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Today we all face the challenge of trying to keep our residents safe from COVID-19 while also supporting their quality of life. That’s why I’m sharing a list of little-known holidays you can celebrate with your residents each day in May. I trust these ideas will prove helpful as you plan your activity calendars for the month.
Remember that social distancing rules vary from place to place, and from week to week. So, please make adjustments according to the protocols in your community.
(Note: The dates for some of these holidays may vary depending on the source.)
May 1: Lei Day
Today we celebrate all things Hawaiian. Consider providing a plastic lei for each resident to wear. Decorate a cart with a tropical theme, then deliver fruit-based snacks or beverages from room to room. (You can find lots of creative ideas on Pinterest.) And, of course, you’ll want to play Hawaiian music.
May 2: Fitness Day
Offer a variety of doorway fitness classes. Possibilities include seated yoga, tai chi, stretching, or walking in place. Another option is the Active Older Adult online classes available from the YMCA.
May 3: Laughter Day
Get out a good joke book, and share a few laughs with your residents. Ask them to share their favorite jokes with you, too.
May 4: Star Wars Day
Invite all staff to dress as their favorite Star Wars character. It need not be elaborate; even Leia’s hair buns will do. Next, you’ll want to have a parade through the hallways and invite residents to vote for their favorite character. The occasion won’t be complete without Star Wars music playing in the background.
May 5: Pun Day
Share examples of puns with your residents. You can find lots of them on this site. Then see if your residents can come up with puns of their own.
May 6: Celebrate A Birthday
I couldn’t find an interesting little-known holiday to celebrate today. But that’s okay because May 6 is my birthday! So, I hope you’ll serve cake or cupcakes as an afternoon snack and invite your residents to join in singing Happy Birthday to someone they’ve never met!
Okay, if you don’t want to celebrate my birthday, you can celebrate one of the famous people born on May 6, like George Clooney, Sigmund Freud, Orson Welles, or Willie Mays.
May 7: Pet Day
Invite staff to bring their pets to the nursing home for window visits. You might also find a therapy dog service or a petting zoo that would love to bring their animals.
May 8: Space Day
NASA has made its entire collection of photos and videos available for the public to view and download. This means you can help your residents access and enjoy these magnificent images from their own rooms.
May 9: Mini Golf Day
Order a portable putting green, then move it from one doorway to the next. Offer each resident an opportunity to try a few swings.
May 10: Mother’s Day
I hope you’ll assist your residents in visiting with their families today via media such as FaceTime or Skype.
May 11: Eat What You Want Day
A lot of restaurants are closed because of the pandemic, so many rely on takeout and delivery orders. Help support local businesses by offering the opportunity for your residents to order out for food today.
May 12: Limerick Day
Invite residents to write their own limericks. You can find instructions and examples on this site. Encourage residents to take turns reading their limericks aloud to their hallway neighbors.
May 13: Tulip Day
Provide supplies so residents can create paper tulips to decorate their rooms and windows. You can find lots of beautiful ideas on Pinterest.
May 14: Dance Like A Chicken Day
Get a group of staff together (6 feet apart, of course) to perform the chicken dance in the hallway. If you need a refresher, you can find several fun videos on YouTube.
May 15: Chocolate Chip Day
Few things are more comforting than a warm, freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. Serve these as an afternoon snack today.
May 16: Hospital Day
Many of our residents want to reach out and help others during the pandemic. Provide supplies so residents can create cards and write encouraging notes for staff on the front lines at your local hospital.
May 17: Cherry Cobbler Day
Bake a batch of fresh cherry cobbler for your residents to enjoy as a dessert or snack. For people who aren’t crazy about cherries, you could also offer a choice of flavors such as blueberry, peach, or apple.
May 18: Museum Day
Sadly, most museums have closed because of the pandemic. Here’s how your residents can tour 12 famous museums from the comfort of their own rooms.
May 19: Plant A Vegetable Garden Day
Provide supplies so residents can plant a few vegetable seeds and grow them on the windowsills in their rooms. When the weather is right, you can gather them all for planting in your courtyard garden.
May 20: Be A Millionaire Day
Create your own hallway version of the game show, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. You can improvise the lifelines. For example, “ask the audience” could be “ask a staff member.”
May 21: American Red Cross Founder’s Day
Encourage your staff to donate blood in honor of Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross. Many blood drives across the country have been canceled because of the pandemic. Yet, people still need blood because of surgeries, injuries, or illnesses.
May 22: Musical Instrument Day
Find out if any of your staff or residents play a musical instrument. Invite them to play a song or two in the hallway. Or, you can invite a musician to provide a concert that residents can listen to through their windows.
May 23: Strawberries And Cream Day
Treat your residents to sliced strawberries with whipped cream for dessert or a snack. Did you know that strawberries are the only fruit with the seeds on the outside?
May 24: Scavenger Hunt Day
Make a list of items that a resident might keep in their room. Include everyday items and more unusual objects. Invite each resident to find as many things on the list as they can in their own room, then offer a prize to the winner.
May 25: Memorial Day
Invite residents to gather in their doorways at 3 pm local time. They can join people across the country in a moment of silence to remember those who died serving our country. You could also play taps and offer a prayer or poem.
May 26: Paper Airplane Day
Provide supplies for residents to create their own paper airplanes. Then ask each resident to fly their plane down the hallway and see which one can go the farthest. (If they need ideas, you can find lots of patterns on Pinterest.)
May 27: Grape Popsicle Day
Celebrate the kid in all of us by offering popsicles as a treat today. They’re even better if residents can eat them while sitting outdoors. Combine the popsicles with another activity such as trivia, finish the phrase, or reminiscing.
May 28: Hamburger Day
Serve hamburgers with all the trimmings for lunch today. If the weather cooperates, it’s even more fun to grill the burgers outdoors.
May 29: Biscuit Day
Did you ever consider how many ways there are to serve a biscuit? Ask your residents for ideas, then bake a few batches for your residents to enjoy. Options might include biscuits with jam, biscuits with sausage gravy, or strawberry shortcake.
May 30: Water A Flower Day
Provide supplies so residents can plant a flower to keep in their room. Flowers will help brighten their days during these challenging times. (Be sure to assign someone to help the residents keep their plants watered.)
May 31: Backyard Games Day
Invite residents to come outside to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, as well as a bit of friendly competition. There are lots of games we can play while still following social distancing rules. For example, you can offer horseshoes, ring toss, mini golf, croquet, lawn bowling, or mini basketball. Just be sure to clean the equipment appropriately between residents.
What did I miss? What special days do you plan to celebrate in May? Please share in the comment section!
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