National Sorry Day (26 May) marks the anniversary of the Bringing Them Home report and honours the Stolen Generations. In aged care, marking it well matters — and marking it poorly matters too.
These ideas focus on quiet, age-appropriate creative reflection rather than craft activity, and they work whether or not your facility already runs regular creative programs.
Begin With Acknowledgement
Open the session with a clear Acknowledgement of Country read aloud, and a short, factual explanation of National Sorry Day. Avoid simplifying or softening the history.
Residents have lived through these decades — speak to them as adults who remember.
A Quiet Painting Session
Provide canvases and a small palette of native-inspired colours — eucalyptus green, ochre, deep red, off-white. Invite residents to paint anything they wish, with the day in mind.
There is no right outcome. The act of quiet painting is the reflection.
A Reading or Music Element
Play recorded music by Indigenous Australian artists in the background, or share a short reading from a respected First Nations writer. Keep it gentle and low-volume.
Sound shapes the room more than people realise.
Display With Care
If displaying any finished pieces, label them clearly with the date and the context. Don't treat them as decoration — treat them as a small communal record of reflection.
Take them down respectfully after a week.
Consult and Partner Where Possible
Where appropriate, partner with local First Nations organisations, community Elders, or your facility's reconciliation contacts. Don't run reflection sessions about another community without input from that community.
Listening is part of the practice.
National Sorry Day in aged care isn't a craft activity. It's a quiet moment of communal reflection — and creative space can hold that moment beautifully when it's set up with care.
— Be Artistic Club