National Senior Citizens Day

Each year on August 21st we celebrate National Senior Citizens Day.President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation in 1988 declaring Aug. 21 National Senior Citizens Day in an effort to offer older citizens our thanks and a heartfelt salute. The day is set aside for younger generations to show appreciation for the contributions elderly people have made, both to their families and to society, according to the proclamation.

Here are a few ways you can help celebrate National Senior Citizen Day,

• Spend some time with senior citizens. Take the time to let them enjoy your company. Sometimes senior citizens lose contact with close friends or families as they move away or pass away. Having someone there to just listen to them can make all the difference.

• Send someone a letter. If you don’t have time to visit or if they’re too far away, write a nice letter telling the senior citizen in your life how much they mean to you. It doesn’t have to be long or elaborate; it can be as simple as a couple paragraphs. A card works, too, as would a phone call. Traditional forms of communication can mean a lot.

• Do volunteer work to support the elderly. Make an effort to run some errands for an elderly friend or family member. Volunteer to rake their yard, mow the lawn, do some housework or help with other chores.

• Do something special for them. What does your older loved one enjoy doing? Visit a favorite restaurant, museum, or a movie they’ve been wanting to see. Many businesses already offer senior discounts, and they might have an even larger discount on this day. Let the senior citizen in your life know that it’s their special day and you want to treat them to something they don’t get to do as often as they’d like.

So go out and celebrate a senior citizen today and make their day.