National Assisted Living Week: A Chance to Celebrate Assisted Living Communities

The senior living community has overcome immense challenges during the past year. The arrival of this year’s National Assisted Living Week® (NALW) provides an opportunity to celebrate assisted living, and all of those who contribute to the assisted living industry.

Whether your facility has participated in the past or is considering participating in 2021, this year’s NALW is particularly meaningful.

What to Know About National Assisted Living Week

The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) founded the first National Assisted Living Week in 1995. Since then, this special week has been observed annually. Assisted living communities all over the country celebrate the residents they serve, and they participate in this special event with activities and celebrations of their choice.

While this week provides an opportunity to celebrate the country’s seniors and individuals with disabilities, it also provides a valuable opportunity to spread public awareness about assisted living. According to the NCAL, “National Assisted Living Week is a wonderful opportunity to honor the individuals who reside, work, and volunteer in these communities. It also gives the general public the opportunity to learn more about this sector of long term care.”

This year’s NALW takes place on September 12 through September 18.

The Value of Participating in National Assisted Living Week

While every NALW celebration is meaningful, this year’s week is particularly significant. “This year’s National Assisted Living Week is special because of everything we have faced over the past year,” writes the NCAL. “The theme, ‘Compassion, Community, Caring,’ reflects the hard work and dedication of all the essential caregivers in assisted living communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It represents the importance of family and remaining connected, even when we could not physically be together. After one of the most challenging years ever, it is imperative to remember and celebrate those in assisted living communities who did so much in the midst of so many unknowns. This week is a time to come together in a safe way and recognize the ‘Compassion, Community, Caring’ that could not be stopped by a pandemic.”

Participating in NALW can be a valuable community-building opportunity. Residents and staff can connect with activities like creative art projects. You can get your whole facility involved in drive-by caravans, contests, hallway games, and more. You can even reach out to state or city officials and encourage them to send special messages to residents through Zoom or other online platforms.

NALW also offers a valuable opportunity to connect with the public. You can share information about your NALW plans and celebrations in a wide array of media, including news releases, media kits, letters to the editor, social media posts, and more. This special event may help to gain your facility positive media coverage while also providing a memorable event and celebration for residents and staff.

Planning for National Assisted Living Week

NALW 2021 is quickly approaching, so now is the time to start planning. The NCAL has created a NALW planning guide with ideas for potential activities and media coverage. You can also download the press and media packet of time-saving templates.

After such a trying 2020, this year’s NALW is an ideal opportunity to celebrate your residents, staff, and the assisted living industry as a whole. How will you participate in NALW?

Paige Cerulli

Paige Cerulli is a contributing writer to i Advance Senior Care.