- Tape on the flowers to the arm of the chair or the walker
- Tie on ribbon to cover the tape and make it look pretty!
- Put the hair elastics on the handles for more colour
- put stickers on the metal parts (they stick better there)
- For the men, put their favourite team logo on the spokes with tape or on
the back of their w/c. It can also be put on the walker's basket.
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The Residents at Regency LOVE this program and enjoy the smells, sights and of course the tastes. There are so many themes, Chili cook off. Backyard Barbacue, German, French, Mexican, Veal of Fortune.
Submitted by Amelia Shields, Regency Manor Nursing Home
Equipment/Supplies:
- Recipe and Food Cooking utensils
Procedure:
Theme Dinners are exactly that.
- Italian-Spaghetti, Salad (Italian Dressing) Italian Dessert. Wine Etc.
Homemade (Breadmaker Bread)
- The Residents Help Activity Department prepare all the food.
- A list of 18 or so residents is printed prior.
- Dinner is at 5, served by Activity Department and volunteers
Program Considerations or Precautions:
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Since this is National Smiles Week, I wanted to come up with a quick idea that would make the residents smile.
Submitted by Kathy Taylor, AA-LNA
Equipment/Supplies:
- coffee filters
- sharpie or permanent black marker
- yellow food coloring
- water
- a fancy container for the water - I used a shiny metallic green plastic flower pot with no hole at the bottom
- newspapers
- vinyl gloves
Before the Activity:
Make eyes and a mouth on the coffee filter for a smiley face. Crumble up the filters into little balls. Put into a baggie or little brown bag. These will become the seeds of discontent. Put water into container about 1/2-3/4 full; add yellow food coloring to make the water bright yellow.
Procedure:
Spread newspapers on table
Tell the residents that you have seeds of discontent, and want to grow some happiness. Pass out the "seeds" and ask each resident to make a wish. Listen to the wishes, some of my residents made some profound statements. Ask the resident to drop the seed into the magic flower pot (or fountain..whatever) then don the gloves and tell the residents that you are going to see if any happiness is growing. Take out a wet filter, squeeze it out and open it to reveal the smiley face. They have grown some happiness.
Dry the smileys on a bed of newspaper, then hang them around the facility, knowing that each one carries a very special wish..
Thanks for letting me share
Program Considerations or Precautions:
- No problems other than stained fingers, if you dont wear gloves!
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Floral Creations
Submitted by Monique Del Fierro - Alterra Clare Bridge of Pearl River
Equipment/Supplies:
- Various bouquets of flowers (ours was donated by the local florist).
Procedure:
This can be a multi activity!
Upon delivery, we spread flowers on tables loosely as if they were freshly picked. We then gathered all the residents and had some of them cut down stems, and pick out the good flowers to make a floral arrangement in the vases. This alone took more time than expected since the residents were very much into being creative with their arrangements.
After days of enjoying the pleasing aroma of the flowers, we then held another activity of just sitting around tables plucking rose petals to dry out and make potpourri! After a few more days of drying the petals in the sun, we then gathered the residents once again and created potpourri sachets they could put into their underwear or sock drawers! We added the fragrance oils at the end. You can use any scent of your choice. We used rose for the females, and forest mist for the gentlemen.
Program Considerations or Precautions:
- Residents with Alzheimer's and dementia may think that petals are food. Close watch with potential residents is necessary!
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Spiritual Activities - Be an Angel Day
Submitted by Linda Bell - Shoreham Village
Equipment/Supplies:
- We made a life size angel, stuffed with a white dress,
wings, halo and used a wig stand for the face and she sat in the main lounge
throughout the day. The recreation staff all wore halos :-)
Procedure:
We sent out a memo the day before explaing to the residents that it was
angelday. We explained that this was a time to reward good deeds they
received through out the day. We gave them coupons to give out to anyone who
did something nice for them that day. We read a few angel stories, a few
poems. We had a friend who sang a couple angel songs. We talked about angels
in our life and shared stories. The dietary depatment made us a heavenly
dessert. It was a very uplifting afternoon. A real feel good day. We have
done it the past few years usually in August. I would be happy to send anyone
info that I gathered on this wondeful program my email is l.bell@shorehamvillage.com.
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Exercise Routine
Purpose:
Residents who participate in an exercise program finds increased strength, flexibility, and appetite along with the benefit of reducing stress and insomnia.
Procedure:
- Seat participants side by side in a closed circle.
- Welcome each participant with a handshake. Have each participant welcome each other.
- Play music that promotes movement.
- Aromatherapy will perk participants up. (Peppermint or Lemon essential oil.)
- Follow the attached routine.
- Increase repetitions as participants are comfortable and able.
- Encourage participants to take turns leading the exercises and counting the repetitions.
- Following the exercise routine, encourage participants to discuss how they are feeling. Encourage an exchange of positive energy.
