Senior Citizens Day

Senior Citizens Day is an important holiday in the United States celebrated by American citizens. It’s a special holiday because it centers around elderly people in our society and their contributions to making the country a great nation.

Senior Citizens Day Definition & Meaning

Senior Citizens Day is a day of celebration in the United States dedicated to elderly people.

Senior Citizens Day is a special holiday in the US where people show appreciation and love to their grandparents and elderly friends.

When Is Senior Citizens Day?

Senior Citizens Day is celebrated on the same date every year which is August 21. It was former US President Ronald Reagan who proclaimed August 21 as Senior Citizens Day to promote awareness affecting the quality of life of elderly individuals and groups.

Senior Citizens Day History

Senior Citizens Day has an incredible and inspiring history behind it. So let’s learn about its illustrious history and discover important facts about this holiday.

Ronald Reagan Became the 40th US President

Ronald Reagan was proclaimed the 40th president of the United States of America on January 20, 1981. He was 69 years old when he took the position, making him one of the oldest elected presidents in US history.

Premiere of Golden Girls

Golden Girls is a sitcom TV show that premiered on September 14, 1985. It centers around four elderly ladies living together and figuring out how to live their lives happily as seniors. The show highlighted some real-life scenarios about being a senior citizen which was very moving for audiences. Golden Girls lasted for seven seasons and aired its last episode on May 9, 1992.

Proclamation 5847 in 1988

In 1988, Proclamation 5847 was signed by former President Ronald Reagan declaring August 21 as the day to celebrate Senior Citizens Day. He took initiative to sign this proclamation as a call to senior citizens and their contributions to society over the years. Reagan’s proclamation of Senior Citizens Day inspired people to appreciate the elderly. As a result, the lives of senior citizens in the US improved. They got plenty of opportunities and options to live happily and productively. To this day, more than 30 years later, the positive impact of Proclamation 5847 is still evident.

Harriette Thompson Becomes Oldest Woman to Run a Marathon

Twenty-seven years after the proclamation of Senior Citizens Day, a 92-year-old woman became the oldest individual ever to run a marathon. On May 31, 2015, Harriette Thompson, a three-time cancer survivor, and American classical pianist, completed the 26-mile run of the Suja Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon. Harriette’s achievement is very inspiring as it reminds people that “age is just a number” and that it’s never too late to do something great with your life. On October 16, 2017, Harriette died at the age of 94 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her legacy will live on and her story is something worth sharing with others on Senior Citizens Day.

Senior Citizens Day Purpose and Importance

Senior Citizens Day may not be as grand and extravagant as the 4th of July, but it’s a significant yearly event that people should mark on their calendars for the following reasons.

Honor Our Elderly Loved Ones

One of the core reasons why we should celebrate Senior Citizens Day is to honor our elderly loved ones, specifically our grandparents. It’s up to you how you’re going to honor them. You can send them gifts, write them poems, send them greeting cards, or cook their favorite meals for them.

Spend Time With the Elderly

Most senior citizens face the reality that they’ll soon pass away. They want to spend the years they have left with their loved ones. That said, we all should spend time with our grandparents on Senior Citizens Day. Visit their house, take them out on a trip, go to church with them, or have a wholesome conversation with them. Spending quality time with them is the best gift we can give to them.

Commemorate the Accomplishments of Senior Citizens

The achievements of senior citizens during their heyday played an important role in what our society is today. That’s why on Senior Citizens Day, we should commemorate their accomplishments. We need to remind them that their milestones in life will live on through our memories. That would make them happy knowing that their legacy will never be forgotten.

Raise Awareness of Senior Citizen Issues

Not all senior citizens are living comfortable lives, many of them don’t have access to medical services and no insurance privileges. Some are even victims of elderly abuse crimes. In other words, plenty of seniors are facing issues with their quality of life, and Senior Citizens Day is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness about them. With awareness raised, more of us can take action to eradicate these issues. It’s the elderly people’s right to live comfortably.

What’s in a Senior Citizens Day?

People celebrate Senior Citizens Day in their own ways. There are no strict traditions to follow. Most families visit their elderly loved ones’ homes, take them out for lunch or dinner, go on a road trip, and go to church together. To sum it up, people spend quality time with their grandparents and elderly parents on Senior Citizens Day.

