The wedding season is officially here. Are you thinking about love songs and wedding bells? Summer is typically full of marriage ceremonies and anniversary celebrations. It's a great time of the year to celebrate the joy of love and ... Read more
NEIGHBORS
Pet sitting for old friends who live next door, playing your weekly bridge game with the ladies in the neighborhood, shoveling the sidewalk of the elderly couple down the street, watching your next-door-neighbor's children for the ... Read more
SNOW, SNOW, SNOW – January Activity Ideas
Many people look forward to winter and the season's first snowfall. Senior adults often have many happy memories associated with the "big" winter snows of their childhood. Plan some reminiscing activities related to wintertime, and you're ... Read more
FARM LIFE
The growing season is winding down, and soon it will be time to celebrate the bountiful harvest of autumn. The fall season often evokes memories of life on the family farm. Many senior adults who grew up in the early 20th century come from ... Read more
FAIR TIME MEMORIES
The lazy, hazy days of summer are here. If you ask your group members to name favorite summer activities as a child, many would mention going to the county or state fair with their family. Fairgoers of all ages flock to this annual event to ... Read more
MOM’S HOME COOKING
Fourth of July picnics, backyard barbecues, and family reunions - summer is here! Sharing food with family and friends often evokes memories of Mom's home cooking. Ask your group to talk about the meaning of the phrase, "Just like Mom used ... Read more
TRAIN TRAVEL
Warm weather and the sound of a distant train whistle will often evoke memories of America's past. Train travel was the nation's preferred means of transportation in the early 20th century. As teens and young adults in the 1930s and 1940s, ... Read more
OLDER AMERICANS MONTH
May is Older Americans Month, a time to honor and appreciate a unique season of life. Many of us have benefited from the wisdom and experience of older adults. Those generations born before 1945 lived through some unique life experiences: ... Read more
FAMILY FOLKLORE – February Activity Ideas
Dad's fishing stories, Mom's special Thanksgiving recipes, Aunt Jane's memory quilts, Uncle Bob's silly songs, Grandma's home cures, Great-grandmother's heirloom jewelry. What kinds of folklore traditions are unique to your family? Family ... Read more
FIFTIES REVISITED
Have you noticed today's nostalgic craze for the 1950s? Ask your participants what images come to mind when they think of the years 1950-1959. Did they name tail-finned cars, interstate highways, crew cuts, hula hoops, PTA, poodle skirts, ... Read more
FDR AND HIS TIMES
The year is 1932. America is in the throes of the Great Depression. Bank failures, farm and home foreclosures, and a host of unemployed people blanket much of the country. Citizens are looking for a new leader to deal with the economic ... Read more
FAMILY REUNION FUN
Hot lazy days, watermelon, swimming holes, and family reunions-these are some of the memories that summer evokes for many older adults. Extended family reunions are a way to gather multiple generations in one setting and to renew family ... Read more
AMERICA’S BIRTHDAY
It's time to start planning an old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration. To set the mood, decorate your meeting room with red, white, and blue balloons and streamers. Design star-spangled T-shirts and patriotic hats for participants to ... Read more
HOSPITALITY
Do you have memories of large family gatherings when all of the relatives came for a visit - grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins? The goal was simply to share a meal and enjoy each other's company. Or, can you recall a time when you ... Read more
1945 CELEBRATION
Consider the words of American novelist Pearl Buck: "If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday." The same thing can be said of people. If you want to know your clients, start by reflecting on their personal history. This ... Read more
