Whether it’s walking or simply enjoying every moment, nursing home residents in Mentor, OH, were excited as school children to share their goals on social media. 

The idea was inspired by a popular social media trend where parents post pictures of their children on the first day of school, explained Andrea Lawrence, regional director of business development for Foundations Health Solutions. Foundations owns the Mentor Ridge Health & Rehabilitation Center in Mentor. 

Children often pose with signs that feature information about what they expect from the upcoming school year. The wide-ranging goals shared by the residents included getting engaged, learning a new recipe, walking again and enjoying each day. 

“We often forget to ask our seniors what their hopes and dreams are, so it was a nice opportunity to do that,” Lawrence told McKnight’s.  

The resident’s back-to-school-themed photos have garnered more than 25,000 comments, reactions and shares on social media since being posted last week. The 99-bed skilled nursing facility also plans to frame the photos and comments for the residents to remember. 

“They’re just over-the-moon excited about it,” Lawrence said.