BetterCare · Weekly pack

Canadian Thanksgiving

Week of Monday 5 October 2026
Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October in Canada, in October in Canada.
Low-ink · about 7 pages black and white

For recreation staff in long-term care and personal care homes. Print what you need.

Seven-day gentle calendar

Mon 5Thanksgiving Day. Gratitude circle (script). Quiet family visiting support. Invite gentle examples for "what you are thankful for" if words are hard. Offer "warm soup" or "a kind nurse" as examples.
Tue 6Harvest bingo (cards below). Leftover pie smell talk if dietary allows cinnamon on a cloth. Room card: favourite Sunday dinner.
Wed 7Men's group: carving the bird vs watching the game. Photo of a simple table setting. Indoor walk after lunch.
Thu 8Craft: paper leaf place cards for Friday tea. Large shapes, glue sticks only.
Fri 9Tea social with pumpkin or apple theme. Word list: squash, gravy, rolls, family.
Sat 10Puzzle table. Family visit card on doors. Restorative music.
Sun 11Optional spiritual gratitude (non-denominational). Prep next week's Remembrance tone if November is close.
Skip Halloween jump-scare décor this week if the two themes collide on your unit. Harvest colour is enough. One prompt at a time.

Group script · Gratitude circle (15 minutes)

  1. Welcome: "In Canada we mark Thanksgiving in October. Today we share gentle thanks. Every answer fits."
  2. Pass a wooden spoon or napkin ring. Holder may speak or squeeze your hand to pass.
  3. Staff model: "I am thankful for a quiet hallway this morning."
  4. Close with one familiar hymn or folk song verse, low volume.
Offer optional memory prompts of family members who have died. If grief rises, sit with the person after group. Offer water.

Room card · Favourite Sunday dinner

  1. Sit at eye level.
  2. Ask: "What did Sunday dinner smell like at your house?"
  3. If they cannot say, offer: roast, fish, perogies, beans.
  4. Write one word on the back for the team.

Harvest bingo · caller words

Read slowly. Mark with bottle caps. Print one card per resident. Black lines only.

Caller list: APPLE · SQUASH · PIE · GRAVY · ROLLS · TURKEY · HARVEST · MAPLE · CIDER · LEAVES · TABLE · FAMILY · THANKS · PUMPKIN · CORN · BUTTER · KITCHEN · SUNDAY · GARDEN · BREAD · TEA · HONEY · BLANKET · FREE

APPLESQUASHPIEGRAVYROLLS TURKEYHARVESTMAPLECIDERLEAVES TABLEFAMILYFREETHANKSPUMPKIN CORNBUTTERKITCHENSUNDAYGARDEN BREADTEAHONEYBLANKETCIDER

Print extra cards by rearranging words. Keep words on white paper.