Back in 1995, the National Center for Assisted Living began a tradition called National Assisted Living Week. Now widely known as NALW, this year September 11th through 17th marks the tradition — a week dedicated to recognizing the role of assisted living communities in caring for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Assisted living communities around the U.S. take part in a week-long celebration. Residents and their friends and family get the chance to acknowledge the importance of assisted living communities. Festivities begin on the first Sunday after Labor Day. This annual observance encourages assisted living communities around the country to offer a variety of events and activities to celebrate the individuals they serve, as well as to help educate members of the public about Senior Living. It’s a time to celebrate not only our residents but also the staff and volunteers who dedicate their time and love to our building and communities! NALW is almost always kicked off with National Grandparents Day. National Grandparents Day is a day dedicated to honoring our grandparents, established in 1978 by Jimmy Carter. It’s a holiday to show your appreciation, love, and admiration; it’s also a day to make grandparents feel truly valued. The best way to show your love on this special day is to visit grandparents, and thanks to modern technology, even a virtual visit is an amazing option! Give your loved ones the special gift of time and memories – work on a family project, share a meal and reminisce, or even play a game you played as children. There is no denying that quality time together is the best gift our grandparents could ask for. Each year there is a dedicated theme for National Assisted Living Week. This year’s theme is “Joyful Moments” – which reflects the strong connection between residents and staff, encouraging them to join with their families and local communities to celebrate and create happy memories. This week also provides the opportunity to educate communities across the country about the senior living sector of long-term care and the dedicated, hardworking caregivers who make it a reality for so many of our loved ones. The “Joyful Moments” theme really resonates with us at The Arbors and The Ivy because we pride ourselves on caring for our residents like they are our family. For us, this means creating and building strong connections with our residents and their families. We strive for just that – joyful moments each and every day within our communities. Happiness is essential in all phases of life, but especially in the golden years. We encourage togetherness, sharing memories, laughter, companionship, and being there for one another. Our caregivers often become family to the residents they care for. This past year has presented many challenges for staffing assisted living communities in a post-pandemic setting. Our family of team members have banded together to be there for our residents, acting like family, especially when family can’t be there due to COVID. This is a perfect time to reflect on all that our caregivers and volunteers do for the residents throughout the year. It’s a time to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for their patience, compassion, love, and support.

How can you help us celebrate National Assisted Living Week?

Come Visit! One of the hardest parts of the aging process is not spending enough time with family and loved ones. Life gets busy for all of us, and finding time to visit becomes harder and harder. We have all felt that guilt of wishing we could dedicate more time to the people who raised us and helped shape us into who we are. Try to set aside some time during this week to visit your loved one. If in-person isn’t possible, schedule a virtual visit. You can always visit local residents in your own community, too. Spending quality time with our seniors is a great way to give back. Share Photos Your loved ones want to be part of your life, even if you are busy. Showing them photos of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren is a wonderful way to make them feel included. Today’s cell phones and other technology make it easier than ever! Share photos of things you have done, places you have traveled, special hobbies, sporting events, get-togethers, and more. It’s a fun way to share your life with your loved ones. Work on a Project Together Drop in and join an activity we have planned. Whether it’s an art project, gardening, games, or trivia, it’s a great way to spend some quality time with your loved one. Letting them show you how they spend their time in our communities. Maybe you will learn about a special talent you never knew they had. There is no shortage of fun in our communities! Reminisce Sharing past memories, stories and experiences is a great way to reconnect with your loved ones. Reflecting on happy times and shared experiences creates strong connections with one another and makes everyone feel happy, loved, and valued. Attend One of Our Dedicated Events Come join us as we celebrate National Assisted Living Week. Each community will publish a list of events and activities for the week. A few examples are casino nights, broadway shows, circus-themed events, cocktail hours, resident socials and so much more. Check out our Facebook page for your communities listings! Send a Gift Can’t attend an event or live far away? Send a thoughtful gift to show that you are thinking of your loved one. It doesn’t have to be anything big, even a card saying hello and that you are thinking of them means the world to your special someone. As we age, we can feel disconnected from our families. Reminding them that we can take the time to send a thoughtful note means a lot. Spread Awareness Most people aren’t aware of the individualized care residents receive and just how helpful that can be. Tell your friends, family, and co-workers about the celebrations and why they are important. Maybe they will decide to bring their own loved ones to join in on our celebrations and see that we don’t need to lose out on the quality of life as we age. Seniors can have just as much fun, and they definitely do! At The Arbors and The Ivy, we get really excited to celebrate National Assisted Living Week with our residents and their families. Our teams dedicate a lot of time and energy to making this week as fun and exciting as possible. It’s a time to celebrate our residents and make them feel extra special! It’s also a time to show our staff and volunteers just how much we value them. As a family business that aims to treat your family like family, this week speaks to our own values and mission.