National Assisted Living Week (NALW) is an annual event that celebrates and recognizes the important role of assisted living in enhancing the lives of seniors. This week-long celebration acknowledges the dedication and service of assisted living staff and highlights the impact of assisted living on the health, wellness, and overall well-being of seniors.
In this blog, we’ll cover the following topics regarding National Assisted Living Week:
The Impact of Assisted Living Communities
Assisted living communities provide seniors with the necessary support they need in their daily lives. This ranges from health care services, therapeutic activities, and nutritious meals to social interaction, which contributes positively to the residents’ general wellness.
Assisted living facilities also have a close-knit community where seniors are given a platform to socialize and engage in various activity ideas. This enhances their physical health and emotional wellbeing, thereby promoting overall health.
Explaining National Assisted Living Week
The National Assisted Living Week was established in the year 1995 by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL). The aim was to celebrate individuals who contribute toward assisted living with communities that enable the elderly and people with disabilities to lead dignified, independent lives. The National Assisted Living Week aids in raising awareness about the importance of these residential communities and their contribution to seniors and their families.
The Theme for National Assisted Living Week 2023
National Assisted Living Week is from September 10 to 16, and this year’s theme is “Season of Reflection,” which aims to encourage us to reflect on the tremendous impact these facilities have on their residents’ lives. The NCAL suggests that assisted living communities celebrate with a variety of events and activities, from hosting a resident award celebration to creating opportunities for residents to volunteer in their community, giving them a sense of purpose and connection.
At Fairmont Senior Living on Clayton, we provide our residents with service-role opportunities that enhance their skills and add meaning to their daily lives, from baking cookies for the fire department to whipping up dog treats for the APA.
Different Assisted Living Week Activities
Assisted living providers are going above and beyond to connect residents to their communities during NAWL. Here are a few ideas from the NCAL to help you make your facility’s NALW celebration the best event to date:
Kick off the Week With Grandparents’ Day
Since NALW starts on Grandparents’ Day, kick off the week with a celebration honoring your residents’ role as a grandparent. Invite residents’ grandchildren, great grandchildren, other family members, and your staff to a party with a live band or music that residents select. You can cater a meal, arrange an outdoor picnic, or have your facility’s chef prepare a special meal. No matter what you do to celebrate, be creative and design a unique day that you know your residents will love.
Celebrate the Season
Celebrate the beauty of fall with some fun and heartwarming activities during NALW. You can arrange special fall-themed meals all week long for your residents and staff, from pumpkin spice everything to comforting soups. Another way to celebrate the season, your residents, and staff is to plant and name their favorite fall flowers, trees, or plants. Planting fall-themed flowers and plants is the perfect way to spread joy and bring life into your community and honor your residents during NALW.
Host a Residents Award Celebration
Invite family members and staff to join you in honoring your residents with special awards, such as best male/female vocalists, most enthusiastic Bingo fan, most avid reader, and biggest movie buff. You can even make it a formal event with special refreshments after the ceremony.
Create Musical and Artistic Experiences
Arranging a sing-a-long or painting party is a great way for your residents to strengthen bonds, make new connections, and support one another. Giving your residents a creative outlet is also therapeutic and helps spread the joy of art and music throughout your community.
Encourage Residents to Share Their Stories
Whether it’s a treasured item, a heartwarming photo, or a special memory, invite your residents and staff to take part in a special show-and-tell event. Giving residents the chance to share their stories will bring joy and nostalgia, and you can even enlarge and display the photos and treasures throughout your community, creating a beautiful gallery of stories to be cherished by family members, residents, visitors, and staff.
Initiate Purpose-Driven Volunteer Opportunities
In honor of NALW, consider creating opportunities for residents to volunteer to give
them a sense of purpose and community connection. Partner with a local animal rescue to explore adoption opportunities for your residents. Furry friend companions have benefits for your residents and the rescue animal. Residents in your community can even improve their independence and sense of purpose by taking on their pet care tasks, such as feeding and grooming.
Form an Intergenerational Partnership
Research shows that intergenerational programs increase the health and wellbeing of young and older participants as well as decrease social isolation among seniors. Activity ideas include reading to children, serving as pen pals, and working on collaborative art projects.
Key Takeaways
Not only does National Assisted Living Week celebrate the seniors who call these communities home, but it also highlights the importance of fostering a sense of belonging and purpose at every age. It reminds us to cherish and respect the wisdom, experience, and contributions of our older generations.
National Assisted Living Week isn’t just a one-time event for Fairmont Senior Living. It’s a representation of the incredible work we do all year round. Our staff believes in creating special moments for every occasion and involving our amazing team and residents in every step of the journey. Together, we spread happiness and seize every opportunity to make a difference.