Be Kind to Humankind Week at Benchmark
August 25th marks the beginning of an annual worldwide celebration of togetherness, community, and compassion: Be Kind to Humankind Week. Established in 1988, this event was founded in an effort to help make the world a kinder, gentler place.
At Benchmark Senior Living, our purpose to transform lives through human connection is our guiding star. Compassion and care form the foundation of our organization and are also key components of kindness, allowing us to create a community where personal growth and discovery are possible at any stage of life. The values we espouse are intertwined with this week’s celebration around being kind to humankind and impacts our residents’ as well as our associates’ lives. Benchmark associates support each other, share best practices, and leverage each other’s strengths to create a supportive community for everyone. As we celebrate Be Kind to Humankind Week, we reflect on how our associates embody this purpose every day, creating a compassionate and connected community for our residents.
Ways Our Associates and Residents Spread Kindness in Our Communities
Be Kind to Humankind Week shares a multitude of meaningful ways to implement kindness for each day of the week, and below are some ways our residents and associates are encouraged to join the Be Kind to Humankind Week celebrations by spreading kindness in and outside of our communities, and we encourage you to do the same!
Be Kind to Humankind Week offers these suggestions of how to spread kindness each day:
- Motorist Consideration Monday: Practice patience and consideration towards others while traveling. This includes all forms of travel, whether it be by bike, boat, bus, car, foot, plane, train, scooter, skateboard, walker, or wheelchair.
- Touch a Heart Tuesday: Take the opportunity to show your love towards others. Just like the old 60’s tune goes “Put a little love in your heart,” and this stands very true even to this day. After all, love is eternal, and a little bit of love goes a long way. A simple phone call or card can make a world of difference, reminding loved ones they are appreciated. Family members and loved ones are always welcome to visit our communities and enjoy our culinary program, musical events, or support circles.
- Willing to Lend a Hand Wednesday: Offer someone your time, help, or advice today. It does not have to be anything big – just the smallest help to someone is great! Our residents share their time and skills with local organizations, not just on this Wednesday. The programming at some of our communities include residents’ involvement in community work with local schools, libraries, or other outreach opportunities.
- Thoughtful Thursday: Be mindful of those around you. Whether at home, at work, or in public, try to always be thoughtful and considerate to other people. Small gestures like offering to pour someone a coffee or holding the door open can brighten someone’s day and inspire further acts of kindness. Whether it’s doing a friend a favor or being generous with smiles, our residents and associates easily find simple ways to make a moment shine.
- Forgive Your Foe Friday: Try to find enough forgiveness in your heart to alleviate any anger you may be feeling towards other people or even towards yourself. This can be difficult, but it’s extremely necessary. Forgiving someone who has hurt you is difficult. Forgiving yourself is also difficult. By not trying to forgive, we only add to the problem.
- Speak Kind Words Saturday: Words are extremely powerful. They can make us or break us and hurt or heal other people – so take extra care to assure what you say holds the best of intentions. Our Benchmark associates are always keen to compliment and encourage residents with praise and acknowledgements, as it’s tantamount to a positive living environment.
- Sacrifice Our Wants for Others’ Needs Sunday: Today is a chance to do something for someone in need. This can mean cooking a meal for a sick friend, joining a fund-raising event, or visiting a loved one at a Benchmark community. On a larger scale, our residents often contribute to charities through monthly community service projects that align with personal values, such as those supporting animals, local children and families in need, or the environment, and spread kindness beyond our immediate community.
If you needed any more convincing on the cumulative powers of kindness, researchers say that it not only makes you healthier and increases lifespan, but it might in fact be “contagious” – as a species, we’re more likely to perform kind acts when we see others doing the same.
Whether it’s on Touch a Heart Tuesday or Speak Kind Words Saturday, we encourage everyone to practice kindness and help create a world where everyone feels valued and connected. Together, we can make a difference. Let’s spread kindness and human connection, not just this week but every day.
