Senior events for assisted living, memory care, nursing homes, and other types of living options go beyond entertainment; they bring people together.
As a marketing agency, Craft & Communicate recognizes that they’re great opportunities to make potential residents and families aware of your community, build meaningful relationships, and enhance residents’ daily lives.
Community-Wide Events: Welcoming and Connecting
Hosting public-facing events helps you connect with prospective residents, their families, and the surrounding area.
Open House and Grand Opening Ideas
Combine the welcoming atmosphere of an open house with the celebration of a grand opening for a memorable experience:
- Stylish Grand Opening Decor: You might want to use balloon arches, floral arrangements, and printed banners for an inviting ambiance.
- Live Entertainment: Feature local musicians, magicians, or artists to engage guests.
- Interactive Tours: Offer guided tours of your building every half-hour to show off your amenities.
- Gourmet Refreshments: Provide a taste of your community’s dining experience with hors d’oeuvres, the best selection of entrees, or signature desserts.
- Door Prizes and Favors: Keep the energy high with regular prize drawings and party favors, including baked goods in branded packaging.
Promotional Strategies
- Targeted Emails: Send several email blasts leading up to the event to your lead database and referral partners.
- Neighborhood Outreach: Distribute postcards or flyers to nearby families — but not before looking into their costs and ROI. Direct mailers aren’t typically as productive as digital marketing, but it never hurts to do some market research.
- Digital Marketing: Use social media ads targeting adult children of seniors and health care professionals.
- Press Releases: Ensure your PR team is pitching your events to the local media. Don’t have a PR team? We can help with that!
Follow-Up
- Send thank-you emails to attendees and present next steps, like a private tour or meeting with team members.
- Reach out to referral partners, asking if they have clients who might benefit from your services.
Collaborative Senior Event Ideas: Partnering With the Community
Involving local organizations can strengthen ties and produce exciting new kinds of interactions for residents.
Ideas for Collaborative Senior Living Events
- Intergenerational Storytime: Partner with local schools to bring children into your community for storytime sessions with residents.
- Cultural Celebrations: Work with local cultural groups to host events like a Lunar New Year festival or a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
- Community Markets: Hold a farmers’ market or craft fair, inviting local vendors and giving residents the chance to shop or sell their own creations.
- Themed Movie Nights: Partner with local libraries or film clubs to show screenings with historical or nostalgic themes.
- Pet Parades: Team up with local animal shelters to create a pet parade, bringing joy to animal-loving residents and visitors alike.
Events to Give Back: Purposeful Engagement
Seniors often feel a sense of fulfillment when they contribute to a cause. These newsworthy giving-back events provide purpose and joy:
- Rock-a-Thon Fundraiser: Residents and visitors rock in rocking chairs, play games, and socialize to raise money for a favorite charity, like the Alzheimer’s Association.
- Craft for a Cause: Do you have a group of residents who love fiber crafts? Organize knitting or crocheting groups to put together items like blankets or scarves for local shelters.
- Resident Art Auction: Have residents create artwork to sell or auction, with proceeds benefiting local charities.
- Community Cleanup: Partner with local environmental groups for a safe, age-appropriate cleanup day at a nearby park.
Resident-Focused Activities: Engaging and Enriching
While events with external involvement are exciting, creating engaging in-house activities for seniors supports ongoing happiness and fulfillment.
Fun Activities Within Your Community
- Creative Workshops: Offer painting, pottery, or jewelry-making classes tailored to resident interests.
- Fitness Challenges: Host yoga sessions, dance classes, or gentle strength training programs led by professional instructors.
- Book or Film Clubs: Let residents lead discussions on their favorite reads or classic films.
- Trivia Nights: Organize trivia sessions based on decades, pop culture, or resident hobbies.
- Gardening Days: Create a communal garden — and if you are a memory care community, with dementia-safe plants — giving residents a chance to nurture and appreciate greenery.
The Value of New Senior Living Event Ideas
Thoughtful event planning fosters a vibrant community atmosphere and attracts new residents through open houses, collaborative gatherings, and cozy in-house activities. These concepts will help you build connections and demonstrate the unique spirit of your senior living community.
Ready to Plan Your Next Event?
Looking for help with marketing or public relations for your next event? Craft & Communicate can help your team make it unforgettable. Contact us for a free consultation!
