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Several of you have asked for ideas to spice up birthday celebrations for your residents. Today I’ll share what I’ve seen done at nursing homes where I’ve worked or volunteered over the years.
One thing I want to stress is that you check with each resident regarding their preferences. Some people love the attention and activities. Others like to keep their birthdays more low-key.
Monthly Party
Many nursing homes choose to host a monthly party for all residents who have a birthday during that month. If you ask around, you’ll probably find organizations eager to help with these parties.
For example, a hospice, home health agency, church, pharmacy, medical supply vendor, grocery store, or funeral home might provide a cake and even entertainment or games. I’ve also heard of cakes being donated by McDonald’s. (Yes, many locations will bake you a cake even if it’s not listed on their menu.)
Decorate
Even if you host a monthly party, you’ll also want to honor residents on their individual birthdays. This could mean decorating their door, attaching balloons to a wheelchair or dining room chair, or providing a birthday placemat at their meals. This alerts staff and residents to wish the resident a happy birthday. Staff can also sing the birthday song to the resident at a meal or activity.
Share Trivia
If the resident feels comfortable disclosing their age, you can share trivia from the year they were born. You’ll find lots of fascinating information online, or you can order a book and gift it to the resident.
Life History
Invite the resident’s family to bring photos of the resident from across the decades. You can also create a questionnaire that the resident or family can fill in from the resident’s history. Post the photos and answers where staff and other residents can see them.
Family Meal
When my parents lived at the nursing home, they offered each resident a private birthday meal. Held in a small dining room, I believe each resident could invite four guests. They created a delicious meal with input from the resident and/or family. My dad topped off his meal with his favorite pumpkin pie instead of cake.
Birthday Cards
Do you have a resident celebrating a milestone birthday soon? (One hundred years old, for example.) Contact Letters Against Isolation, and they’ll recruit their members to send festive birthday cards. I make cards for them every month.
Resident Input
Get a group of residents together periodically and ask for their ideas for birthday celebrations. They’ll probably come up with innovative activities we’ve never considered.
Now it’s your turn! How do you celebrate birthdays in your senior living communities?
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