of your own walk with Jesus. 

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4. Offer help with chores and errands.

As our fathers age, household chores that used to be easy for them – like mowing the lawn, changing hard-to-reach lightbulbs, or organizing a cluttered garage – can become physically challenging and even dangerous. Our aging dads may no longer have the strength and mobility they need to do chores that need to be done at home. They may also no longer be able to drive, to do important errands. Some aging fathers might feel too proud to ask for help and choose to leave tasks undone rather than admitting they can no longer manage them.

This Father’s Day, look around your dad’s home carefully and notice what needs to be done that he’s not able to do well himself. Then consider how you can help. Can you lift a heavy item to move it for him into another room, rake some leaves in his yard, or try to fix a computer issue for him? Can you go shopping for him, or drive him to a doctor’s appointment? Ask your father to tell you honestly what he needs, and do your best to help him. By doing so, you can live out 1 John 3:18’s advice: “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

Loving your aging dad in actions and in truth involves doing whatever you can to help meet his needs. Your help can relieve a heavy burden of worry and stress from his mind while also creating a safe environment for him at home. Your father spent many years sacrificing to provide for you, and when you make time sacrifices in your schedule now to help him with chores and errands, it will show him lots of love and respect.

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5. Take turns treating each other to a meal out.

Food has a wonderful way of bringing people together, and sharing a meal outside of the house offers a refreshing change of scenery for an aging parent. My dad and I enjoy eating lunch out together whenever we can. We’ll either try out a new restaurant in our area or go to an old favorite, where Dad knows people on staff and enjoys catching up with them. No matter where we go, we always have fun. This Father’s Day, you can establish an ongoing tradition of taking turns treating each other to lunch or dinner at a restaurant. You can kick off the tradition by picking your dad up, driving him to a place he loves, and happily paying for his meal. Make this a regular habit where you alternate who pays. While you’re together, eat mindfully so you can really savor the experience and let it lead you all to meaningful conversations.

Acts 2:46-47 describes how believers in the early church ate together regularly: “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Letting your father treat you on the next outing gives him back that sense of fatherly joy as a provider, while your turn to treat shows him your gratitude for him. Sitting across a restaurant table creates a relaxed space where there are no distractions, allowing you to laugh, talk about everyday life, and strengthen your relationship.

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6. Spend quality time doing his favorite hobbies together.

As people grow older, they may lose some friends who had previously joined them to pursue hobbies together. What are your aging father’s favorite hobbies? Does he have to do them alone now? This Father’s Day, you can bless your dad by participating in the hobbies that he enjoys. If he loves fishing, plan a morning fishing with him at a nearby lake or river. If he loves working with wood, spend an afternoon helping him create or fix something in his workshop. If he loves football, watch a recent game together and talk about it. Even if your father doesn’t have a particular hobby he most enjoys, you can spend quality time with him working on a jigsaw puzzle, watching a classic movie, or looking through old photo albums together.

This kind of companionship is a powerful way to fulfill God’s calling in Romans 12:10 to: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” When you choose to spend Father’s Day doing just what your aging father most loves to do – even if it’s an activity you don’t personally find exciting – you’re honoring him above yourself. Beyond Father’s Day, try to schedule other times to participate in a hobby with your dad on a regular basis. You all can enjoy plenty of good conversations in the process. By showing a genuine interest in your father’s hobbies, you can make him feel like the important person he is.

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7. Create a comfortable, accessible environment for family visits.

For an aging father, traveling to visit family can become difficult due to fatigue or pain. This Father’s Day, you can bless your dad by making it as easy as possible for him to spend time with the family. If he is able to visit you for a family gathering you’re hosting, make sure your home has a comfortable, supportive chair that’s easy for him to get in and out of, and keep paths clear so he can walk safely. If he can’t travel well, don’t leave him out.

Make an effort to bring family gatherings to his house. Pray over the home where you all will be gathering. Doing so is a wonderful way to live out God’s commandment in Exodus 20:12 to: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Honor your aging father by protecting his comfort, preserving his dignity, and making sure he’s never left out of family life because of his physical limitations.

In conclusion, our aging fathers are gifts from God, and the time we share with them on this earth is a valuable window of opportunity to bless them. This Father’s Day, make an effort to bless your aging dad in ways that have eternal value!

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