Maria

Lots of ways to host these quizes.

1. Hands up, first person gets to answer. Correct answer gets a small prize. You can only answer one correctly. If we get to the end and some people haven't answered we will call them by name and if they don't know the answer they can "ask a friend" for help.

2. Another good one is to draw numbers from a hat to see who gets to answer.

3. For a smaller group you can read aloud the question then go around and ask each person what they think the answer is.

4. Teams: teams of 3-5 people. Each team needs to decide on an answer. We keep score and the winning team gets a prize.

Hi.
One thing we do here that is non-denominational is a wishing/gratitude tree. We have a large tree branch that lives in our main activity room in a fancy pot, you could also draw a tree or use a real one.

We get participants to discuss what they are grateful for in their lives and then they write it or you help them write it on a slip of paper that will be tied onto the tree. This can be really helpful for people who are feeling down or negative about their current situation to help them think about the positives.

For the wishing tree we write one thing that they still want to accomplish in their lives. This can help them find a new sense of purpose and when possible we will try to help them accomplish this goal through future programs.

We leave the wishes/gratitudes on the tree for a few weeks and then collect them and add them to a book which the participants can look through.

We are doing one for thanksgiving next week (Canada) where the slips of paper are cut out to look like autumn leaves to be hung on the tree.

How about baking where you measure and they can stir, need the dough, cut shapes etc.
Book club - read allowed and discuss
Clay or therapeutic putty.
Music appreciation
Chair exercise
What's in the bag - fill a bag with one or many items, pass it around and have them stick their hand in to feel the item, points for people who guess correctly

It really depends on the group you have. Like Donna said, if there is a high number of dementia patients it may not be a good idea to make a group announcement. However, with a high functioning group I would at least tell the resident's close friends in person/private. A memorial area is good, with a picture of the departed, but you need to have a set time limit to leave the photos up as some people will relive their grief over and over. You can also let residents write cards etc. and place them with the pictures.