In 1990, the World Health Organization first designated October 1st as “International Day of Older Persons.” Then in 2011, Canada declared October 1st to be “National Seniors Day.” Since then, seniors in Canada have had double the reasons to celebrate!
It’s a perfect day to show your love and appreciation for all the seniors in your life. This doesn’t mean you need to just buy them a gift. Instead, you should take the opportunity to reach out and let them know you care. Here are some ideas for how you can make it a truly special day for the seniors in your life.
Spend some quality time with a senior
The best way to show someone how much you care about them is to simply spend some time with them. It could be as simple as going out for coffee, stopping for a quick chat when you see an elderly neighbour out for a walk, or bringing a home cooked meal to a loved one. Just spending a little time to have a chat and ask them how things are going can mean a great deal to both of you.
Learn about your family history
Family stories get passed down from generation to generation. If there’s anything you’ve ever wanted to know about your family history, chances are the oldest members of your family will have the answers you seek. Ask them about special moments in their lives, or get them to share stories that were passed down to them by their parents and grandparents. Or pull out some old photos and get them to tell you the stories behind them. It’s a great way to bond with your loved one and it gives you the chance to learn more about where you came from.
Make a phone call
If you don’t happen to live close to your loved one, a phone call or a video chat is always a wonderful way to catch up. It’s a great way to stay in touch when in-person visits aren’t possible. Ask them about what exciting new things are happening to them and share your own news too. Take it as an opportunity to ask lots of questions and share some laughs.
Learn something new
Does your retired neighbour have a cool hobby that you’ve always wanted to learn more about? Or perhaps there’s a special family recipe that you’ve always wanted to try out. Reach out to the seniors in your life and ask them to teach you! You’ll get the benefit of learning a new skill, and they’ll get to have fun sharing something they’re passionate about. It’s a great way to spend time together.
Volunteer your time
Another great way to celebrate National Seniors Day is to volunteer with a community group for seniors or at a senior’s community. There are always tons of activities going on and many groups love to have new volunteers come in to assist them. If you’ve got a particular skill to share, you could offer to host a workshop or class, put on a performance, or offer support to an existing program.
Start a larger conversation
National Seniors Day is also a great opportunity to reach out to others in your community to talk about the issues facing seniors today. By doing so, you’ll ensure that the voices of seniors are heard and show them that you’re ready to listen and play an active role in addressing these concerns.
How Bria Communities is celebrating National Seniors Day
At Bria Communities, we’re all about celebrating, respecting and nurturing the seniors in our communities. We always look to create opportunities for them to flourish physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually. You could say that to us, every day is Seniors Day!
However, we do have lots of fun Seniors Day activities planned at our residences, with special entertainment and happy hour with free drinks offered. At Sunridge Gardens, the recreation team is delivering packages of star shaped cookies to every door, so when people get up in the morning there’s a special treat waiting for them. It’s a great way to kick off what is sure to be a fun day for both the staff and residents!
Comments