For our 25th anniversary, we thought we would expand our “Top Ten” list a bit and make it a “Top 25”! Take a look at all the great ideas we have here that you can incorporate for your Senior Day event. When you’re ready for more event ideas, download our PDF featuring additional activity ideas for your Senior Day event!

1. If this is your first time hosting a Senior Day event, be sure to start early gathering appropriate resources for handouts and displays. Make copies of the free Senior Health Page handouts to distribute during Senior Day. You can also contact local chapters of health organizations for free copies of health information brochures and materials to distribute. Try local chapters of the American Heart Association, the Arthritis Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and the American Diabetes Association.

2. If you have any activity or exercise classes set for Wednesday, May 30th, invite local older adults to visit your class as part of your National Senior Health & Fitness Day celebration. Contact local senior centers and related organizations to send invitations. (Make sure to obtain any necessary waiver forms from outside participants.)

3. Invite a nutritionist from a local business or hospital to do a presentation on healthy eating, food preparation, and the new dietary guidelines. Be sure to let them know that your audience is going to be older adults. Ask if they can also include a few healthy recipe handouts for participants.

4. Arrange to have your governor or mayor (or both) issue a special proclamation declaring Wednesday, May 30, 2018, as the National Senior Health & Fitness Day. You can tell these prominent, elected officials the event is always held the last day in May during Older Americans Month. Tell them your event in 2018 marks the silver anniversary of the program – 25 years! This year, more than 100,000 older adults will take part in widely varied local events at 1,000 locations around the country, all on the same day. Direct them to fitnessday.com.

5. May is also Older Americans Month. Share some information on the history of how this observance got started, and/or utilize some of the resources they will be sharing in the coming months. Visit the site at: http://www.acl.gov/newsroom/observances/oam/index.aspx and check back for updates.

6. Schedule a “mini-health” fair by asking several local health-related businesses and organizations to make table-top presentations during your National Senior Health & Fitness Day event. Local organizations and businesses to contact include medical groups, vision care centers, hearing centers, and others.

7. Work with a local podiatrist to set up a presentation about choosing the right shoes for different activities. Have them focus in on the needs of older adults, featuring things such as how to choose shoes for exercise, and the importance of non-slip soles in fall prevention.

8. Invite a local pharmacist to host a “brown bag” session during National Senior Health & Fitness Day. Your local pharmacist can speak about potential risks when taking certain prescription and over-the-counter medicines and vitamins/supplements. Also, see if the pharmacist can schedule private time with seniors at your event to review their medicines and any medication questions they should discuss with their physicians.

9. Contact your local healthcare providers and hospitals/health systems about setting up one or more specialty screenings at your center as part of National Senior Health & Fitness Day. Examples of screenings include bone density tests, diabetes checks, and vision tests.

10. Schedule a National Senior Health & Fitness Day health walk sponsored by your center. Choose a local park or school, and make sure to plan for an alternate date or location in the event of bad weather. Invite community members to participate along with the older adults. Have staff members and volunteers join in as well!

11. Have a “healthy recipe” station where participants can sample a few simple, healthy recipes. Get some ideas for simple salsas here or choose another healthy snack to make. Hand out the recipe at the table so they can make it on their own at home.

12. Reserve a quiet corner and make a “time out” spot where participants can rest and relax a bit during the festivities. Have a staff member lead a brief meditation and discuss other stress management techniques.

13. Mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise. Try out a “game station” where people can challenge one another to a game of checkers, or play a hand of pinochle. Use whatever games you have on hand, or invest in a few inexpensive ones you can add to your cache at the facility.

14. Play bingo! Gather a group of bingo-lovers for a twist on this beloved game. Use health terms, or forms of exercise to play instead of numbers. Prepare cards ahead of time and don’t be afraid to be imaginative! Select some healthy prizes for winners, such as pieces of fresh fruit.

15. Schedule a fun dance class for active seniors and see if a local teacher will volunteer the time to teach it. Zumba is especially popular! Folk dance can also be fun — see if there is a group that meets in your town and ask if they would come by to show you some moves.

16. Play balloon volleyball. This is a fun choice for wheelchair-bound or less active participants, and it can be played anywhere indoors that has some open space. See our Store for event-themed balloons!

17. Try out some mini golf. All you need is a few clubs, golf balls, and some cups to play. Practice putting, or set up some stations outdoors if it’s a nice day.

18. Teach some strength training exercises that participants can do at home. This doesn’t have to be expensive! You can show a variety of options, such as using soup cans, a Thera-Band®, or light hand weights. Make up a handout to share that features step-by-step instructions for the exercises you teach and pass it out to participants afterward.

19. Play a trivia game! Challenge attendees to guess the answers to health-related questions for simple prizes, or bragging rights! Not sure where to get your questions? Try this group of quizzes from the American Heart Association for ideas.

20. Set up a Zzzzzzzz station! Post some simple posters about healthy sleep habits over a table with some informational handouts on sleep that participants can take with them. Find some help for the sheets and posters from Harvard Health, or try The National Sleep Foundation for ideas.

21. Contact a local optometrist to see if they would be willing to come in and do a free glasses cleaning for participants in return for being able to hand out their brochure.

22. Try out a ring toss to promote hand/eye coordination. Set up a table full of healthy beverages in cans or plastic bottles and have attendees toss a ring over to see if they can secure themselves a tasty drink! See if a local grocery story might be willing to donate the beverages.

23. See if a local conservatory might be willing to send a staff member over to do a container gardening presentation. Fresh herbs make a healthy choice for the main event in the spring months, and they are easy to care for.

24. Play a game of Simon Says! Round up the youngsters and the seniors alike for a rousing game of follow the leader in this traditional game. This is a great way to include some intergenerational activity during the day.

25. See if a local Tai Chi practitioner might be willing to lead a sample “mini-class” for participants doing some simple, basic exercises and breathing techniques.

Click here to see what other sites did for their recent Senior Day events.