Heather

thank you all for your responses I do most of these things, I guess I was needing people who understand our jobs to reinforce that I am still on the right track, so once again thank you. Heather I love the tin ball idea and will certainly put that into our program session variety games which we play balloon badminton, leap frog etc which are ideas from the site. I am going to try some virtual remenicising with them as often it takes so much prompting to get them to talk as they will often say I cant remember. Once again thank you for all your ideas and support I would be lost without Golden Carers... We all do such a wonderful job but often can be very hard and lonely as nurses often do not understand how much work we actually do and what we are trying to achieve for our residents. regards Heather

Looking for new activities for HIGH CARE DEMENTIA RESIDENTS, I have 40 residents to provide activities for Monday to Friday and only 8 of those residents have the cognitive ability to do trivia, bingo etc. who join our hostel residents for these activities. I have changed to a lot of one on ones this year and gone with group social mornings such as Devonshire teas, and exercise class, but if anyone has some new ideas I would love to hear from you... Even if you work with the same please post your calander for ideas as I would love to see it.. thanks Heather..

Dear Solange, Being a leisure and Health worker can be lonely and frustrating so say the least sometimes, but one thing we all have in common is a friend in you and your wonderful site. The support offered to each and everyone of the Golden Carers Members goes beyond and above keeping us all a float and on the right track to continue to provide the one thing we are all trying to do. Provide normal life pursuits to individuals in our care.. I love my job and Golden Carers helps me to continue to realise that when things get a little tough. I thank you and your team for helping me to continue to do this and wish each and everyone one a Merry Christmas and a safe and productive New Year. xxx

Hi everyone, just thought I'd share what I've been doing to help bring in the Christmas spirit in our nursing home. Not only has it done this but has assisted me, as we all know Christmas is an extremely busy time for us all with organising activities, Christmas parties for residents and some of us also required to assist with staff morale at this time of year as well, so I hope by sharing some of you may get a little something out it.
1. The December program is called a Christmas program (this way families know it is a little different to other months.
2. Activities have been - Decorating the home for Christmas - residents have enjoyed putting up the tree and decorating, others who felt they know longer were able enjoyed watching, others decided where Christmas items should be placed. (lots of laughter and remenicising about old times)
3. Each year we hold our Christmas party which means a continuous raffle - Lots of wrapping, so our activity was Santa's Work Shop, I played Christmas carols and residents sang and helped wrap the items, after the activity residents were telling staff to buy tickets in the raffle as there is some great items to win. (budget looking good for next year).
3. Volunteers come to sing Christmas carols - phew Activity officer can get to sit for a little while - only need a voice.. so it was folding the serviettes for the Christmas party, by the end of the session we had 200 serviettes folded and ready to go.
4. Wrapping of Christmas Gifts - 4 rolls of different coloured Christmas paper, residents sat with me and we wrapped some of the gifts together - great stimulation residents cut the paper to size, others the ribbon and those unable to do either choose what coloured paper to use for each gift. (great conversation and lead to a resident asking when are we doing more).
5. Christmas Craft - Home always receives Christmas cards from family which is lovely but where do they put them, so residents made a Christmas card holder, very simple but effective plus they had fun being able to give something to the staff.
6. Volunteers thank you morning tea - need a gift resident making a special little gift for each of them and have been enjoying planning the morning tea. (offering self worth)
During all these activities residents have been happy and feeling useful by offering them self worth, it has been lovely remenicising about their childhood at Christmas, being parents at Christmas time and what they will be doing now... I might add most say the best thing is they no longer have to spend all day in the kitchen cooking and washing up. Many are asking what is the next job they will be doing and looking forward to helping.
For me as the activities officer for 40 high care dementia residents it has been wonderful, they are a great help and it has allowed me to get things organised for their Christmas party while spending time with each of them.
Merry Christmas to you all and don't forget to relax over the holiday period and recharge those warn out batteries...

Solange, the lecture sounded as though it was great and as I do our new admissions and deal with Advance care directives im looking forward to seeing the website, can you inform us when it is up and running please.

Solange, the lecture sounded as though it was great and as I do our new admissions and deal with Advance care directives im looking forward to seeing the website, can you inform us when it is up and running please.

Hi avery, our tick sheets are coded with, 1 no participation, 2 passive participation, 3 participated with support, 4 full participation, im in high care dementia so majority of mine are a 3, at the bottom of each month I evaluate them so I no if resident is taking part.. on occasions some passively engage on a social aspect such as sing-alongs they might not be singing but facial expressions, feet tapping and hands tapping and chatting to another resident tell another story. Tick sheets, help me to plan my programs each month and meet the needs of my residents by showing which activities are popular or not as no point doing activities that do not meet the needs of residents or ones they enjoy... hope this helps.

Thanks love the pulling of horse game. It means all levels of cognitive and physical abilities residents can have join in have fun.

Jennifer just an idea, I run our exercise class four days a week, I set the program up by looking at our residents physio programs and putting together a collection of exercises they do with the physio aid. I am lucky enough to be allowed to download music through ITunes so I picked out music with a beat and our residents follow me with the exercises, our physio aid helps the residents that require someone to physically help move limbs. our residents love it and as I do it in a central area our care staff join in as they are walking past. I have many residents who ask me daily during morning room visits, are we doing our huffs and puffs today. we often get some of the hostel residents joining us and they love it. (just a suggestion and it is a lot cheaper than buying professional disc)

I am like carol, I do feeds as well and look at it as 1:1 time with those residents who are bed bound, I also do pass and cornell assessments when required, I find it interesting and also look at this as 1:1 time. I find this time special and able to offer quality into ones life in another form of stimulation and in return I get to learn so much more about each resident I attend.