- Upon conclusion of the routine, encourage each participant to pat themselves on the back and pat their neighbors back, as well.
- Offering periodic, individual testing will track participant progress.
- Record participation upon conclusion of the group.
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Exercise Routine
Procedure:
- Head rotations - Slowly, look up, down, left and right.
- Eye rotations - Without moving head, slowly look up, down, left and right.
- Shoulder rotations - Roll shoulders forward 5 times. Backwards 5 times.
- Shoulder lifts - Looking forward without moving head, lift left shoulder up attempting to touch left ear, then right shoulder attempting to touch right ear.
- Fist to Chest - Extend both arms out straight. Back to chest. Extend both arms above head. Back to chest.
- Arm Circles - Extend arms out straight, with fingers pointed, move arms in small circles, inward, then outward circles. Extend arms out to the side, with fingers pointed, move arms in small circles, forward and backward.
- Shooting fists - Place fists on chest, extend arms shooting out fingers.
- Finger exercise - With both hand extended, touch thumbs to each finger back and forth.
- Hand rub - Pass out lotion, have each participant rub their hands with lotion.
- Trunk of body - With hands on hips, move trunk of body forward, backward, left and right.
- Toe Touchers - In a sitting position, bend over and touch toes with fingers.
- Leg extension - With feet flat on the floor, one at a time extend the left leg, bring back to floor, extend right leg, bring back to floor.
- Dual leg extension - With feet flat on the floor, extend both legs together and hold for a count of 5, bring back to floor.
- Knee lifts - Start with feet flat on the floor. Lift left knee while bent and hold for a count of 5. Bring back to floor. Lift right knee while bent and hold for count of 5.
- Dual knee lifts - Start with feet flat on the floor. Lift both knees while bent and hold for a count of 5.
- Heel toe - Place heels on the floor and lift toes up and down.
- Inward heel toe - Place toes on the floor, lift heels up and down.
- Ankle rotations - Extend legs. Move ankles in a circular motion for a count of 5. Change directions.
- Deep breathing - Ask the group to relax, close eyes, and slowly inhale deeply through nose for a count of 5. Hold breath for a count of 5. Exhale through mouth for a count of 10. Repeat another time.
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Sensory Stimulation Group for Low Functioning Residents
Purpose:
A Sensory Stimulation Group may be beneficial for lower functioning people who have the ability to attend and remain somewhat attentive in a small group.
Procedure:
- Select individuals who get very little out of other groups and would benefit from a sensory stimulation program.
- Establish a problem at the interdisciplinary care planning conference for each participant enrolled in the sensory stimulation program. This problem should reflect why the resident is enrolled in your group, such as "Poor participation level in group activities related to dementia, short attention span, limited vision.
- Write a short term goal that reads "Mr./Mrs. ____ will participate in a structured, sensory stimulation program ____ (frequency) times per week for the next 90 days".
- Write approaches that will reflect how you will set up the program and the type of activities you will have the resident attempt to participate in during your group.
- Develop a list of participants enrolled in your sensory stimulation group and distribute to nursing. It is imperative that the participants enrolled in the group are up and ready for the group when scheduled.
- Initiate a Sensory Stimulation Record for each participant enrolled in the program where staff records responses to the program.
- Plan activities for the group that will stimulate the senses. You will have the most success with activities that carry a theme such as: Yellow, toolbox, ladies purse, Independence Day, World War II, etc. Develop an activity box for each theme that contains as many supplies as possible to stimulate as many of the senses as possible.
- Establish a schedule for your sensory stimulation group and note on the activity calendar. Be creative in titling your group.
- Allow as much time as necessary to engage all the participants enrolled in the program.
- Sensory Stimulation Record should be placed either in a sensory stimulation notebook and readily accessible to trained volunteers and staff assisting with the group or kept in the participation record notebook.
- Record participant response to the activity directly following each group, along with the initials of the person facilitating the group. Document significant responses, remarks, expressions, conversations that the participant had during the group.
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Facials
Equipment/Supplies:
- Towels
- Washcloths
- Warm Water
- Facial Masks (Can be purchased from a store or made from natural ingredients.)
- Mirrors
- Relaxation Music
- Short Stories/Poetry
- Facial Lotion
Procedure:
- Soak washcloths in warm (not hot) water.
- Apply the wet washcloths to face, patting on cheeks, forehead, chin.
- Apply one of the facial masks to face, avoiding the skin around the eyes.
- Leave on approximately 15 minutes.
- During the waiting period, pay close attention to the music being played, discuss ways resident's cleaned their faces in the good old days, read a short story or poem, etc.
- Again, soak clean, unused washclothes in a tub of warm water.
- Gently wash face with the warm wash cloth removing the face mask entirely.
- Dry the face with a soft towel.
