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August 21: NATIONAL SENIOR CITIZENS DAY
On August 19th, 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed August 21st as National Senior Citizens Day. This deemed that August 21st of each year would be the national day to give older U.S. citizens thanks and a heartfelt salute.
Reagan believed in honoring our seniors. Thus, he ensured that our country understood the importance of our experienced people, the senior citizens.
Special considerations this year for
National Senior Citizens Day Activities and Events.
With the current Covid19 Pandemic, our senior citizens stay at home most of the time. This helps ensure their safety. However, it makes it even more essential that we consider them each day, including the nationally proclaimed day.
Since a luncheon out at a favorite restaurant might not be possible, consider taking lunch in. You might even plan some special memorable activity, movie time, or perhaps just a chat time.
Many of our seniors also miss time with friends. Consider setting up a video chat for them and include their friends or family. While many elderly lack the knowledge or equipment to set up a video chat, they certainly appreciate the ability to see and hear from loved ones.
With a little planning, you can make it happen!
Date When Celebrated: Each year on August 21
National Senior Citizens Day honors our seniors, our elderly population. On this day, we recognize and show appreciation for the value and contribution of elderly people to home, family, and society.
In his Presidential Proclamation (August 19, 1988), President Ronald Reagan said “For all, they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks and a heartfelt salute. We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older.”
On National Senior Citizens Day, consider these activities.
Spend some time with senior citizens
You may have a parent or grandparent who is a senior. Or, perhaps you know the elderly in your community, church, or another group. Often, our elderly feel lonely. While they appreciate gifts, the gift they want most is time.
Consider taking an elderly loved one out for a special lunch. Or maybe they prefer another outing.
However, if they are unable to venture from their home, consider taking the luncheon to them. Bring along a favorite game, too. Plan to spend the afternoon with them.
For pet lovers, include their special pet in the plans. If they don’t have one, bring along a well-behaved pet to share the time.
But, I encourage you to think of this day as a beginning, rather than a single-day event. Perhaps you schedule a weekly date with your senior loved one. Often cut off from normal social circles, the elderly grow accustomed to looking forward to doctor appointments to break the daily routine. Imagine if you provide that break with a special pre-planned or impromptu get-together on a frequent basis.
When you consider the amount of time the seniors of today usually dedicated to others when they were younger, it’s apparent that we should give our time to them.
And, while it won’t cost money, it pays immensely in their thankfulness!
Show our appreciation for senior citizens
As mentioned, our elderly need us to spend time with them. Listen to their stories and memories. Ask for their guidance when appropriate. Let them know how very important they still are to us and to the world.
In this way, we show our appreciation for them. They know they are important to us. They feel it. When we freely offer our time to them, it provides an active display of our appreciation for them.
And you might bring little gifts on your visits. Maybe a new houseplant. Or perhaps a special treat you baked just for them?
Do volunteer work to support the elderly
Volunteering may work in different ways. You might offer to help an elderly friend keep their yard mowed and maintained.
Our church youth have done this. And the elderly recipients were so incredibly happy to have a nicely manicured lawn. But we went beyond. We’d also bring a treat of cookies or special food for the seniors to enjoy while watching the youth weed flower beds and mow the lawn. On these ventures, I’m not sure who is more blessed, the seniors smiling thankfully as the youth complete the job, or the youth, as they reach out to help and work together doing so.
You might choose to help a larger portion of the community. Perhaps you volunteer at a senior center. Or maybe you deliver meals to those in need. And volunteers are always needed to visit those in senior communities and nursing homes.
Again, I suggest you think beyond August 21st for any of these volunteer ideas. Our seniors don’t need us for just a day. No, they truly need to be remembered and appreciated each day of the year. And while you may not be available to volunteer every day, if each person donated a few of their hours each week, imagine the impact it might have.
We have more ideas here!
But, If you are a senior citizen, enjoy your day any way you desire.
