National Assisted Living Week at Brighter Living
By Sarah Steele Wilson
Sep 19, 2012, 13:14
photo by Sarah Steele Wilson Activities Director, Linda Kelly, serves Brighter Living resident Carolyn Niceley a snow cone from the “concession stand” during a movie day that made up part of National Assisted Living Week.
With approximately 900,000 adults living in assisted living facilities across the county, the National Center for Assisted Living established a special week to recognize that portion of the population.
“All of the assited living facilities across the nation, in all 50 states, are doing it this week,” said Linda Kelly, Activites Director at Brighter Living Assisted Living in Hopewell last Friday.
From Sept. 9 through 15, she and the residents of Brighter Living celebrated National Assisted Living Week with a schedule packed with special activities centered around this year’s theme.
“The theme this year is Art for the Ages,” Kelly said. “Every day this week, we’ve had something pertaining to the arts.”
The seven day celebration kicked off with a harp concert and root beer floats. Monday focused on the art of dance and featured singing and a performance by a square dancing group. On Tuesday, bandana and cowboy hat clad staff screened a John Wayne movie for Western day. On Wednesday, residents took a field trip to Charlottesville to pick apples to make into autumn wreathes.
Carnival Day, on Thursday, was a highlight of the week.
“We played games, and games, and games and they really had a good time,” Kelly said.
On Friday, residents enjoyed popcorn and snow cones from a “concession stand” while watching “Dr. Doolittle” on the art of Hollywood day.
Kelly said the annual event, which is usually brightened up with decorations made by residents, encourages the community to think about people who live in assisted facilities.
“It’s a time for residents’ family members, the community to recognize assisted living and the residents who live in assisted living,” she said. “It just makes them feel special. It gives them a whole week to do special things just full of activities that we think they would enjoy.”
