National Nursing Home Week was created by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) back in 1967. The thought behind the week was to recognize 'the essential role of skilled nursing care centers in caring for America's elderly and disabled' according to the AHCA/National Center for Assisted Living website, ahcancal.org. It was also determined that the week-long celebration would begin on Mother's Day and continue through the following Saturday.​

Recently the name has been changed to National Skilled Nursing Care Week® (NSNCW). The AHCA announced this years theme to be, "Creating and Nurturing Connections." The AHCA added, "The 2022 theme celebrates the essential role that skilled nursing care centers and staff play in creating and nurturing connections for their residents."

For many years the week was celebrated at the Sweet Home in Chinook with a strong involvement from the community. Daily themes were established for each day of the week and a community BBQ took place one day in the evening. The Covid-19 Pandemic abruptly ended the communities involvement with lock-downs and restrictions being put in place to ensure the safety of the residents.

The week is still celebrated within the Sweet Home and the fun-filled daily activities are back once again. Sweet Home Administrator Rebecca Shackelford had this to say, "As I set out to plan this year's event, I thought about how the connections we create and nurture go beyond resident and staff connections, it encompasses staff to staff connections as well. I asked department managers to lend a hand in the planning of nursing home week so that it was more of a group effort – more of a connection."

Shackelford is mindful that every employee counts, "Every single one of us that works here at Sweet Home has a valuable part to play in making sure that our residents are cared for and loved, every single day."

The meaning of the week can be sometimes get lost in the process, "Nursing Home week is about celebrating those of us that work here and each year when this week rolls around, we strive to have a lot of enjoyable things planned. Dress up and theme days, games to play, great food to eat that we don't always have, and prizes to win. Occasionally there are even animals that show up. Most all that we do during nursing home week is done including the residents and they really light up when staff are dressed silly or a bum lamb shows up for cuddling. The connections we create in the community are just as important."

Looking back at how it used to be Shackelford says, "Nursing Home week in the past included a community BBQ; there also used to be a 'Sweet Day' in which members of the community came out and helped with spring cleaning around the outside of the nursing home. I remember myself, as a high schooler in National Honor Society, volunteering time to help paint the outside of the nursing home. Not primarily due to COVID-19 pandemic, but definitely exacerbated by having to be closed to visitors, it seems like we have lost a bit of our community connection. My hope is that starting with this year's theme for nursing home week, Sweet Home and our loving Chinook community can reignite and nurture the connection once again."

Mary Hofeldt, Certified Nurses Assistant Amber Brown and Beverly Brown often share a morning laugh. National Nursing Home week is a time to recognize the efforts of the staff as they work hard to make the residents day to day lives as good as it can be.

Registered Nurse Joni Myhre has been with the Sweet Home for many years having served as the Director of Nursing along the way. Myhre appreciates the efforts of everyone at the Sweet Home, "Working at Sweet Home is a great pleasure, the team work and our staff really are the best. We have had a rough last couple of years with COVID but everyone has kept going the extra mile because they want the best for our residents and that is what makes all of our staff truly special!"