After all, this is your day! Many businesses, including restaurants, off senior citizen specials and discounts. There are bound to be plenty of offers on August 21. Be sure to take advantage of those you can.
And consider reaching out to other senior citizens, too. Maybe plan an outing with some friends.
With the Covid19 problems we currently live with, an outing might not be possible. However, consider setting up a video chat (need help? Ask a family member or friend to set up the equipment and organize the chat for you).
The Origin of National Senior Citizens Day:
On August 19, 1988, President Ronald Reagan issued Proclamation 5847 creating National Senior Citizens Day to be August 21.
However, many other “Senior Citizen Days” exist on various dates around the world. Many countries, local communities, and organizations have declared or held senior citizen days.
See the Congressional Proclamation of National Senior Citizens Day.
More About Today:
We found these interesting facts about August 21st in History. You might share them with your elderly friends. See which ones they remember!
Also, the flower of August 21st is the Moss Rose. Consider bringing or sending one to your beloved senior citizen.
Thanks a lot for sharing this article about national senior citizen day. I loved your suggestions, and it is so true we should look after our seniors, especially in these strange times during COVID 19, where many seniors have less social interaction.
Where I live, we are lucky enough we didn’t have too much of the corona virus just yet, and hopefully, it will stay that way. However, I had the idea previously to research the option to visit older people in age care facilities. We don’t have any family you see, and I have heard from some project in certain areas where schools visit age care facilities, and I think it is a great idea.
Your post reminded me about my previous intentions to research the opportunities to visit age care facilities. Thank you for bringing up something so important, I appreciate it.
All the best,
Jude
I’m glad you found helpful information in the article.
I like your idea of visiting those in the senior care facilities. In our state, they are not allowed visitors at all. But if you are able, I’m sure that the residents would appreciate the interaction.
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I’m a senior citizen now and didn’t know there was a National Senior Citizens day!
And I think it’s an awesome idea to spend time with a senior citizen on this special day of the year.
Playing a game like chess would be fun. I haven’t played in so many years.
But it’s the time spent with them that’s important not necessarily what you do together.
It’s a little hard this year with Covid though, but still doable.
I’m a senior citizen now and didn’t know there was a National Senior Citizens day!
And I think it’s an awesome idea to spend time with a senior citizen on this special day of the year.
Playing a game like chess would be fun. I haven’t played in so many years.
But it’s the time spent with them that’s important not necessarily what you do together.
It’s a little hard this year with Covid though, but still doable.
Chess is a great game! If you can play with another challenger in person, that’s great! If not, perhaps an online game with full communication (talking, maybe even video) would be almost as good. And don’t forget the free items specifically for senior citizens on this day!
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Hi
I think having a day to celebrate what the elderly has done for us and society in general is a good ideal. We can celebrate what they have done and we can in return thank them by either doing chores or doing something special for them. It may be difficult at the present moment to know what we can do but keeping in contact, asking if they need any help and generally being there is very important every day, and not for this special day. We can learn a lot for older people and they must not be ignored. Here in the UK, we do not have such a day. I wish we did.
Thanks
Antonio
Yes, it can be especially difficult during the pandemic, but maybe even more important to keep in close contact with them. While your country may not have an actual day set aside, you can still choose to celebrate. Maybe over time the UK will establish a National Senior Citizens Day, too.
What a great reminder for those of us with elderly parents or other elderly loved ones in our lives. So often they are the ones overlooked and forgotten. Although it is probably horrible to feel unimportant and beyond anyone’s radar as an elderly person, how awesome is it for them to feel that importance again as we gain a new understanding of this time in their lives? Usually, there is so much information, experience, humor, and history they would love to share. We just need to make time for them.
I love the fact that you are drawing attention to such a day to spend extra time with the elderly, and I hope it is a reminder to all of us that we need to keep on doing that on a regular basis. Not just one day a year, but randomly as often as we can.
Thanks for the reminder!
Darrin
Yes, our elderly are quite important and often not considered so. I’m glad you found the article interesting and a good reminder.
