Celebrate seniors everyday but make a big show of it on August 21st. Special Senior Citizen Day activities and poems are wonderful ways of honoring the older generation and promoting a positive outlook towards aging. Delve into several fun and fascinating Senior Citizen Day ideas.
Senior Citizen Day
With Proclamation 5847, made on August 19, 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed August 21st of each year to be National Senior Citizen's Day. The purpose of having a National Senior Citizen Day was to celebrate and honor the lives and contributions of the generations of Americans that took care of their families, the communities and the country. The Presidential Proclamation urged Americans to honor the special day with ceremonies and activities.
Throughout the country on August 21st, younger generations show their appreciation and thanks to America's seniors by honoring them in many different ways. Special events, festivals, ceremonies and dinners are held with seniors as the guests of honor. Youth groups and scouting organizations make arrangements to visit the elderly in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Families get together with their older loved ones, spending this special day together sharing stories and fondly recounting old memories and making new ones.
Senior Citizen Day Activities and Poems
There are many ways that you can celebrate National Senior Citizen Day and honor the seniors in your family and your community. The following are ideas for activities that will show your appreciation to senior citizens on their special day.
Activities
- Spend time with senior family members or friends by taking them to a favorite restaurant, movie or other place they enjoy.
- Make a video of an interview with a senior family member. You will learn a lot about their life story and have it to share with other family members.
- Volunteer your time at a nursing home or an assisted living facility. Many seniors would love to have someone to have lunch with them, sit and chat or read them a favorite book.
- Cook a delicious meal, deliver it in person and share the special dinner together.
- Prepare several home-cooked meals for a senior in your neighborhood. Package them in freezer containers with directions on how to reheat them.
- If you have a senior in your neighborhood, offer a helping hand by doing yard work, mowing his lawn or washing his car.
- Bake some cookies and bring them to seniors in your community.
- Send a greeting card or an e-card to your favorite senior.
- If your community is hosting a special event or festival for National Senior Citizen Day, take your favorite seniors to the event as your guests, volunteer your time or donate some baked goods.
Poems for Senior Citizens
If you enjoy writing poetry, write a special poem for a senior family member. A handwritten poem is a lovely and thoughtful way to express your feelings of love and appreciation.
If you do not want to write a poem yourself, the Internet offers a wide selection of poems for seniors ranging from loving sentiments to funny verses. Pick your favorite poem. Whether you print it, handwrite it or read it aloud at a family gathering, it is certain to be a hit. The following websites offer a variety of poems for seniors:
- Cleveland Seniors offers a selection of funny poems
- Suddenly Senior offers a selection of poems
- Anti-Aging Articles provides a variety of poems written by seniors
If you know a senior who enjoys poetry and want to give him a special gift, the following poetry books available at Amazon are written for and by seniors.
- Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man by Harry Gilleland
- Dorsey's Real Poetry for Seniors by Ed L. Dorsey
- Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters by Marlys Marshall Styne
The Rest of the Year
Although Senior Citizen Day activities and poems are a wonderful way to show your appreciation for the contributions seniors have made to your life, the community or the country, it is very important that they not be forgotten the rest of the year. Often members of the older generations spend much of their time alone; making time for telephone calls, visits and time spent together will give you priceless memories in the years to come.
