Member Profile:

Susan

Activity Director From Nevada, United States


About Susan:

Susan Berg is a freelance writer, retired healthcare professional, retired Activity Director and current writer for several senior care e-magazines with more than 20 years of experience working with Senior Citizens and eight years experience writing for a number of publications. She is the author of a book for those with dementia and their caregivers. Susan has two blogs about activities for seniors and information vital to all wanting to know about dementia. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and North Shore Community College.



Senior Citizens


Susan is an expert on senior citizen issues. She is currently a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant(COTA). In this role, she has worked with senior citizens. Susan is an expert on adapting and modifying activities so that seniors can participate in them. She spent twenty years as an Activity Director in nursing homes. She devised, planned, coordinated, and facilitated stimulating activity programming. Also she designed a program for homebound senior citizens. Currently, Susan shares her knowledge about senior activities on one of her blogs.



Dementia


Susan is also an expert on dementia and related issues. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner(CPD). She has participated in numerous workshops, seminars and alike where she has gained much knowledge. Her work as an Activity Director and COTA has given her much knowledge and experience in relating to individuals with dementia. Susan is passionate about sharing her knowledge. She is hopeful that people will do what they can to prevent or at least slow down dementia in themselves or loved ones. Susan has shared many tips on how to prevent dementia or slow it down on her other blog.




Feel free to visit and comment at either of Susan’s blogs at
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com

28 Activities


3613 Comment

Susan 8th Dec 2018 Activity Director

Forum

Here are some other ideas international nurses day is May 12 but these ideas will work for you now
https://www.goldencarers.com/how-to-show-your-appreciation-on-international-nurses-day/3994/
https://www.goldencarers.com/a-poem-for-nurses/5038/
Susan 7th Dec 2018 Activity Director

Forum

Susan 3rd Dec 2018 Activity Director

Fun with Limericks - how to make your own

This is the right creativity activity
Susan 26th Nov 2018 Activity Director

Forum

For your new years celebration use the suggestions here
https://www.goldencarers.com/count-down-to-noon/4097/
We used many of these ideas
In addition will you would use a beach ball and have a resident hold it over their head and hold onto it while we counted from 10 to 0 and then said happy new year
I have a special entertainer unless the weather was bad but we would have our party with the entertainer or not
Before the party we would make noise makers
Before of the toast which I made homemade champagne with diet soda and juice
We would give glass of juice to each resident and one we got to zero we would hold the glass up and say happy new year everyone would drink their juice and then they would shake their noisemakers
We would invite family members to join us they seem to enjoy the celebration
The room was packed but there were still some resident who could not come so we would go to their room and drink a glass of fake champagne and give them a noise maker and say happy new year to them
They really enjoyed this
Susan 26th Nov 2018 Activity Director

Countdown to Noon!

I love the suggestions here go to the forum to see more of my ideas
Susan 23rd Nov 2018 Activity Director

Forum

I am not a great organizer but I had some people who were the only thing is you need to be with them so you know where everything is being put
Molly has some great ideas too
Susan 23rd Nov 2018 Activity Director

Forum

I do not have a flyer but you can look online or you can use one that they have on: Golden Carers or you can use the free clipart they have for Christmas and just arrange them on the paper of the way you want here is the Golden Carers
https://www.goldencarers.com/christmas-poster-1/4867/
Here is something online that you may or may not have to pay for mayor may not be a pain in the neck but you decide
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/g/holiday-season-collages/poster#6abc4afc39c4353ec8d4e701dcdb1cc7
Here is a place to find free Christma clip art
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/free-christmas-clip-art-1356282
Susan 22nd Nov 2018 Activity Director

Forum

This is a difficult but somewhat common problem
It is hard to redirect residents like this because they will forget what you told them and they will think they have to do what they have to do so my advice is to do a room search when they are not In the room
It's amazing what you'll find in residents rooms
In fact it's a good idea to help residents straighten out their room and you may be amazed at what you find
Susan 22nd Nov 2018 Activity Director

Forum

It's a good idea to post a weekly calendar in a common area so that the residents can see it
Here are some member ideas
https://www.goldencarers.com/comments/18925/


Here are some sample calendars from other activity directors
https://www.goldencarers.com/sample-activities-calendars/3881/
Susan 21st Nov 2018 Activity Director

20 Fabulous Day Trip Destinations for Seniors

Thank you so much those are also good ideas
Help