On August 19th, 1988 President Ronald Reagan recognized our senior citizens by issuing a proclamation making August 21st, National Senior Citizens Day. Every year we celebrate the life of our senior citizens and show our appreciation for all they have done for the United States of America and our communities. Character, integrity and pride seem to be waning in our country, but our older Americans continue to show their utmost respect for family, community and faith. For that, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to our seniors, especially for their unwavering commitment to making America a better place to live.
With over 10,000 seniors turning 65, our aging market continues to grow at a rapid pace, so we need to find a way to offer our sincere appreciation for their remarkable efforts all across America. If we look back at President Reagan's Proclamation, it highlights so many meaningful words that we need to reflect on as our 2017 Senior Citizen Day approaches. It is important for us to annually think about how we can say thank you to our seniors. President Reagan said it best in his proclamation:
“We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older-places in which older people can participate to the fullest and can find the encouragement, acceptance, assistance, and services they need to continue to lead lives of independence and dignity.”
It is a good idea to go over and beyond on August 21st for our seniors, but quite frankly, every day is a good day to recognize senior citizens! It is our wish that you will find time to show your appreciation by stopping by the home or work of a local senior just to say hello. In a Home Care Assistance blog post, a nice way to show respect for elder citizens is to carve out time for an aging relative and reminisce about past memories by going through old photo albums, or family movies to spark cherished memories. This special time together is typically enjoyable for everyone and you may learn a few additional things about your family that you didn't previously know.
If time permits, maybe you could take them to lunch, or to a movie. By making this step, it will pay big dividends to our seniors and it will be a terrific idea to continue your thoughtful gesture annually. Why not make this an annual tradition?
As you contemplate things to do for this upcoming National Senior Citizens Day, we offer a few suggestions if you are struggling for innovative ideas. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Plant a tree in their honor
- Cook a meal for them
- Go to church together
- Bake cookies for the residents in a nursing home
- Cut their lawn
- Go on a walk together
- Invite them to a movie
- Do a craft together
- Play chess, tic tac toe or checkers with them
We know how busy everyone is these days with work and family, so just taking time to say thank you will go a long way in helping bring a smile to a senior citizen's face. We are in a time in society where senior citizens are taken advantage of and sometimes looked down upon.
We need to do our part to break the cycle and find a way to show our sincere appreciation. By simply showing a little effort letting senior citizens know how much they truly matter to you will go a long way helping their self esteem. I promise, by showing just a little compassion, you will mean so very much to our elder population.