- Apply a gentle lotion to the clean face, if desired.
- Once the facials are completed, discuss how good this was for the skin and how good the skin feels.
Program Considerations or Precautions:
- Encourage each participant to do as much for self as possible.
- Observe for allergic reactions.
- Avoid putting mask on open areas of face.
- Give facials during a group or one to one session.
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Trip Around the World
Procedure:
- Gather participants in a circle.
- Explain to participants "We are taking a trip around the world" First
person starts out by saying "The first place I'd stop at is _______ because
_____." (For example, I want to go to California because I want to go to
Sea World or I want to go to Africa because I've always wanted to go on a
safari.) Leader may want to start the activity to give participants an
example.
- Continue to go around the circle until everyone has had a chance to say
where they would go. You can go around the circle again if participants
want to offer more than one place.
- Create group discussion by questioning participants about their choice of
places, ie: Have you ever been there before? Why did you choose that
place? etc...
- You may wish to offer refreshments that offer a taste from a different
culture, perhaps somewhere you might visit on your trip around the world.
Program Considerations or Precautions=*Vary your program by "Going on a trip
to Disney Land". "The ride I would most want to ride is ______ and I would
want to ride it with ______." Create other trips you might take for other
variations of the program.
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Pajama Party
Submitted by Amelia Marchand - Regency Manor
Equipment/Supplies:
- Pajamas, popcorn, butter, movies, games, or manicure set.
Procedure:
- Get residents into pajamas.
- Make popcorn and pop
- Put on movie
- While the residents are watching movie do there nails
- Or read scary stories (not to bad)
- Or play a board game
Program Considerations or Precautions:
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SeniorCyber
Submitted by Kevin Moore of Tandem Healthcare of St Petersburg
Equipment/Supplies:
- Seniors in Nursing center accessing the Internet using the WebTv
Procedure:
We’ll start off with the basics...
The unit itself is a small black box, about the size of a cable box. You can
hook it up to just about any TV. But there needs to be three "av" plugs in
the back of the TV. These plugs are colored yellow for video, and red and
white for left/right audio. If there are no plugs on the TV, you can also
hook up the webtv through a VCR. They almost always have these plugs. Then
all you need is a telephone hookup and you are good to go! It’s that easy.
The unit comes with a handheld "clicker" to operate the webtv, but if you
plan on typing e-mails, or going into chat rooms, (yes you can chat!) you
better get a keyboard. The "classic version" webtv has a hookup for a
regular keyboard, but there is nothing like the cordless keyboard that you
can get for easy cord free use. Then, you can operate the unit from across
the room if you need to. The newer webtv plus, has no hookup for a regular
keyboard, and you have to buy the cordless.
Cost:
There are both Sony and Magnavox versions of the webtv. We use the Sony
classic. Price is usually $99.00 for the classic version, $199.00 for the
plus. Look out for sales though! Locally, the classic version has been on
sale for $69.00! The difference between the two is the plus can be hooked up
to a printer with no added equipment, and has picture in picture capability
to watch TV while surfing, and may be just a little faster. We have no need
for either, if an e-mail needs to be printed, I just forward it to my
computer. The cordless keyboard is only about $40.00.
The hookup/monthly fee is just $19.95 a month for the classic,and $25.00 a
month for the plus model. It can be paid by check, (as most facilities do),
but only for 6 months at a time. When I bought it for my facility, I was on
line and surfing 20 min. after I brought it back. I registered on line, (all
automatic) and when I told them I was paying by check, they said OK, gave me
my confirmation #, and I was on line! I thought that was pretty cool. Just
remember, that is about $120.00 initial cost. Otherwise, it’s $19.95 a month
by credit or debit card. You can arrange for automatic deductions too.
What It Can/Can't Do:
Now the web TV cannot do all that a computer does, of course. It cannot read
any Java, can't download any programs, or get any real audio above 3.5.
(real audio will be available soon after an expected free upgrade) No
streaming audio/video, etc. But everything else is available to you on that
the Internet offers. Even some things that a computer can't see! We often go
to this karaoke site and sing away with the scrolling words just like at the
karaoke clubs. A computer user has to download a karaoke player, learn how
to use it, and take space up on their hard drive. If you have the webtv
hooked up to a stereo/home theater, through a VCR, you almost have a
professional karaoke player! And there is this neat audioscope effect that
you can add to web pages and e-mails that is only seen with a webtv.
What We Do:
Every Thursday, we go on line with our activity called "surfin safari".
Besides the karaoke site I mentioned, (which is another scheduled activity)
we vote for the favorite baby of the week at one site, take a look at the
latest "best cat pictures", or look up whatever holiday it is and all there
is to know and remember. The millennium has been quite a subject lately as
you may guess. Going to "The Activity Connection" and other Activity
Directors sites is also a great idea for us, and use them almost like a
search engine for interesting places to go, craft ideas, and other Activity
programming. Residents get more of a say in what they would like to do with
many more choices and ideas that I could ever come up with or present to
them in any better format.
