participation in activities

At the facility that I work at, we have weekly manicures where our activities staff and volunteers do the residents nails, such as filing and painting. We also have different church groups to come in and have church services. There is also a WII game that is used for fitness and coffee socials, cooking, which are just basic things,They also have wheel chair races during the summer and kickball games that are played in the dining area in their wheelchairs. But the residents get the most fun out of playing bingo two to three times a week and winning small prizes like lotion, powder and quarters. Our activities department funds this by selling drinks and snacks to the staff even though we have a breakroom. These funds are also used for differnt things throughout the year for our residents. Sometimes it just takes seeing what would interest the residents as far as activities and going from there, Most of our residents keep and eye on the calander that is in their room, dining area bulletin boards, etc. to see whats going on. Sometimes its just a matter of getting staff to make sure residents are taken to these activities if they want to go. We also have a daily juiice it up which consists of juice and a snack. They are always asking whats going on today if they are unable to read the calander. Activities also goes around to see who would like attend activities and make sure that they go if they want to.

Good grief. That's not an activity program.

Our activity calendar makes you have a seizure if you look at it very long.

There are of course the things you mention. But so much more. There are memory games. Coffee and newspaper reading (the Activity Directory reads), they read some news, the horoscopes.

We have lots and I mean LOTS of church activities, singings. We have local entertainers who voluteer.

They residents play card (Those that can).

There are at least 3 outings a month. Shopping, lunch, local museum, gardens and such. They sign up and rotate who goes due to room on the bus.

Bingo twice a week. You had just as soon sandpaper a wild cat's hind end in a paper sack as call it off for any reason.

Ice cream, lemonade, hot chocolate socials, depending on the season.

Manicures.

A flat of small flowers and some donated pots were a big hit last spring.

It goes on forever.

Ladies morning (staff paints nails those who can paint their own or someone's who can't.)

bingo

Current events (read a few stories ranging from local/state/national and discuss)

outings to store/area events/sometimes even 30 min scenery drives-although with price of gas this was tough to get away with)

movie afternoons/nights with votes on requested movies

fashion shows with staff assisting residents to dress up and go down a central "runway"

the list goes on and on.

I was a activity director for 5 years in a MI home with ages 18-99. tough to plan activities for the whole 198 bed facility. feel free to PM me for more or to discuss.

Sounds like your Activity Director needs someone to come in and give him/her some fresh, new, innovative ideas for these people.

We have a monthly 'auction' that the resident participate in, using 'fake' money and donated gifts that they can bid on.

We have a garden club in the nicer weather months, a walking group that track how far they walk on a scheduled path in the facility. A monthly newsletter that residents are involved in writing articles for -- someone does a similar type of 'dear abby' column, others write stories about their lives when they were younger, etc. Resident assist in coloring placemats for all the residents to use on special occasions. For Valentines day we had a 'fake' Kissing booth that staff handed out 'hershey kisses' to the residents, and 'chocolate and 'simulated wine' tasting.

Completed a weekly patient conf a while ago, in this one, for the first since I have been here, the activities coordinator actually had to say out loud what kind of activity the patients were participating in and how often... it was a low census week for us but we just got 6 more admits, usually we do run around 40 residents most of which are shorter term patients averging 2 to 6 weeks...here is the breakdown; 4 people are non-responsive and 6 had not been assessed yet, 2 were hospice and I dont know if they even get invited into the activities program (will check into this, this week), 2 watched movies in the activities room, 7 participated in the Valentines Day party and 5 of those attended beauty shop day also, 13 watch TV in their room, and have company a lot but refused the activity program. Several of us concerned staff here have suggested many different activities but they are all shot down for various reasons. Currently there are 2 scheduled activities listed on the activity calender, at 0800 there is one to one time (usually initial assessments are done during this time) and the other is at 1:30 which is usually schedled as pt choice or movie and popcorn. The Valentine s day party was thrown together last minute when someone asked the director what was being done for/with the patients for Valentines day... when he checked nothing was scheduled so the AC got cupcakes and some decor form what I heard and that afternoon had a party. I feel sad for the patients. especially the ones here for several weeks or months that get so bored. I am thinking of starting an informal audit r/t to it all.