National Seniors Day Guidebook
About National Seniors Day
Every year on October 1, Canadians pay tribute to all older persons who have helped shape our country and who continue to enrich our lives every day.
Why celebrate seniors
Older people have made—and continue to make—a profound contribution to Canada: at home, in communities and as part of the workforce. They represent a large and growing proportion of our population.
We can all think of an older person who has made a difference in our lives. They are our mentors, teachers, grandparents and loved ones. They are volunteers and role models. They have contributed generously, building our families, communities, workplaces and country.
Why get involved
National Seniors Day is an opportunity to recognize the important role older persons play in our society. It's also a great way to connect with the community, network with contacts and raise awareness of issues that matter to older persons.
Did you know
On December 14, 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons.Footnote 1
In Canada, the first National Seniors Day was celebrated on October 1, 2011.Footnote 2
October 1 is the day Canadians come together as a country to celebrate older persons. Some provinces, territories and municipalities also have their own celebrations and occasions to honour them.
Canadians born before 1945 contribute greatly to their communities through volunteering. In fact, they contribute the most volunteer hours on average, at 222 hours per year.Footnote 3
How to Celebrate National Seniors Day
National Seniors Day is your chance to do something special for the older people in your family, workplace or community. How you celebrate is up to you. However, if you choose to celebrate National Seniors Day, make sure your first consideration is the older people themselves.
Simple ideas to celebrate
There are plenty of ways you can celebrate National Seniors Day. For example, you could reach out to an older person who plays an important role in your life via a phone or video call. You could also host a family game night or dinner with the older people in your family. Or it can be as simple as just saying thank you to older people for what they do for you every day.
How to organize a larger-scale event for National Seniors Day
If you choose to plan a larger-scale event or activity, we recommend the following three steps:
Planning
- Set a realistic budget
- Pick a practical location and make sure it's fully accessible for wheelchairs and people with reduced mobility
- Contact local businesses, community organizations or others about being partners or sponsors
- Recruit volunteers to help you with the event
- Coordinate technical and logistical elements
- Have a Plan B in case of unforeseeable circumstances
Promoting (spread the word)
- Contact older persons' groups, including local retirement and long-term care homes, older persons' clubs, associations and community centres, to let them know what you are planning
- Make sure to promote your event on different mediums and platforms: flyers, posters, social media content, radio advertising, articles for local event websites and blogs
- Issue a media release to let local journalists know about your event so they can promote it
- Don't forget word of mouth; spread the word by telling everyone you know
Hosting your activity
- Create a "runsheet" for you and your co-organizers with a clear checklist and timeline, as well as roles and responsibilities for everyone, from setup to takedown
- Coordinate your volunteers. Give them a central place to check in and get instructions when they arrive
- Coordinate the cleanup after the event
- Give credit where it's due and make sure to acknowledge everyone's time and efforts. Don't forget to acknowledge community partners, sponsors and donors
Communicate about your event
For more information on how to promote your activities, visit the National Seniors Day digital toolkit! There you will find a variety of communications products and tools for you to use to promote your event(s).
Resources For Seniors
Below are useful links to programs and resources for older persons, their loved ones and their caregivers: