Skip to main content

Why We Pause to Honor and Remember on Memorial Day

Memorial Day is more than the unofficial kickoff to summer. It is a solemn holiday to remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedom of the United States.

The History of Memorial Day

While Armed Forces Day honors active duty service members and Veterans Day recognizes all who served, Memorial Day is dedicated to those who lost their lives serving our country.

Originally designated as Decoration Day, the holiday is observed annually on the last Monday of May. Communities across the country are encouraged to pause in remembrance at 3:00 p.m. local time.

While many communities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, Waterloo, New York officially holds the honor. It is believed to be the first community to have recognized Decoration Day with a celebration held on May 5, 1866. In 1868, Decoration Day became a national holiday known as Memorial Day.

In the early years, the holiday was dedicated exclusively to those who lost their lives fighting in the Civil War. Memorial Day was later extended to include all military personnel who died in wars and conflicts on behalf of the United States, but not without controversy.

By 1890 all the northern states officially recognized Memorial Day and paused to honor our deceased service people. Southern states, however, refused to acknowledge the day because of its Civil War roots. They established other days and ways to honor the dead.

When Memorial Day was extended to include World War I service personnel who lost their lives, the South began to recognize this national day of remembrance. Congress finally passed the National Holiday Act of 1971, officially designating Memorial Day as a federal holiday.

Sunrise Senior Living Is Home to Many Veterans

Sunrise has a proud history of working with veterans and military spouses. Read this article to learn about just a few of their stories! And, to learn about the Aid & Attendance benefit that helps pay for senior care, click here or call us at 888-434-4648.



from Sunrise Senior Living Blog /blog/may-2019/why-we-pause-to-honor-and-remember-on-memorial-day.aspx?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dads and Pops: Your Good Health Matters to Us 

Did you know  June is  Men’s Health Month  and Father’s Day anchors Men’s Health Week ?   Celebrate dad on Father’s Day and thank him for all he  has  done, but  also  make sure to seize an opportunity sometime this month to have a conversation with him about his health. This awareness campaign has the critical purpose of informing men   that avoiding preventive healthcare puts them at real and serious risk of  contracting a disease or  acquiring  a chronic condition.   Studies consistently  show the numbers go against men , particularly as they advance into their senior years.   Even with dramatic advances in diagnosis and treatment over the past 100 years, men’s life expectancy still lags significantly behind women. According to  Harvard Health ,  the gap is widening. In 1900, the life expectancy for women was 48.3 years vs. 46.3 for men. In 2017, it was 81.1 years for women vs. 76.1 for men. Harvard...
Post a Comment
Read more

Memorize These Six Signs of a Scam

An 88-year-old woman is one of the latest victims of the sweepstakes scam. She lost $160,000 in order to get the millions the scammer claimed she’d won through the Publishers Clearing House. She’s not alone. This scam has been around for years and has affected tens of thousands. Be aware of the six signs of a scam to avoid losing money. The Caller Insists You Not Tell Anyone In a scam, the caller will insist that you cannot tell anyone. This is more likely to happen with the grandparent scam. The caller will say that the grandchild’s parents cannot know. Secrecy is important to the “grandchild.” If your parents are told not to tell anyone, it’s very likely a scam. Your parents should immediately report the scam to local authorities or the FTC at 1-877-382-4357. The Contact Arrives Out of the Blue A scam is going to start with a random call, email, or unsolicited mailer. Your parents didn’t enter a contest. It could be a scammer posing as a police officer, IRS representative, or ...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Evaluate a Memory Care Program for a Loved One

When a senior is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, or a similar form of dementia, families often begin to explore senior care options. Family members may need support with their elder’s personal care or help with keeping a senior safe while they are at work. Searching for short-term solutions may result in hiring a home care aide or enrolling in an adult day program. As the older adult’s disease advances, the search for assistance may shift to assisted living or memory care communities. While these are two distinct types of care, they are frequently located on the same campus. A memory care program is often a dedicated area of an assisted living community. It is designed to meet the unique needs of adults with memory impairment. If your family is beginning to visit memory care communities for a loved one, we have a few tips for conducting an objective evaluation of each option. 6 Tips for Evaluating a Memory Care Community 1. What is the community’s philosophy of care? Dementi...
Post a Comment
Read more