How to Create a Senior Citizens Day Social Media Post

Social media is a great platform to promote or raise awareness about something. With that in mind, you can use your social media accounts to tell your friends and followers that Senior Citizens Day is fast approaching. Follow these guides to create Senior Citizens Day social media posts.

Facebook

1. Open Facebook and tap/click the “What’s on your mind?” box.

2. Tap/click the Add Photo icon to upload Senior Citizens Day photos. You can use photos of your grandparents or elderly parents.

3. Write a caption for your Senior Citizens Day post. It could be a short message for your elderly loved ones or a call t to everyone to honor seniors.

4. Tag your entire family in the post, especially your elderly loved ones if they’re on Facebook.

5. Tap/click the Post button to publish your Senior Citizens Day Facebook post.

Instagram

1. Launch Instagram on your smartphone and tap the “+” icon found in the upper right corner of your screen.

2. Choose a Senior Citizens Day photo from your photo gallery to upload on Instagram. You can use photos of your elderly loved ones. Wholesome Senior Citizens Day memes with clipart will also do.

3. Enhance the photo using filters to make it more Instagrammable.

4. Write your Senior Citizens Day wishes, messages, or quotes to be used as a caption. Don’t forget to use hashtags such as #SeniorCitizensDay for post optimization.

5. Tap the Share button to publish your Senior Citizens Day Instagram post.

Twitter

1. Launch Twitter and click/tap Compose.

2. Type in your Senior Citizens Day tweet. Your tweet can be a message for your grandparents or elderly parents, a call for Senior Citizens Day awareness, or a simple quote. Use the hashtag #SeniorCitizensDay or other relevant hashtags for post optimization.

3. Grab Senior Citizens Day photos from your computer or phone gallery and upload them to Twitter.

4. Select groups of followers/people who can reply to the Tweet.

5. Click/tap Tweet to publish your Senior Citizens Day Twitter post.

Whatsapp

1. Launch Whatsapp and open the Status tab.

2. Tap the Camera button.

3. Select a Senior Citizens Day image from your phone gallery to upload it on Whatsapp.

4. Insert stickers and digital art to beautify your Senior Citizens Day post.

5. Add text over the post to use as a caption. It can be a short greeting of “Happy Senior Citizens Day!”

6. Tap the Arrow button to publish your Senior Citizens Day Whatsapp post.

Senior Citizens Day vs. International Day of Older Persons

Senior Citizens Day is a holiday in the US that celebrates elderly people and honors their achievements.

International Day of Older Persons is a worldwide observation declared by the United Nations as a day to acknowledge the contributions of the elderly people; it’s similar to Senior Citizens Day only that it’s observed internationally.

Senior Citizens Day Ideas

Other than their birthdays, Senior Citizens Day is a perfect day to spend time with your elderly loved ones. So as early as today, you should start making your Senior Citizens Day celebration plans. Below are some excellent ideas that you can add to your to-do list for Senior Citizens Day.

• Visit your grandparents’ home. If their place is far, make the travel going there a fun family field trip.
• Sit down with your grandparents and ask them to tell stories about their youth, especially their high school life.
• Create a beautiful handmade Senior Citizens Day card with sweet wishes for your grandparents or elderly parents.
• Write a poem for your grandparents thanking them for their wisdom, guidance, and care.
• Create and print Senior Citizens Day flyers and posters to raise awareness about the holiday in your town, city, or state.
• Listen to the stories of your elderly loved ones and pick up some life lessons that you can use in the future.
• Learn about the culture of your grandparents during their heyday in the 60s, 50s, and 40s.
• Look at old photos of your grandparents and compare them with your own present-day photos.
• Take out your grandfather and grandmother for lunch or dinner and take advantage of senior citizen discounts in restaurants and fast food establishments.
• Have a movie marathon consisting of retro movies with your grandparents. Choose movies that remind them of their youth to make them feel nostalgic.
• Listen to 50s and 60s music with your elderly loved ones and dance with them if they can.
• Send heartfelt appreciation to elderly workers in your company for their years of service.
• Donate or volunteer in organizations aiming to help less-privileged seniors.
• Visit centers for elderly people who are military veterans who served in the World Wars and other major wars.

FAQs

More in Holidays