Solange

Hi Sarah, you could ask volunteers to bake cakes in-house for sale. Then ask permission in local school sports events to sell them, for instance. You could also invite staff, residents’ relatives, and friends for a Pancake Breakfast or a Hamburger Lunch for a set price. You could ask your Chef to save the seeds of a pumpkin or butternut squash; then wash, dry, and count them and put them in an attractive jar on display., For small donation residents, staff and visitors can try to guess how many seeds are there; the winner is rewarded with a token prize (according to the yield of the jar - if $20 a small box of chocolate is adequate). Another idea with food is to invite people for a soup night. Choose a popular soup like Chicken, or Minestrone Soups, served with crusty garlic bread.

Hi Jennifer, non-verbal activities are the way to go. Activities like "Name the vegetable, Car, Carpentry Tools. Instead of voicing it they can cross or underline the right one. Alternatively, you could laminate the answers for them to pick the right one.
You can also use ‘Yes or No Answers’ (semantic features), for instance, laminate some large pictures taken from magazines and calendars. Show the pictures and ask nonsensical questions e.g. Show a packet of crispies and ask: Is it a banana? Is it red? Can you wear it? Do you keep it in the refrigerator? Is it made of plastic? Do children like it? Does the name start with a “C”? And so on, the questions can be really silly, to amuse and keep the brain alert. If they suffer from Aphasia they can answer with laminate yes and no cards.
You could also try ‘Role Playing’; scrip everyday situations for them to play: Make cards with short sentences like riding a bike, exercising, driving a car, cooking, lighting a camping fire, singing, playing the piano, etc. Each person takes a card and role plays that card.
https://www.goldencarers.com/name-the-vegetable-quiz/4270/
https://www.goldencarers.com/name-the-carpentry-tools/5200/

Hi Adele,
Best positive aspects of growing old; grandchildren, wisdom, mellow, more time for friends, time for hobbies, Volunteering, seniors discount.

Negative aspects of growing old: aches and pains, feeling unattractive, no longer driving at night, away from family, boredom, missing the fast pace life they lived, losing friends,

Hi, Adele, Just a few thoughts on the subject. Self-awareness is the ability to see yourself clearly and objectively so you can extend it to others. It is a key component of emotional intelligence and relates to how your internal emotional states and strengths/weaknesses (among other things) can impact on those you care for. Having a good self-awareness makes you a better caregiver in that you can handle interpersonal relationships in a professional, empathetic way. The rapport you build with your client will be superior; you will be able to better recognize and assess the behaviors, sadness, and negative feelings of clients. There are many ways to develop self-awareness:
1 - Practice mindfulness 2 - Ponder on how you react to stress 3 - Try to put yourself in other people’s place 4 - Use honesty and humility 5 - Be open to perspectives of other races and ethnicity 6 - Take responsibility for your wrong doings and apologize sincerely 7 - Recognize implicit bias.

Hi, Adele,
Th e following articles will give you the inspiration to answer questions on effective communication.
https://www.goldencarers.com/10-tips-for-improving-interpersonal-communication-skills/5188/
https://www.goldencarers.com/15-ways-to-encourage-residents-who-are-lonely-or-sad/6372/
https://www.goldencarers.com/19-ways-for-residents-to-socialize-in-isolation/6335/

Hi Adele, what is the subject of your last unit?

Hi, Elsie, thank you for your kind words, we appreciate it. All the best.

Hi Alison, what a great idea! Thanks for sharing.

Hi, Sarah, here is an example of an assorted Rummage Box.
small screwdriver, lipstick, chocolate, black and white photograph, soft toy, bottle opener, pair of gloves, coins, CDs, lavender posy, car keys, compact powder, doilies, spoons.

Hi, Dawn, the recommendation of Diane for vision-impaired residents is very good, I also had good results with 'What's in the Bag'. You could also try air-dry clay for sculpting; they can mold whatever they want; small bowls and vases, hearts to hang on walls, flowers, animals. They can later paint or decorate to their choices. The visually impaired relies on sounds, smell, and touch. A game of scents entertains and aids the memory e.g. small jars od kitchen scents like cloves, cinnamon, star anise, or fresh herbs; mint, rocket, coriander, and parsley. You can also ask relatives for donations of pieces of fabric: velvet, silk, lace, wool to reminisce how those fabrics were used in their youth. Keep safe.