Happy Valentine's Day!

From our team to yours, Happy Valentine's Day! In honor of this celebration of love, we wanted to share an article from the most recent issue of Embrace.

Be Mine
Tips for a Sweet Valentine's Day Celebration

By Laura Kuhn

Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to celebrate all of the love that your residents have experienced throughout their lives. It’s also the perfect time to show them how much you appreciate and care for them! Here are a few suggestions for creating a memorable Valentine’s Day celebration at your facility.

Sweet treats
At your party, invite residents to decorate cupcakes using pink and red frosting and sprinkles. After the cupcakes are decorated, it’s time for the really fun part – eating them!

To wash down the cupcakes, serve up a simple, low-sugar punch. Pour one liter of diet lemon-lime soda into a punch bowl and stir in ½ cup of liquid fruit punch concentrate. Using an ice cream scoop, add one pint of lemon or lime sherbet. When the sherbet starts to melt, stir the punch and serve.

Music
Set the tone at your party with romantic songs that topped the charts when your residents were younger. Music from past decades is easy to find on iTunes or on CDs from the local library. Here are a few song suggestions:

• “In the Mood,” Glenn Miller
• “Crazy,” Patsy Cline
• “Moon River,” Andy Williams
• “Come Rain or Come Shine,” Billie Holiday
• “Fools Rush In,” Frank Sinatra

Bingo with a twist

Bingo is always a popular facility activity, and this Valentine’s Day version is sure to be a hit as well! Create your own bingo cards using the names of Valentine’s Day treats, famous couples or love songs. There are traditionally 25 squares on a bingo card, but you’ll probably want to come up with a list of at least 50 terms so that not all of the cards you create are the same.

Love on the big screen
If your residents are in the mood for a more subdued celebration, consider popping in a DVD of a romantic movie. The following are on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years…100 Passions” compilation of the best romantic movies from the past 100 years.

• Casablanca
• Gone with the Wind
• Roman Holiday
• From Here to Eternity
• It Happened One Night

Turn your facility into an auction house
Everyone loves receiving a gift on Valentine’s Day. Instead of just handing out trinkets to your residents, wrap up some small gifts, such as candy, crossword puzzle books, small teddy bears or inexpensive scented body lotion. Give your residents a stack of play money and have them bid on the wrapped items. They won’t know what they “bought” until they unwrap the item, which adds to the fun!

We hope these ideas help you create a sweet Valentine’s Day celebration!