It the Best Day of my Life

Our mission is to reduce senior isolation and promote intergenerational engagement through storytelling. Senior isolation is the root cause of a range of health issues, from depression, substance abuse, weakened immune systems and to premature death. Recognized by AARP and proven by internationally published research, The Best Day of My Life So Far delivers a storytelling model that reduces senior isolation and improves senior health. We gather seniors, volunteers and visitors around a table for an hour a week in settings like nursing homes, rehab centers, community centers, assisted living communities, and mentor local volunteers to blog about the group’s experience and the stories told. We also curate and share stories through our social media pages, newsletter, storybook and events. Inspired by the friendship between a grandmother and a granddaughter, Best Day began in 2009 with a small storytelling group at Philadelphia Senior Center and a blog. Since then, we have brought our group model to diverse neighborhoods in Philadelphia and started scaling nationwide.

Backing for our methods

• Carefully evaluated by professional researchers through focus groups, surveys, case studies, interviews with participants and observations of sessions
• Implemented at diverse sites nationwide with consistent outcomes
• Endorsed by AARP
• Presented at major professional conferences such as American Society on Aging’s National Conference and Australian Association of Gerontology’s National Conference

We need your help: donate and get social!

To see our seniors’ stories, connect with us via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and our Story Letter newsletter. Making a donation is the most powerful way you can help. Your donation changes seniors’ lives by funding direct engagement and programming. The more funds we raise, the more seniors we engage. In order to meet the demand for our services and programming, we really need your help. Visit our Donate page to find out more. Ask us about how to engage your workplace at info@bestdayofmylifesofar.org.

The Problem: Senior Isolation

Approximately 28% of people aged 65 or older in our country live alone, making them susceptible to social isolation. If left untreated, isolation can lead to other health issues, including depression, substance abuse, weakened immune systems and premature death. Most socially isolated seniors have a 26% higher premature death rate, which is almost four times the impact on early death as obesity.

Our Solution: Senior Engagement

The Best Day of My Life So Far reduces senior isolation and improves senior health. We engage seniors on two levels: first, in group settings with peers and younger people; second, via social media, books and events with even larger audiences. Seniors achieve personal enrichment and fulfillment through writing and sharing in an open environment. They make their own choices and decisions, which they may feel they are losing in other areas of life.

Proven Model

Recognized by AARP and proven by internationally published research, our storytelling model is unique because it combines reminiscence, narrative and communication techniques with intergenerational engagement and social media, to deliver a full range of positive cognitive, psychological and health outcomes, making our approach more holistic than traditional medicine or therapy.

Our Story

Armed with pen, paper and passion, and driven by her friendship with her grandmother, architect Benita Cooper founded our organization modestly in 2009 with a small storytelling group at Philadelphia Senior Center and a blog. She shared a table with seniors, volunteers and visitors for an hour a week, and blogged about her experience and the stories she heard – the blog got over 40, 000 views within the first 3 years. With the hard work of a team of dedicated volunteers, Best Day groups have since expanded to diverse neighborhoods in Philadelphia and started scaling nationwide, from New Jersey, Illinois, Washington to Oregon; Best Day stories are shared with younger people everywhere through social media, books and events.