1. Celebrating Grandparents Day, Our Wisdom Elders Phyllis Ayman, MS/SLP, CDP, CADDCT, CDCM, CMDCP 49:04

Celebrating Grandparents on Grandparents Day has become a tradition for Olive Community Services. The initial celebration 3 years ago was a wonderful experience for all who attended. Events dictated that last year’s celebration were conducted virtually.
This year, the staff at Olive Community Services designed a hybrid event that is worth hearing about.

Grandparents Day is a national holiday, signed by proclamation in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter. It falls each year on the Sunday following Labor Day coming about through the unrelenting 8 year campaign from one woman, Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, who hailed roots from West Virginia. He and her husband Joseph L. McQuade had 15 children, 43 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

For most of her life Marion Lucille Herridon McQuade advocated for older adults and people who were isolated in their homes, known at that time as shut ins. Her advocacy and relentless efforts were recognized and 1971 she was elected Vice-Chair of the West Virginia Committee on Aging. This was followed by her appointment as a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. In 1972, Her efforts on behalf of shut-ins was successful and in President Richard Nixon proclaimed a National Shut-in Day. Mrs. McQuade continued with her service in other capacities, among them; President of the Vocational Rehabilitation Foundation, Vice-President of the West Virginia Health Systems Agency, and was appointed to the Nursing Home Licensing Board.

Mrs. McQuade envisioned Grandparents Day as one in which there were family get togethers, community events, and family reunions if need be. An interesting fact is that Grandparents Day does not have an apostrophe, as Mrs. McQuade did not want the day to belong to any one person but rather a day of community celebration. She also envisioned a day of intergenerational programming, which Generations United in Washington DC encourages for the entire week following the celebration of National Grandparents Day.

Grandparents Day is integral to the philosophy of Olive Community Services; Respecting and honoring the older adults and their families and their community. The celebratory event was designed to bring to life everything that Mrs. Quade envisioned it to be.

Listen in to learn about the Olive Community Services Grandparents Day event and learn what you can do for the Grandparents in your family and in our community.

Phyllis Ayman Ambassador for Conscious Aging Life Management and #1 WSJ and USA Today Best Selling Author, Podcaster

Phyllis Ayman is the Ambassador for Conscious Aging Life Management, and founder of Mindful Longevity Solutions. She coaches individuals to develop their Personalized Longevity or Wellness Care Plans so they can live as healthfully, happily ,and fulfilled as they possibly can. As an aging life careplanning coach and mediator, she guides families to make decisions and mediate challenging conversations around aging care issues. She conceived and owns the trademark IMpathy®, essentially the inner game of empathy, which the hallmark of her proprietary programs.

Ayman is a #1 WSJ and USA Today Best Selling author, featured speaker, panel moderator, trainer, advocate gerontological speech/language pathologist and dementia care specialist. She spent over 40,000 hours working with thousands of individuals and families in long term care. Her writings have been featured in Next Avenue, McKnight’s Long Term Care News and McKnight’s Senior Living, and the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioner Newsletters.