National Senior Citizens’ Day
August 21st is National Senior Citizen’s Day. The holiday was instituted in 1988 to help raise awareness about issues that affect senior citizens and their quality of life. We wanted to celebrate by highlighting a great initiative from Denmark and offer you a few tips on how to celebrate the day with a senior.
First, Denmark, where cycling is such a big part of the culture, that they even found a way to get seniors with mobility issues on a bike. The Cycling Without Age nonprofit partners with nursing homes and senior care facilities to offer seniors bike rides. Volunteers or family members can get a trishaw and give rides to seniors. The trishaw rides became very popular because they give seniors a chance to get out, socialize, and spend time in nature. The impact has been significant, participants reported their mood and outlook on life was up by 80 percent. You can read the full story here. It looks like the idea is gaining traction in the US as well. There are no chapters in our area for now, but you can check the progress here. While a trishaw may not be an option, we have a few other ideas to help you celebrate the day:
- Give a senior a call or pay them a visit.
- Go for a bike ride with an active senior you know.
- Go for a walk. Walking is a great way to socialize and include some physical activity in the day
- If they do not drive – tell them about RideProvide or gift them RideProvide trips. RideProvide is Greater Mercer TMA’s transportation program in Mercer County, Plainsboro, and the southern portion of Montgomery, NJ.
- Start a family history project – share photos, create an album, include some stories and/or family recipes, or create a video.
- Check for special discounts and promotions at stores and restaurants and take them out for a shopping trip and a meal
- Offer to help with some yard work or mowing the lawn
We hope you enjoy the day and make a senior happy!
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/activepeoplehealthynation/index.html
https://www.everydayhealth.com/senior-health-pictures/10-super-seniors-we-admire.aspx
https://www.ranker.com/list/accomplishments-after-50/matthewcoleweiss
https://www.cedarhillccc.com/inspirational/6-ways-to-celebrate-senior-citizens-day/
https://cyclingwithoutage.com/