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I really appreciate this article. I want to do something special with my grandma this upcoming week but I have not been able to come up with something myself. This article has provided some useful ideas for me and I’m sure that I will be looking into doing some of these with my grandma soon. I appreciate this a lot. Even aside from senior citizen day, I want to spend more time doing activities with my grandma especially since she’s in her late years and I want to have the best from them. Thank again for this article
I am so glad you found this article useful, Misael. Your Grandma is very fortunate to have you in her life!
This is great information! I really didn’t know there was a National Senior Citizens day. My dad lives in Alaska, and I am in Florida. I talk to him daily, as because of the Covid 19 he is not allowed any visitors and cannot leave his assisted living apartment. I know he gets very lonely and bored. We have gotten inventive with video chat, and having visitors talk to him through the window. I know here too, our assisted living facilities are still not allowing visitors. It is very frustrating that we cannot make this a special day for them.
Florida to Alaska is indeed quite a distance, but during this time of Covid19, any distance is difficult, I suppose. I’m glad you have found ways to video chat with your Dad. Have you considered sending little gifts? Maybe include some special things to do, too. I recently added an article to Sr-Parents about some activities. Although you cannot be near at this time, maybe some will help.
https://sr-parents.com/2020/08/07/activities-for-the-elderly-during-the-coronavirus/
In fact, some people have found ways to use video chats and other computer applications to play interactive games (scrabble, for instance). It might help relieve his boredom.
Thanks for visiting Sr-Parents. Please stop by again soon. And may you and your family stay safe!
Thank you for sharing this article,
Whilst here in the UK we do not have a Senior Citizens Day I think that this is a great idea. Your article is so important for this present time as a number of our senior citizens world wide have really suffered during Covid-19.
My mother caught covid -19 and none of her children were able to look after here in hospital so it was very scary. Now she is ok we make a point of doing a Zoom Call with all the family so we can make her laugh and smile and it is just what she needs.
As a result I try and look after my neighbours who are a lot older and mentally suffering so this article of yours is so important.
There are lots of ideas here that i will personally use.
Thank you
I am so sorry to hear that Covid19 attacked your mother but happy to hear that she is again well. Those Zoom calls are saving many of us from despair while we are unable to meet in person. But seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter helps a bit.
May you all continue to be safe in this strange time.
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What a lovely article I enjoyed reading it. It’s so cool that in your country you get to celebrate the elderly and show them appreciation for who they are. Indeed they are the people who make us who we are with their wisdom and experience. life gets so hectic at times that it is possible to forget them at times but they only ask for time. Ever giving selflessly until old age. My birthday coincides with your senior citizens day. Not only will it be easy to remember the date but also I will make it a point to honour a senior citizen within my community.
That is a great sentiment you share- to make it a point to honour a senior citizen within your own community. I hope the time spent together is quite enjoyable for you and the chosen person!
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To often seniors in society are overlooked which is not right especially after all of the contributions they have made. So many of them have paved the way for us helping in making it better for generations to come. It is so good that this day has been chosen to honor them which I believe they deserve because of the many sacrifices they have made. Our seniors should be given what is due to them.
Good points, Norman. We owe our senior community our very existence. And what better way to honor them than to spend time with them.
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I like your post here. We should all spend more time with senior citizens. Both of my parents are senior citizens, so I get to engage with them often. Many others don’t have my opportunity, so it’s a good plan for people to go out and visit our seniors. I know that I didn’t spend enough time with my grandmother before she passed away, and I feel guilty about that. Something as simple as sharing a meal in a house setting would be a good example of something we could do to honor senior citizens.
You bring up some good points, Anthony. In fact, I have an article on things to do with our elderly loved ones.
https://sr-parents.com/2020/08/07/activities-for-the-elderly-during-the-coronavirus/
During Covid19, it might be more challenging, but perhaps even more important.
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I’m glad to hear you found the information useful. Yes, I am adding content each week, so please stop by and see our updates. Thanks!