Sunday is National Grandparents Day

Some senior living communities have planned intergenerational activities such as crafts and lunch or musical events in honor of their residents and National Grandparents Day, which this year is Sept. 7. Generations United offers additional ways to mark the day on its website.

The observance was signed into existence in the United States in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter. The annual day falls on the first Sunday after Labor Day.

Is your community planning any special activities for National Grandparents Day?

The Alliance for Aging Research, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association Educational Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's PROTECT Initiative are collaborating and using the observance as an opportunity to remind seniors and their caregivers about the importance of medication safety, including keeping drugs and vitamins in a safe, secure place where they are out of the reach of children and others to whom they would pose a danger. Older adults responsible for administering pills to themselves should set up a system to remind themselves to do so, since the medications and vitamins will be out of sight, the groups recommend.

Insurance company USAA is using National Grandparents Day to provide tips to prevent financial fraud against older adults, including the importance of monitoring medical records. "It’s common for identity thieves to target those receiving Medicare, offering them free medical products in exchange for their Medicare numbers," according to the company. "Review medical bills to catch any services or products you did not receive. Also, be sure your medical records contain correct information about your identity, such as age, blood type, medications or drug allergies."

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