Fay

Can I ask how you get around your kitchen staff. I ran an activity in our high care unit last weekend peeling potatoes. The story went that the kitchen was short staffed and needed some help. It was interesting to see who still remembered how to use a peeler and of course there was the resident who had always used a knife, which we weren't allowed to use! However at the end of the activity we had to quietly dump the 4kgs of potatoes. Our residents used hats gloves and aprons but the kitchen co-ordinator would not sterilise the vegies in sanitiser and use in cooking. How does one get around this attitude? Would love to make crockpot soup but am facing the same problem.

I loved this idea but when I took it to my Leisure and Lifestyle Leader it was shot down in flames - reason : food allergies. Even though allergies are documented and advised to the kitchen I was told that exposing our elderly residents to something they may not have tried before could trigger an allergic reaction which was unknown before!

I thought it was a real shame.

Hi
Just did the fishing game for Fathers Day. Made our fish out of paper plates with magnets and a large magnet for hook. Note for future - make fish out of paper - its lighter! Don't set up your magnets on the fish the week before - the magnets we used lost their "magnetism " over the week they were waiting to be used. We also varied the activity slightly (through necessity). You only have to raise the fishes head off the bottom of the pool to qualify as a "catch". Each catch received an envelope which had their fish inside - we bought plastic fish and sea creatures from the dollar store and stuck magnets on the bottom - some of our Dads caught seaweed, starfish, squid, sharks, whales, crabs etc. - you get the idea. Of course all our fisher people got a small bar of chocolate which many of our residents use as gifts for their visitors. Hope you can benefit from my comments.
Fay

Hi Dorothy - new to aged care activities and golden carers - but I would also appreciate a copy of your list if you still have it - realise this posting has been going for a while now. Thanks. Fay

We have bus excursions twice a week. On Tuesday's we go to local shops. On Thursday a small shopping centre further away, usually 2 hour outing. Every second thursday we do a 4 hour trip which goes further and includes lunch out. Our bus can take ten people in total. All must be able to access bus as we have no wheelchair hoist. We do have storage for walkers and wheelchairs in back. We usually have RAO who drives bus and one volunteer, but that depends on how many residents need assistance with pushing. We are going to an art gallery this week and next week we are tackling end of year sales. We tend to stay together as a group, those who are independent pair off and we have an agreed meeting spot at a coffee shop. We also pre arrange a $4.50 coffee and cake deal for staff and residents as an extra.
Hope this helps.

Also a bit of masking tape over where you need the hole drilled. I took something similar to a glass place- cost $4 a hole, but that was a while ago now.

Hi everyone, my first time in the forum so be gentle with me lol. Can anyone suggest a good cd for chair exercises. How is the one advertised on this site. The ones we have are rubbish. Also a new RAO still in training and loving the tried and true ideas from the "old hands" in the industry.
Thanks, in advance.