Solange

Welcome, Sharon. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Hi Celia, how kind and encouraging your words. The Golden carers team is totally exhilarated by your message. Thank you very much. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a New Year full of happiness and prosperity. Solange and the team

Hi Bobbi, many moons ago I did a rather good Craft Workshop with the Salvation Army. Perhaps they still run this workshop in your area. It included some new ways to play old games.

Hi Bobbi, the allocation of the budget depends on the Program you have for the year. In my experience, we spend approximately 70% of the budget on entertainment: outings, concerts,
instructors (Tai Chi, Yoga), theme events, etc. We kept 20% for the purchase of games, craft material, and other resources. The other 10% we kept for a 'raining day' until the end of the year when we would spend it on Christmas. Of course, the budget allocation depends also on whether it is generous or weak. In my days our budget was $250 dollars a month for a facility of 64 beds. Hope this helps.

Hi Bobbi, yes, online training seems to be the most popular in my experience. Some facilities also have an in-house training education where educators come to update staff on Dementia, Hospice Care, and Health & Safety among others.

Hi Nikole, winter is a great time to craft. Of course, the craft must suit the skills of your clients.
For instance, dementia clients may enjoy making a winter poster: offer magazines and old calendars to cut out winter pictures (with safety scissors). For high functioning residents something more challenging like Christmas garlands, pom-pom wreaths, paper snowflakes, or sock snowmen. All the best.

Hi Heather, have you tried these?
Tactile games in Braille: Four in a Row – Banana-grams – Sudoku.
Outings for coffee or ice cream (You’ll need a volunteer)
Sculpting with dry clay
Pet therapy – Invite someone with a docile cat or dog to visit the facility
Cooking (mixing eggs and sugar or breaking eggs, or shaping dough) –
Craft – God’s Eye – unravelling wool – recycled collage - Stick pictures.

Hi Lori, can you give some more information, please. I have never heard of Tour Goal game; perhaps it is known by another name or is it a soccer game?

You are quite right Donna. Staff should have at least the minimum training required to be able to fit the individual competencies and skills of clients with dementia.

Hi Rachel, it is really disheartening when the numbers drop in any activity. Have you tried to involve clients’ family in the activity? Invite relatives so they may combine a visit with the activity. Another idea is to announce a Quiz Tournament. Divide participants into two groups and offer a choice of two quizzes, e.g. a Geography quiz or a World’s Capital quiz. The winning group will be serenaded by the loser group with some known song. Make it fun and they will be back. All the best.