Solange

Hi Cathy, could you do a Hall Singalong? Residents would sit at the door of their bedrooms in the Hallway and sing together with you as a leader. Music is a quintessential activity for everyone and especially for people in care. It can bring so much joy and promotes good feelings. Keep safe.

Hi Jordan, this problem is common in care facilities and unfortunately, there is no widespread protocol to deal with it as yet. In some facilities management gets involved and sets up specific guidelines and procedures for reporting resident-to-resident mistreatment. It is important to understand the contributing factors. Have you tried to match the person with mind-like residents in a separate group? Also, observe the resident and praise him/her enthusiastically when you see her doing something nice to another person. Behavior-specific praise is powerful; praise and thanks to the person for what he/she did right. Another strategy is to appeal to her empathetic feelings to ‘help’ you to run a craft/social group session. If everything fails, involve the management. Good luck!

High Jennie, I agree with you fully. The 1:1’s visits cannot be underestimated. The greater the loneliness and solitude, the lower the quality of life and more so in these trying times. Thank you for encouraging the community that better times will come.

Hi Kelly, High School children can contribute in many ways. Music for instance; inquire at your local High School about choirs, Trio and Quartet musicians, poetry reading, and drama skits and invite them to do dress rehearsal at your facility. Also, teenagers can play cards and other table games with residents for an hour or so regularly. A teenager can also help a resident to restore a wooden jewelry box or a chair by sanding and painting it. Further, teenagers can assist interested residents with computers and wifi.
Make the children welcome with drinks and snacks to motivate them to come back. Don’t stress if at first residents don’t seem interested. They have to get used to the children before enjoying their company.

Hi Michael, to start a Ladies Auxiliary it is important to have at least 3 or 4 members interested. You are lucky to have your Mom and the two ladies that help you with the garden as possible members. Use your monthly newsletter, bulletin boards, and church boards to recruit extra members. Then have a meeting to establish the ranking: president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. When these roles are defined in terms of duty, authority, and duration of terms the group is structured to start. Good luck!

Hi Megan, perhaps you could have a staff member go to the beach and gather some shells and pebbles into a couple of boxes to pass around. It would go well with the fresh scent of the ocean. You could do the same with a box of sand, some driftwood, and a container of seaweed, if available. It would stimulate the senses and remind them of their childhood. Hang in there Megan, everything passes, and COVID will be just a memory one day!

Hi Jamie, yes you could try making Sushi. Also, there is Yakitori (chicken in skewers) and Onigiri (rice balls), and Gyoza (the Japanese equivalent of Chinese dumplings). Recipe for Onigiri will feature in the Japan Armchair Travel next week.

Hi Melody, how wonderful that you have the support of your Chef. Congratulations to both of you. Thank you for taking the time to let us know. We appreciate it. All the best!

Hi Victoria, you are absolutely right. I am so sorry. My sincere apologies. Thank you for taking the time to let us know. We really appreciate it. We will fix it as soon as possible.

Hi Sally, you could glue them top to top, and with the help of papier-mache residents could turn them into animals like whales, crocodiles, fishes, lizards. It is a great way to recycle the
donated containers and newspapers.