Resident Activity Ideas

Published

Specializes in LTC.

hi...i am in my last 2 weeks of nursing school :yeah:and we are in the nursing home. every week i have a leadership role and on the last day a group of us have to come up with an activity we can do with the residents. does anyone have any suggestions? we only have a 3 hour time slot. i heard some people do ice cream sundaes, singing and playing instruments but none of us are muscially talented and the ice cream sundaes worries me for the residents that are diabetic or on a strict diet. any help or ideas would be appreciated.

thank you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The type of activities you do will largely depend on the type of residents you are working with. Those that are largely independent will be able to do more "advanced" activities than someone with mild-moderate dementia.

Google "activities for caregivers" and you should come up with a wealth of information.

And FYI, nursing homes usually have sugar-free ice cream available as well as sugar-free alternatives for toppings, so making ice cream sundaes should not be a problem, diabetic or not. :) We have them about once a week at my facility.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in long term care, school nursing.

My residents enjoy going outside to sit in the fresh air and also baking treats.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

Thank you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

Wheelchair exercise is kinda fun for some. You can take a pool/beach ball and bop it around, kinda like volley ball. You could do watermellon social since it's summer time. Most residents have a food holiday for food of choice. Listen to old music, gospel singing.

Our residents BINGO, and playing the WII~ THEY LOVE the Wii~if there is a large room with TV wii would be pretty cool if they don't already do that and it's pretty good ROM. Painting, coloring, making scrap notes for nurses. We had a ground called lillypad ladies who cut scrap paper into squares and wrote little notes on them for nursing to use as note pads. Very nice~!:):y

Up Vote Up Vote ×

They adore karaoke!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

You don't need to have any musical talent to lead a group of residents in a sing-along. Ask one of them their favorite old song and I betcha the rest will start singing, too. It's free, fun, and it gets them all breathing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, Peds, Med Surg and Geriatric Nsg.

My residents enjoy the wheelchair dance!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PACU, CARDIAC ICU, TRAUMA, SICU, LTC.

In the facility where I work, just mention the word "BINGO" and the residents light up like lights on a Christmas tree!!

Unfortunately, it is only played 2x/week, as there are not enough recreation assistants to help the residents keep up with the game. You may want to consider a game of BINGO, followed by an "ice cream social."

Do you know of anyone who is retired, lively, and plays the accordion? Residents enjoy this, especially when they can sing along with the music from their era!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I had a resident say to me once: "Honey what ever you do, DON'T ask me to play BINGO. I'm 94 and haven't played and I'm not going to start now. And besides, I'm a Methodist, and everyone knows BINGO is for those Catholics!"

Um.....yes ma'am.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I had a resident say to me once: "Honey what ever you do, DON'T ask me to play BINGO. I'm 94 and haven't played and I'm not going to start now. And besides, I'm a Methodist, and everyone knows BINGO is for those Catholics!"

Um.....yes ma'am.

HAHAHAHAHA!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion