Only 16 days until… NURSING HOME WEEK

Halloween costumes in the store in August…Christmas decorations on homes and in businesses in September…Valentine’s candy packed on store shelves in December. After all, any great celebration requires planning and preparation. If you haven’t been planning your festivities, get busy today.

Nursing Home Week kicks off on Mother’s Day, May 13 and runs through May 19, 2012. Themed, “Celebrate the Journey,” the American Health Care Association’s (AHCA) uses the Monarch butterfly to convey the message  that life is a journey that begins with every new day. And Nursing Home Week is a perfect time to initiate that culture of celebration.

Plan activities, outings, parties…let your imagination go. Get customized t-shirts for staff. Stockpile some prizes. One of the most fun (and funny) guessing games held at a previous job I had was “The Beautiful Baby” contest. Employees ranged in age from 20 to 65. Everyone had to put the right name to the right “baby” face. It could be a lot of fun mixing staff and residents pictures to figure out who’s who.

Get your team together and brainstorm. Tap into individual talents and create an art gallery. Invite families to share a tender or funny story at a resident party. You get the idea.

If you still need help, AHCA has more information and a planning guide available.

Take this week to acknowledge, enjoy and begin live each day anew with residents, staff, families and the community.

Sandra Hoban

Sandra Hoban was on I Advance Senior Care / Long-Term Living’s editorial staff for 17 years. She is one of the country’s longest-serving senior care journalists. Before joining Long-Term Living, she was a member of the promotions department at Advanstar Communications. In addition to her editorial experience, Sandi has served past roles in print and broadcast advertising as a traffic and talent coordinator.