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Of course, Thanksgiving calls for a turkey celebration.
And there’s plenty more for seniors and their caregivers plus family to observe in November 2024.
Let’s start with month-long affairs, move to a week-by-week breakdown, then dig into the November calendar’s daily grind.
Graycare 365: January 2024, February 2024, March 2024, April 2024, May 2024, June 2024, July 2024, August 2025, September 2025, October 2024, November 2024, December 2024.
National Family Caregivers Month | As Family Caregivers struggle for state-funded wages in some states and an increase of state-funded wages in other states, November is a full month to reach out in appreciation to the millions of selfless superheroes who juggle love, care, and compassion to support their family members.
National Care at Home Month | The month of November spreads different days and weeks with different care-related emphasis. Earlier there’s palliative and advanced care week, then hospice week, then home health week, and later private duty home care week. Hospice care, the end-of-life business, takes a resilient team of nurses, therapists, social workers, aides, and more to make a person’s final time on this earth comfortable. Brought to you by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice throughout November, we thank hospice workers who deliver warmth, comfort, and care all the way to the doorsteps of heaven.
Alzheimer's Disease Month | Sport the color purple in November to show hope for those affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. Today according to the National Institute on Aging (NIH), nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimers, and its prevalence gets worse with age because 1 in 3 Americans over the age of 85 have Alzheimers.
National Long-Term Care Awareness Month | Since the Social Security Act (SSA) was enacted in 1935 with an Old Age Assistance program for poor seniors, later November was recognized by the U.S. Congress for long-term care since 2001, wants Americans to educate themselves about and plan ahead for their own long term care. You won’t stay young forever, so this November might be the gentle nudge you need to save some money or get an insurance policy in anticipation of the older you who may need long term care.
American Diabetes Month | A whopping 38 million Americans have diabetes - over 10% of the American population. People living with diabetes are more prone to complications in physical health, such as kidney problems, heart problems, and poorer vision. With this in mind, know that eating healthy and staying active are common ways to prevent diabetes.
November 10-16, 2024 - Home Care Aide Week | The second full week of November is a great time to build morale with home care aides, in-home nurses, and the therapists who ring the doorbell. Issues like overwork and underpay might be on their minds, as direct care workers maintain the fabric of the United States’ system for aging in place. It’s a good time to give large bundles of cash to these everyday heroes in return for their smiles and support.
November 10–16, 2024 - Dear Santa Letter Week | The USPS lets you write a letter to Santa Clause, as long as your letter is received by the deadline of November 18, 2024. To accommodate last-minute writers this holiday season, USPS’s Operation Santa program the week before deadline is known as Dear Santa Letter Week. Your family can spread cheer, by encouraging a little someone in your family to write a Christmas wish list with evidence documenting how nice they’ve been this year.
November 17-23, 2024 National Hunger And Homeless Awareness Week | One thing wealthy people should know is 37 million Americans live below the poverty level and 44 million of us are at risk to suffer from hunger. Hunger and homelessness come the pair when you ain’t got cash for the basics. However, in speaking with my friends with home insecurity, I’ve learned trashpicking a Jimmy John’s dumpster for that fresh bread is totally worth it. Most poor people I’m friends with prefer if you just give them cash, because the kind of food most people pay for is easily enjoyed out back popular restaurants. Fruits and vegetables are harder to come by, but main courses get tossed at the end of the shift. So my recommendation is to give homeless people cash, veggies, gifts, or fruit. #HHWeek
October 29, 2024 to November 3, 2024 - Diwali | Diwali - also called the Festival of Lights to symbolize the triumph of light over darkness - is India's biggest and most important holiday. The five days of Diwali - based on the phases of the moon - lands in October or November of the calendar year. Over the days, people clean, shop, decorate, pray, and visit each other to give and receive gifts. Don’t forget the food, fireworks, special candle lights, and colored sand to make Diwali extra vibrant.
November 1, 2024 - All Saints' Day | All Saints’ Day is a Christian observance associated with the earlier All Hallows Eve around Halloween. Saints are persons in heaven, who lived heroically virtuous lives and are worthy of imitation. All Saints’ Day is written plural because its to remember *all* the saints and martyrs who surrendered themselves to spreading the righteous. All Saints day is one of feast and celebration, and solumness of course, to honor the many good deeds of many good saints.
