UPDATE: 2/11: Join us for our second annual celebration of Random Acts of Kindness Week. To commemorate the week’s festivities, we’re relaunched our #RAKsr initiative. See below for more details!
February 14-20 is Random Acts of Kindness Week — a reminder for each of us to do something nice, and unexpected, for someone else.
What random kindness can you bestow on a senior?
Whether it’s helping with manual labor around the house – spending an afternoon just chatting and catching up — cooking dinner together — or going to the movies, we want to hear about it.
SeniorsforLiving.com is on the hunt: Who will join us in delivering random acts of kindness to seniors next week? Here are just a few thoughtful ideas to help you get started.
We’re encouraging as many people as possible to participate. But, performing an act of kindness is just one step. Here are some other ways you can get involved:
- Leave us a blog comment sharing your experience.
- Are you a blogger? If so, write about about Random Act of Kindness Week, and encourage your readers to do something nice for a senior.
- Tell your Facebook friends about this project and ask them to get involved
- Share random acts on Twitter using the hashtag #RAKsr
- Post video to YouTube or photos on Flickr using the #RAKsr tag
We’ll post some of the best stories throughout the week on our Facebook page. Make sure you’re a fan so you can keep track of all the kindness.
An added bonus: SeniorsforLiving.com Facebook fans who participate in this project will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift certificate.
To be entered into the drawing, fans simply need to email their stories to connect@seniorsforliving.com before February 20 at 10 a.m. EST. We’ll announce the winner on Tuesday 2/22/11.
Let’s see how much out-of-the-blue kindness we can deliver in one week.
The comments are yours: How will you show kindness to that special senior in your life?
*2/22/10: WINNER UPDATE: Congratulations and thank you to Mike Gamble of Aging Parents and Eldercare who is the winner of our random #RAKsr drawing for a $50 Amazon gift certificate. And a big thank-you to all of you who shared news of #RAKsr, performed amazingly generous acts of kindness, and — in short — spread love and expanded the everyday boundaries of the heart. We were touched numerous times a day all last week by your fabulously unselfish acts, thoughts, and sentiments. Let’s keep the KINDNESS going…. 
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Kaye Swain says,
That’s so sweet – and perfect timing with Valentine’s Day. I’ll definitely help spread the word
on 10 February 2010 / 11:23 AM
Carin Arrigo-Zimmer says,
This is wonderful! So happy to find you guys! Definitely a fan of helping seniors… =)
on 10 February 2010 / 1:18 PM
Kathy Cox says,
This is what the world needs more of! Kindness needs to be shared with everyone–what a difference a smile makes.
on 10 February 2010 / 7:41 PM
Make a Difference in a Senior's Life! says,
[...] about Random Acts of Kindness Week. They’re heading up an outstanding movement to generate random acts of kindness for seniors. How beautiful is that?!?! Read their suggestions and jump in with both feet and a full [...]
on 12 February 2010 / 5:57 PM
Happy Valentine’s Day to the Sandwich Generation | SandwichINK.com says,
[...] Kindness Week. Seniors for Living has made it even more specific, using it to remind us to put into practice Random Acts of Kindness for one or more of the Senior Citizens in our lives. For those of us in [...]
on 14 February 2010 / 11:14 AM
Kaye Swain says,
Hey hey hey – Happy Valentine’s Day!
AND Happy Random Cats of Kindness Week! 
Just posted my article at: http://www.sandwichINK.com/happy-valentines-day-to-the-sandwich-generation 
Have a wonderful week!
on 14 February 2010 / 5:03 PM
Kaye Swain says,
Aaaaahh – sorry for the mega oops – and Happy Random ACTS of Kindness Week.
on 15 February 2010 / 12:01 PM
Carissa says,
I have a neighbor couple who are seniors and we’d love to surprise them with something unexpectedly random this week.. I’ll let you know what we come up with!
on 15 February 2010 / 1:16 PM
Dale Carter says,
Yesterday I was in the grocery store, waiting in produce behind an elderly woman who was picking out yams. I got my plastic bag and just waited patiently behind her. When she finished, she turned and apologized for taking so long, and I said “no problem at all”. Then, she kind of mumbled to herself, “where do I get a bag?” I just reached out my open bag and said, “take this”. The look in her eyes was priceless; such a small gesture but it meant so much to her. I won’t forget that sweet lady anytime soon!
on 18 February 2010 / 12:36 PM
Kaye Swain says,
Awesome, Dale! Great example!
on 19 February 2010 / 11:00 AM
Kaye Swain says,
Mega Congrats Mike!!!
And thank you again to Seniors For Living for a fun reminder to encourage the elderly in our lives in big and little ways. 
on 23 February 2010 / 12:42 AM
Join Us in Delivering Random Acts of Kindness to Seniors #RAKsr | Seniors For Living | Hospice Volunteer Training Online says,
[...] Join Us in Delivering Random Acts of Kindness to Seniors #RAKsr [...]
on 17 February 2011 / 11:04 PM
Kaye Swain says,
Hey hey hey – I’m so glad y’all are giving us another opportunity to share fun ways to practice random acts of kindness. Of course, as ones who are caring for the elderly including those of us helping our senior parents, we tend to do this a lot. But this is an excellent reminder to doublecheck ourselves that we are being proactive in doing so. Just like in marriages, it’s easy to start coasting and taking everyone for granted. This is a wonderful way to jump past that.
I wrote a blog post about it yesterday, at SandwichINK, with 7 fun ideas, including bringing home a potted flower or plant on a NON-holiday for that sweet senior who loves gardening and is missing it during this chilly winter. You can read the rest at http://www.sandwichINK.com/1nl . Thanks again and have a GREAT day!
on 18 February 2011 / 9:48 AM
Michelle Seitzer says,
Kaye, I couldn’t have said it better. You’re absolutely right – in caregiving and in marriages (really, in any relationship) we have to be careful not to start coasting. And I agree, it’s good to have reminders like Random Acts of Kindness week, to be more proactive and do something special “just because”. I’ll be sure to check out your blog post, and I’ll RT it too.
Thank you for stopping by the blog and for sharing your thoughts! Hope you have a GREAT day too!
on 18 February 2011 / 1:44 PM