The largest nursing home association in the U.S. will be leading the way when National Skilled Nursing Care Week begins Sunday. This year’s new theme is “Celebrating Life’s Stories.”

The American Health Care Association established what was previously known as National Nursing Home Week in 1967. The observance is meant to be an opportunity to “recognize the role of skilled care centers in caring for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Tributes to “life’s most significant events, relationships and experiences that shape the unique perspectives of residents, families, staff, and volunteers in long term and post-acute care” are being encouraged at skilled care facilities around the country.

“We are proud to honor the unique stories of those in the long-term and post-acute care communities,” said Mark Parkinson, AHCA president and CEO, and a former facility owner/operator himself. “This National Skilled Nursing Care Week, we hope centers and community members alike take the opportunity to join us in this celebration of life.”

Promotional materials can be downloaded from www.ahcancal.org/NSNCW. Providers are encouraged to share their activity ideas for the week on social media with the hashtag, #NSNCW. The observance also has a Facebook page. For more on the week-long observance, click here.