And all the e-mails! This is one of the most successful and enjoyable
programs. We put our e-mail address in our facility newsletter, and loved
ones are now keeping in touch with their seniors twice as much. Especially
the grand-kids they are on the computer anyway all the time, "Grandma is so
cool! She is on line!" Families send pictures of Baptisms, great-grand kids,
vacations and pictures of years past. We use a 36" TV and all the pictures,
words, etc. are easily seen by the residents. One lady of ours, after seeing
a picture of her daughter, was telling everyone she saw "her baby" on TV! "I
knew she would be a star one day" she said.....lol!
What Else?
A couple of other ideas too, some of these I used to convince a very frugal
Administrator to approve the expenditure of the initial cost.
- Marketing
Lets face it, we Activity Directors and our programming ideas, are one of
the number one marketing tools for a facility next to the nursing services.
Quite a number of times I have seen raised eye-brows when visitors and
potential clients hear of us "surfin" or Mrs. Smith getting an e-mail. (It
stopped a surveyor right in her tracks when she heard that, yea!). Some of
our family members don’t have a computer themselves and are "amazed that
their loved one here at the nursing home are more advanced then they are" ha
ha! Word does get around...
- Contact with families has increased. Some who live local, e-mail us to give
us their phone numbers when going out of town, or when they are bringing in
surprises or special visitors.
- Brownie points for Survey
Almost all areas now have instant E-mail notification of severe weather.
(especially here in Florida!) That is a real plus as well for survey that we
have that "extra" notification and backup for emergencies. Actually, it was
thanks to hurricane Andrew that the Administrator took notice of the webtv I
was bringing in my unit from home to keep up with updates on the storm. If
you have short term residents, such as in a re-hab/SSU and have their own
e-mail at home, they can access their accounts like on AOL. Survey just
loved this too! The last time they were in the building, a young 30yo in our
re-hab unit was accessing his e-mail, and later was in a chat room talking
about VW bugs. Talk about having "age appropriate" activities! A Nurse here
is also planning on using the webtv to go to a site during an inservice
coming up too. It just goes on and on.
Finally:
It takes just a little time in figuring out and using all the special
features of the webtv unit, but you can create your own web page with
relative ease! Cut/paste "transloading" files on to sites like Tripod, and
others and even publishing them! It’s really not that hard at all! And all
on a TV! The possibilities and extras seem endless!
Well, Almost Finally.....
I have created a site created totally with the webtv, called "SeniorCyber".
Many of the sites I have discussed are located there, as well as other
activities using the webtv. I am always open for suggestions, and want to
start an e-mail pen-pal club soon, with other Seniors using the webtv at
nursing homes. The residents here, actually help me with the site, and
"vote" on some of the content, like sharing favorite links, or places to go
on the Internet that others have sent us to check out. Come visit, see more
of what we do, and hopefully, we’ll see you in Cyberspace real soon!
Info about me:
Have been in the health field for 8 years as a cna, then moved on to an
Activities Assistant for 4 years, to finally Activities Director/Supervisor
for the past 8. Live in St. Petersburg, Florida, Have been the Activity
Director for Tandem/Arbors at St. Petersburg in Seminole, Florida for 3.5
years. Contact at Tandem is tandemstpete@webtv.net
or 727-391-2200. Home, is kevinm@activitydirector.com.
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Hoy Card Game
Submitted by Donna Redfern of Cox/Collins Court Residential Facility
Equipment/Supplies:
Procedure:
Leader has one pack of cards. Each resident is given 5 or 6 cards, they are turned faced up. The leader
selects a card and calls out eg five of diamonds. Whoever has that card
turns it over. Play continues in this manner until all the cards are turned
over. The first person to have their cards turned over yells out "Hoy".
Three or four games played will fill in an afternoon.
Program Considerations or Precautions
Some assistance required for low
vision clients. Ask volunteers to assist.
Cow Chip Throwing Contest
Equipment/Supplies:
- Dried cowchips no larger then 5 inches in diameter.
- Wheel barrow to hold chips.
- Gloves for residents and their guests.
- Measuring tape.
- Trophy for 1st place and ribbons for second and third.
- Person to record distances.
- Cow costume, optional
Procedure:
Give each resident/guest a glove, one should be sufficient,(for their throwing hand)
Have residents and thier guest line up.They get to chose two chips from the
wheelbarrow and thus get two chances. The farthest throw is recorded. If the
chip falls apart int he air, the piece going the farthest is to be counted.
The fartehst three throws win. The activity personnel dress in the costumes.
Program Considerations or Precautions:
- Individuals with heart problems should be monitored and if possible have their physician ok the endeavor.
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