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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!
2. Serve sparkling cider or grape juice, along with New Year’s treats that are popular in other countries. Norwegians enjoy rice pudding. In Mexico, they eat Three King’s Bread. Germans eat donuts filled with jam. You can even offer something more unique like the pickled herring served in Poland. Better yet, ask residents to share ideas from their family traditions.
3. While everyone enjoys their snacks, share fascinating New Year’s trivia. For example, did you know thieves steal more cars on New Year’s Eve than on any other day of the year?
4. Provide supplies so residents can make their own party hats. Check out Pinterest for tons of fun ideas. Encourage the nursing home staff to make hats, too!
5. Share New Year’s resolutions from the past. Which ones did your residents keep and which ones were a lost cause? It’s also healthy to create new resolutions. This can be something simple, like resolving to get in touch with an old friend, exercising for 15 minutes a day, or reading a certain number of books.
6. Write predictions for the new year and place them in a time capsule to open next year on New Year’s Eve. For example, who will win the World Series? How much will a gallon of gas cost a year from now? Which politician will win an election? What will be the name of the first hurricane of the new year?
7. Your residents have watched a lot of years come and go. Encourage them to reminisce about New Year’s celebrations in the past. I’ll bet your residents will come up with happy, funny, sad, and perhaps even romantic memories.
8. Do a countdown at whatever time you wish. Find an old video of the ball drop in Times Square, then be prepared with noisemakers and sheets of bubble wrap to pop. (Just be sure to forewarn everyone so nobody gets frightened by the noise!) Finally, finish the year by singing Auld Lang Syne.
I would love to hear how you celebrate New Year’s Eve at your nursing home. Please share in the comment section!
Angie says
We do our own ball drop. We use a big, silver and gold colored ball and slowly lower it from the ceiling while our residents do the countdown. It’s during our afternoon New Year’s Eve party, so it’s not really at midnight, but it’s still fun!
Diane says
Hi Angie,
That’s a terrific idea. We’ll have to try it!
Jennifer Cullifer says
I Will deff be trying this at my faccility
Diane says
Hi Jennifer,
Great! Please let me know if you come up with other ideas I can share with my readers.
hayley johnson says
I am thinking of appropriate songs to play, say, ‘Happy New Year’ by Abba, but cant think of anymore!!!!
Diane says
Hi Hayley,
The song by ABBA is so pretty!
These are a few oldies that our residents enjoy:
“Let’s Start the New Year Right” (Bing Crosby)
“Bringing In A Brand New Year” (Charles Brown)
“What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” (Margaret Whiting)
“Happy New Year” (The McGuire Sisters)
If you come up with any other good ones, please come back and share!