Forum Discussion

Hi Laura this article assured help you
https://www.goldencarers.com/how-to-support-residents-in-lockdown/6266/

We have started a kindess program with some childcare facilities. Our residents have supplied a picture and some information on themselves and we have delivered them to the childcare. They have returned with drawing and a little about them. This is a way we are trying to keep in contact with our community and its so far working beautifully. We are now doing easter cards in craft for the kids.

I like the idea of a kindness program
Even if you do not have ties with a children’s group you can use this idea among all your residents
I always had an impromptu kindness groups when the residents we’re getting mean even though they may not have meant it
It is always good to remind people staff and residents to be kind

Pen pal we have been in touch with other care homes and schools and residents have been writing letters to them. We have also been doing a raffle where the outside community has donated easter eggs where we will raffle them off to residents and staff.

Abigail
The raffle sounds like a beautiful idea for your residents
I am sure it will go well
Thank you for sharing

Thank you so much all for your ideas, they have helped greatly :)

We have students that are not in school now write cards to the residents.
We also have churches that bring clothes.

Nice to know GIgi
These are good ideas
Thank you

Hi Laura, we have a zoom program where residents may speak with their loved ones, we have a welcome window for visitors (2 at a time by appointment) to chat through the window. Our young child visitors are sending letters and paintings with help from their moms and dads and we help with the return letters. Our wonderful volunteers have started a video concert where they are recording them selves playing instruments, singing and telling jokes and stories, our residents then watch them on the TV.
We also arranged a Mothers Day high tea in the enchanted forest, complete with fairies (the staff dressed in hot pink wings and tutus) with games and strawberries in pink sparkling wine with the phrase 'if you can't be with the one you love then love the one you are with.'

Andrea this sounds lovely thank you for sharing

Hi just like to get some ideas on how we can celebrate cultural celebrations like Italian day and Philippine's Independence Day during covid 19. We accept family visitors now in our facility on staggered basis and needs to make appointment with our GM. Only 2 family members are allowed to come and 2x a week and required to have their flu vax and present the evidence of vaccination. And no cross over yet of residents from different wings. Pls. give some of your ideas.

The safest way is to have a zoom conference or some teleconference this way you get multiple families to join in
It won’t be the same but at least you can get people together
Otherwise you can have small gatherings of people coming in

Hi. I work in an independent living village but i still had to try to come up with ways to stop boredom and depression and loneliness. Some of the ideas i put to them was: write a short story, send in a favourite recipe, write a poem. We also found some charity websites where you can knit squares to make into a wrap (Wrap with love) or the Red Cross would love trauma teddies that are knitted. These are great for those that knit. Also an item called twiddle mitts (a mitten to put both hands in with beads or other items attached) which are easy to make and used in dementia sections to alleviate anxiety. We also downloaded some songs from Spotify and go around our village to each court - play songs for about 10 minutes and dance (residents come on their balcony and join in with big smiles on their face and sing along). I also put together puzzles and give to them each week including find a word - sudoku - word puzzles - mazes - crosswords. There are lots of sites for these. Good luck!

Hi Dianne
Wow it sounds like you’ve done some great things
Thanks for sharing them with us
you are doing a great job keep it up