10 Senior Community Activity Ideas: November Edition

While November is often a dull and dreary month, we know that won’t stop Recreation Managers from delivering colourful, vibrant, and fun programs to their residents. For this month, we’re sharing activities based on holidays and quirky celebrations that take place in the month of November to help you get an early start on your November calendar.

1. November 6th-12th – National Seniors’ Safety Week Presentations

National Seniors’ Safety Week is an opportunity for all of us in Canada to consider how we can support the older adults in our lives to maintain their safety and independence. This week gives staff at senior living communities a chance to bring education and awareness right into their residents’ homes. Consider organizing presentations about falls prevention, telephone and online scams, safe driving tips and more. You never know how this information can really help an older individual stay safe and out of harm's way.

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2. November 7th – International Merlot Day Happy Hour

For all those red wine lovers in your community, this program will be just for them. To celebrate International Merlot Day, invite a seasoned sommelier to run a wine tasting of various merlots with your residents and enjoy a happy hour. For those folks who don’t drink alcohol, feel free to provide some red grape juice so no one feels left out.

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3. November 9th-15th – Geography Awareness Week Events

Geography Awareness Week aims to raise awareness about the significance of geography to everyone’s lives and encourage consideration of how we all relate and interact with the environment. Geography is the study of places and how people relate to their environments, touching on things like geology, botany, economics, sociology and demographics. This week was created by National Geographic. To celebrate, organize an event or activity each day this week: hold film screenings with an environmental theme, host a Geography-themed trivia program, invite a guest speaker to share a presentation on a specific topic, or encourage residents to complete a puzzle of a world map.

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4. November 11th – Remembrance Day Ceremony 

On Friday, November 11th, senior living communities across Canada can recognize and honour those who fought in wartime conflicts and those whose lives were lost defending the country. Using your Veteran question in your Welbi profile, you can pull up a list of all of your veterans and honour them by seating them at the front of any service you hold. Here are some considerations for your community’s ceremony: invite a bagpiper, have one of your veterans/residents read “In Flanders Fields,” observe a minute of silence, visit your local cenotaph, perform songs from WW1, encourage residents to share displays on any Remembrance Day related items they have, hold a candle lighting service, make poppy wreaths, collect donations for veterans’ services and more. 

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5. November 11th – World Origami Day Craft Program‍

Japan is the birthplace of origami, and while the origin story of this holiday remains unclear, it honours the ancient art of creating intricate objects and complex shapes out of square pieces of paper for ceremonial purposes. Host a craft program today to learn the crane — one of the most recognized origami models around the world. All you need are square pieces of paper! Here are some instructions to get you started.

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6. November 13th – World Kindness Day Note Program

Let’s highlight and encourage good deeds in your community on November 13th by creating a program all about simple acts of kindness! Get your residents together and write positive messages on post-it notes. Then, spend time going around your community and post them for people to find: bathroom mirrors, residents’ doors, inside books, on staff desks or computer screens. Positive and kind messages and compliments can help turn someone’s day around and make the world a kinder place to live in.

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7. November 18th – Mickey Mouse Birthday Party
   

It’s the infamous Mickey Mouse’s birthday on November 18th! He first appeared in the short film “Steamboat Willie” on November 18, 1928 and since then, people all over the world have associated some of their childhood with Mickey and Disney. So, celebrate this beloved character by hosting a Disney birthday party! Encourage your residents to dress as their favourite Disney characters, host a Mad Hatter tea party, deliver some Disney trivia and celebrate the magic of childhood imagination!

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8. November 19th – US National Play Monopoly Day Tournament

Did you know Monopoly was invented 118 years ago? It continues to be a popular, favourite game for millions of people of all ages with spin-offs like Star Wars Monopoly. Put on your banker cap, gather your residents together, and play a game or games of Monopoly to see who can come out the winner. Send us photos of your residents playing with their top hats and boots and snagging those coveted Park Place and Boardwalk spots!

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9. November 24th – Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day (US) Talent Show

What a fun, quirky holiday that gives residents the opportunity to share their unique, individual talents. Invite family and friends to attend a talent show of your residents where they show off something they are good at. Maybe it’s a great impression, excellent whistling, drawing portraits, singing. Everyone has something they’re good at that they can share with the world!

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10. November 25th – International Hat Day High Tea Party

Hats, hats, hats galore! Host an afternoon tea party for your residents where they are encouraged to wear their most fabulous hats! Get your culinary team involved to make tea, triangle sandwiches, and mini baked goods. Invite an entertainer for some music and encourage your residents to mix and mingle, discussing the history of their caps!

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Did these activity ideas spark your creativity? Get more inspiration with 10 Senior Community Activity Ideas: Remembrance Day Edition or plan ahead for next month with 10 Senior Community Activity Ideas: December Edition!