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Diane

8 Fun Activities For New Year’s Eve

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This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links. 

The words Happy New Year against a background of fireworks

Several of you have asked for suggestions on how to help your residents celebrate the new year. So, it seems like a good time to repost these eight ideas I shared back in 2018.

1.  Staying up until midnight to see in the new year might prove challenging for some folks. Instead, celebrate with another part of the world. Find a time that works best for your residents, then use this time chart to find a city/country that corresponds. For example, when the new year begins in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it will only be 8 pm here in North Dakota. That’s the perfect time for our residents to celebrate!

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20 Ways Your Nursing Home Can Help Save Our Planet

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Hand holding green planet earth

We’re hearing a lot in the news lately about global warming and how we, as humans, are damaging our precious planet. When I listen to these reports, the problem sometimes seems overwhelming. What can I, as one person, do to make a difference?

There’s a lot we can do, and we can begin at the nursing home. According to the CDC, there are approximately 17,000 nursing homes in the United States. Imagine if every one of them made a commitment to help protect our planet. We could make a tremendous difference!

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Happy Thanksgiving To My Readers

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Christmas gifts for nursing home residents

We’re planning a quiet Thanksgiving this year. Between the pandemic and my cancer diagnosis, the usual busyness of the holiday will give way to a small family gathering.

This year, more than ever before, I feel a need to sit back and savor each precious moment of the Thanksgiving holiday. With this in mind, I’ve decided to unplug from social media for several days.

Before I go, I want to say a big “thank-you” to each of you, my faithful readers, for your support during what has been a challenging year. I wish you a lovely Thanksgiving, and I’ll see you back here on December 1.

How To Celebrate The 12 Days Of Christmas

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This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links. 

Illustrations of the 12 days of Christmas in full color

Do you enjoy celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas in your senior living community? If so, do you celebrate during the twelve days leading up to Christmas—or the twelve days after Christmas?

Interestingly, according to tradition, the 12 Days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day and extend through January 5. If you or your residents wish to know more about the history behind these twelve days, you’ll find lots of information in this article from Christianity.com.

In the spirit of the season, I’m sharing a “giving” activity you can do at your nursing home during each of the twelve days. These ideas encourage both the residents and the staff to get involved.

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How To Take Advantage Of The Coin Shortage

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This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links. 

Jar of coins and two stacks of coins

A couple of my readers recently asked for suggestions to raise money for holiday activities at the nursing home. Back in 2019, I shared several ideas for Christmas fundraisers. I hope you’ll check them out. However, I realize some of them might not be doable this year because of the pandemic.

The good news is there’s a fundraiser that has become even more successful because of COVID-19. It’s the coin fundraiser.

You’ve probably heard about a coin shortage in our country over the past year. I know I’ve seen signs at a couple of fast-food restaurants asking customers to pay with debit or credit cards instead of cash. That’s because they don’t have enough coins to make change.

But now we need to answer an important question. Is there really a coin shortage? Well, not exactly.

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