November 2, 2024 - All Souls' Day | All Souls’ Day is All Saints’ Day’s yesterday. Compared to yesterday’s feast and celebration, today’s purpose is to commemorate persons who have passed away with solemn prayer and remembrance. That’s why All Souls’ Day is also called The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. All Souls’ Day is when we reflect on the lives of loved ones who have gone to heaven, and say prayers for them to rest in peace.
November 5, 2024 - International Volunteer Managers Day | IVMDay was founded in 1999, led by American Nan Hawthorn who formed the committee thinking which winter day would be the one for volunteer managers. By 2008, it was settled - IVMDay is to be held on November 5 each year to recognize individual managers of volunteers for their role in building a world workforce of volunteers. Getting people to do social benefit services salary free is the volunteer manager’s method to spread goodwill.
November 9, 2024 - World Freedom Day | It’s by the hand of George W. Bush (Junior) in 2001 that November 9th was proclaimed World Freedom Day because the Berlin Wall was torn down on November 9, 1989. World Freedom Day is made to celebrate the triumph of liberty over tyranny, and back then - to go techno clubbing on both sides of Berlin without being blocked by arbitrary cinder block walls and barbed wire. #Loveparade
November 9, 2024 - Geriatric Tooth Fairy Day | Dental influencer Sonya Dunbar seizes the day to educate the importance of geriatric oral care on Facebook and in your multi-generation family. We should learn early that preventative oral healthcare starts every day from a young age by brushing and flossing your teeth. But has the eldest in your family gone in for a check-up lately? The Geriatric Tooth Fairy sends an S.O.S. to reduce health risks and morbidity among seniors due to poor oral health care! Effective 2020, November 9th of each calendar year is the official National Geriatric Tooth Fairy Day.
November 11, 2024 - Veteran's Day | The cease fire between WWI’s Allied nations and Germany went into effect in the year 1918 on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. That’s why Veterans Day takes place on November 11 each year. On Veterans Day, we honor American veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
November 16, 2024 - National Fast Food Day | Hooray for one day with tasty tribute to all our favorite fast food restaurants. McDonald’s, for example. Did you know 1940 was the year when the original brothers Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald opened their first-ever McDonald’s location in San Bernardino, California near historic Route 66? Then it was 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois when McDonald’s takeover capitalist Ray Kroc opened up the first-ever McDonald’s drive-in restaurant. Then it wasn’t until 1974 when Dallas, Texas got the first-ever McDonald’s Drive Thru. It’s interesting to point out how our burgers took over our cars on Kloc’s watch!
November 24, 2024 - Children's Grief Awareness Day | Children’s Grief Awareness Day respects the painful impact that the death of a loved one has in the life of a child. This observance was first established on the third Thursday of November in 2008 by the Highmark Caring Place, A Center for Grieving Children, Adolescents and Their Families (HCPACGCATF), with hopes people can become more compassionate to the needs of grieving children. Common ways to show compassion to kids with someone who died on them is to see, hear, and comfort them as they navigate grief about their loved one’s death.
November 28, 2024 - Thanksgiving | Turkey, turkey, turkey!
November 29, 2024 Black Friday | Black Friday comes the day after Thanksgiving, so it’s always on a Friday. It’s Black because that’s what Philadelphia steel shop owners were thinking back in the 1960s when large numbers of suburban tourists came shopping in the city before holiday season. The crazy deal grabbing frenzy meant traffic jammed mega-malls and shopper-sardined storefronts. So, I guess the only thing that’s changed since the 1960s is that each year Black Friday starts earlier and earlier, while Cyber Monday comes online just a few days later.
November 30, 2024 - Small Business Saturday | Some days after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, the Small Business Saturday has been created and promoted by American Express to encourage holiday shopping since 2010. American Express has credit cards that care good for small businesses, some of which are made of a thick titanium metal material far superior to plastic cards. You can even use your American Express card to buy stuff on Small Business Saturday. I know I will!
