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.