How-To Articles

How to Make Your Residents
Feel Special

We all want to feel special. With a few, inexpensive supplies, you can make your residents feel special too!

Add a few fun ideas to your activity program so that you can provide fun, personalized gifts for your residents:

Move-in Gifts. For each new resident, provide a welcome gift that includes balloons, a welcome card, and a copy of your latest activity calendar. If possible, coordinate with Dining Services to provide two warm cookies as a special, edible, move-in gift.

Welcome Back Flowers. When a resident returns from the hospital or a rehabilitation center, deliver fresh flowers (possibly from your garden) and a welcome back card that is signed by the resident’s friends.

Birthday Cards and Cakes. On each resident’s birthday, coordinate with Dining Services to provide a mini birthday cake or cupcake as well as a birthday card that is signed by staff and residents. (Don’t forget to send out birthday cards to your volunteers; you want them to feel special too!) See our article How to Celebrate Birthdays at Your Senior Facility.

Farewell Breakfasts. When a beloved resident is leaving your facility or moving away, coordinate with Dining Services to serve a delicious farewell breakfast that includes breakfast foods that you receive only on special occasions, like sunny-side-up eggs or blueberry pancakes.

New Resident Happy Hours. Each month, consider hosting a fun happy hour for your new residents to meet your facility’s staff and current residents.

Centenarian Lunches. Whenever a resident turns 100 or more, host a special lunch featuring your resident’s favorite foods. Invite family members to join them for lunch. Hire an entertainer to perform.

Anniversary Dinners. For your residents’ anniversaries, consider hosting a fun dinner and dance featuring a special anniversary cake and a card that is signed by your facility’s staff. Be sure to check out our article on How to Celebrate Anniversaries at Your Facility.

Need activities?

Save time and plug our activity ideas into your monthly calendar TODAY!