5 Ways to Refresh Your Activity Calendar
Every activity calendar has its favourites. Bingo, exercise, coffee mornings and music groups are popular for good reason, but even the most enjoyable activities can become repetitive over time.
The good news is that you don't need to reinvent your entire program! A few simple changes can bring fresh interest to familiar activities and give residents something new to look forward to.
Here are five easy ways to refresh your activity calendar.
1. Try a New Twist on Bingo
Bingo is a favourite in many senior care settings, but playing the same way every week can become predictable.
Try changing the winning pattern to keep things interesting:
- Four Corners: Cover all four corners of the card.
- Letter T: Complete the top row and middle column.
- Letter X: Cover both diagonal lines.
- Full House: Cover every number on the card.
You can also introduce themed Bingo games featuring music, pictures, words or familiar objects.
Related:
- Image Bingo: Hollywood Stars Bingo - Baking Bingo
- Card Bingo: Po-ke-no
- Music Bingo: The Beatles Music Bingo - 50's & 60's Rock & Roll Bingo
2. Bring Family Connections into Coffee Chats
Coffee mornings are a wonderful opportunity for conversation and social connection. Adding a family theme can make these gatherings even more meaningful.
Invite family members to contribute photographs, short messages or stories that residents might enjoy sharing.
Ideas include:
- Sharing photographs from family holidays or special occasions.
- Reading messages from children or grandchildren.
- Discussing family traditions and favourite memories.
- Arranging occasional video calls with relatives who live far away.
- Always check that residents are comfortable sharing personal photographs or messages with the group.
Related:
8 Hot And Cold Drinks To Share In Good Company
3. Add Variety to Exercise Sessions
Regular exercise groups are an important part of many activity programs, but repeating the same movements every day can become monotonous.
Introduce a different style of movement throughout the week:
- Monday: Scarf Exercises
- Tuesday: Trivia and Exercise
- Wednesday: Seated dancing or movement to music
- Thursday: Gentle stretching and mobility exercises
- Friday: take it easy and play Balloon Volley
Adapt activities to residents' abilities and follow any individual exercise recommendations or restrictions.
Even small changes, such as using different music or introducing soft balls and scarves, can make familiar sessions feel new.
4. Explore the World with Armchair Travel
Armchair travel is a wonderful way to discover new places without leaving the comfort of the activity room.
Invite residents to choose a destination and explore it together using photographs, videos, music and conversation.
Try incorporating a few of these ideas:
- Discover interesting facts about the destination.
- Explore famous landmarks and scenery.
- Take a virtual walk using Google Maps Street View.
- Listen to traditional or popular music from the region.
- Learn a few words in the local language.
- Explore traditional foods and recipes.
- Share memories of holidays and places residents have visited.
Display photographs and videos on a large screen or TV so everyone can participate.
Related:
Armchair Travel Destinations
Armchair Travel with Google Maps
5. Learn a Musical Instrument Together
Music activities don't have to be limited to sing-alongs and listening sessions. Learning to play a simple instrument can be a rewarding group experience.
Start with accessible instruments such as tambourines, maracas, hand drums or rhythm sticks. Residents can practise keeping a beat, following simple rhythms or playing along with familiar songs.
For something different, invite a local music teacher, student or volunteer to introduce an instrument and demonstrate how it works.
Residents with musical experience may also enjoy sharing their skills with the group.
The focus should be on enjoyment and participation rather than mastering an instrument.
Related: How to Plan Music Activities for dementia care.
Small Changes Make a Big Difference
Refreshing your activity calendar doesn't have to involve extra expense or complicated planning. Sometimes, a new theme, a different format or a little variety is all it takes to renew interest in a familiar activity.
How do you keep your regular activities interesting? Share your favourite ideas and adaptations in the comments below!
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Activity Aide
Happy New Year, all. I am currently the only activity person at our facility, so as I formulate our calendar I have to be very efficient in my planning! My go-to activity is balloon volleyball, which I do with an actual volleyball net that sets up and breaks down in only a couple of minutes. With covid, I now incorporate social distancing by putting chairs between the players’ wheelchairs. With lively music and lots of good natured trash talking, this is hugely popular; the chairs even help act as passive “players”! It’s a goodly amount of setting up but well worth it. Lately we even have physical therapy come in to play and guide some of their patients through a game. Happy 2021!
Activity Director
Hi Melissa
This sounds like a great activity
My go to activity was name that tune
Instead of playing music I would say the first word of a title and see if the residents could guess the song
If No one guessed I would say the next word and until someone named the song
And we would sing
Activity Coordinator
I presently work in the community setting and am in need of ideas to support those with dementia in their homes! I may have to resort to doing activities over the telephone> Anyone have any ideas?
Diversional Therapist
Helping clients at home to stay connected is challenging, no doubt.
One useful thing to do is to show/teach them how to use Skype/FaceTime so they can call family and friends.
Another idea is to download apps with captions/subtitles for hearing deficit clients.
More ideas:
1) make a booklet of 7or 8 pages with trivia, quizzes, spot the differences, riddles, numbers games, name the animal/musical instruments and more. Post it to your client to do.
2) Find out what your client is interested in and recommend YouTube channels; painting, online forums, learning a language, watching children's’ dancing competitions, gentle chair exercises, caring for baby animals.
3) Call the client once a day to lend support.
4) Choose an easy facial mask pattern and make a parcel with enough fabric for the client to trace. Alternatively, you may send a parcel with traced masks for the client to cut for you.
