Sheila

A new activity has been posted by a Golden Carers member: IRELAND Cryptic Quiz

A new activity has been posted by a Golden Carers member: Search tool

Lovely idea - thanks

Ah ha - that's where Olive came from - I thought she was Popeye's girlfriend! Love your comment Joanne and thanks Solange for your hard work in giving us activities each month - its so good to be able tap into someone else's ideas - my own can feel very stale after 19 years in this work :)

According to Wikipedia - "The commonly cited names of the reindeer are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. They are based on those used in the 1823 poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (commonly called "The Night Before Christmas"), which is arguably the basis of reindeer's popularity as Christmas symbols"
Note Rudolph was never one of them - Rudolph first appeared in a 1939 booklet written by Robert L. May and published by Montgomery Ward

We held a World Kindness Day/week 2 years ago which turned out to be a huge hit. I made some badges which we sold for funding care in the community - but if you wore a badge you took on a challenge to find something kind to do for someone throughout that week. There were some lovely stories that filtered through as people went out of their way to "go the extra mile".

Thought you might like some fun to add to your professions quiz that I saw in a newspaper once:
Golden Oldies

Old accountants never die, they just lose their balance.
Old bankers never die, they just lose their interest.
Old beekeepers never die, they just buzz off
Old Char ladies never die. they just kick the bucket
Old doctors never die, they just lose their patience
Old farmers never die, they just go to seed
Old horticulturists never die, they just they just go to pot
Old photographers never die, they just stop developing
Old pilots never die, they just go to a higher plane
Old policemen never die, they just cop out
Old preachers never die, they just ramble on and on and…
Old skateboarders never die, they just lose their bearings

Obviously you have to sure that your residents have a sense of humour as not everyone can see the funny side of things but it usually goes down well!

Here's another one for you:
Whether

Whether the weather be fine
Or whether the weather be not
Whether the weather be cold
Or whether the weather be hot –
We’ll weather the weather
Whether we like it or not!
Anon

I love all the comments that have come through - Solange - I am working in a Frail care Centre where even an exercise bicycle is not an option because of the fraility of the residents. Though I do run a "chairobics" session each day.
Another option for the loners is a crossword or puzzle challenge which can be handed out at the beginning of the week and then a prize awarded for the first correct entry drawn. I have a lady who spends much time alone but now has a volunteer doing the cryptic crossword with her because of her macular degeneration. Now another lady has joined them so suddenly we have a small group.
We also have a jigsaw out on a table in the lounge for everyone to enjoy.

Well done - great article and I am so glad that you have made mention of the fact that some residents enjoy their own company. When living in a communal setting where rooms have to be shared its hard for residents to find "their own space and time to themselves".

I have also noted that unless every resident is joining in with activities there is pressure on the facilitator to include everyone or somehow you are perceived as not having done your job.. No activity is therapeutic unless the person wishes to be a part of it. Choice is so important especially in a frail care setting where so few choices are left.

The only activity I would exclude is biking - not many elderly people still have the ability to balance safely!