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Joyful Moments for National Assisted Living Week

Every year the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) invites everyone to recognize the role assisted living has in caring for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities. This year’s National Assisted Living Week® (NALW) ran September 11-17.

Created in 1995, NALW inspires assisted living communities to host a variety of events and activities to celebrate the individuals they serve, as well as to help educate members of the public about this distinct aspect of long-term care. Last year’s celebration at Charlesgate included letters and art from local college student to encourage residents; you can read about that here.

This year’s theme is “Joyful Moments,” which reflects the strong family connection between residents and staff and encourages making new, special memories together. Here are some ways anyone can recognize and celebrate assisted living staff, organizations, and their residents—all year long.

• Thank staff members for the work they do.
• Ask a staff member to talk about a memory or a photograph and why it brings them joy.
• Write a letter or send a video to the administrator, talking about what brings you joy when you visit the facility.
• Design a slideshow of your loved one’s favorite activities and outings at their facility to share with the staff.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper about your joyful interactions and experiences with assisted living.
• Volunteer to help create new joyful moments by setting up an activity for residents, like virtual museum visits,  arts and crafts, or planting flowers.

Research has shown that assisted living has a positive impact on quality of life in relationships, belonging, and security. One researcher, Margaret Wylde, PhD, explained in a study of over 8,000 assisted living residents: “What we know is that the factors that influence quality of life don’t change over time. The setting may change but what people need for emotional well-being remains the same. Significantly, the study makes it clear that, even as residents face the physical challenges of aging, they can — and do — enjoy a good quality of life when they feel safe, have control in their lives, are recognized and are a part of a caring community.”

For nearly 50 years, Charlesgate has been proud to do just that—and every staff member helps make it happen.