By
Haley
Recreation Therapist And Writer
Recreation Therapist And Writer
How to Start a New Resident Welcome Program
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New residents are a part of life for an Activity Professional. These new folks come through the doors feeling worried, dealing with serious pain, confusion, and other challenges. Here’s what you need to know to make sure everyone feels welcome and wanted.
In this article we cover:
- Why you need a New Resident Welcome Program
- How to Welcome People Immediately
- Activity Interventions for New Residents
- Starting a Welcome Committee
- First Impressions Count
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Portable Activity Ideas to Reach Every Resident, Everyday
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We have a new resident tea each month, we send out pretty invites and use real teacups and saucers sourced from local antique shops. We have scones and jelly. A flyer goes up a few days before announcing and encouraging our seasoned residents to attend and say hello. We go around the table introducing ourselves and asking questions. It is a very popular activity, and all residents enjoy coming to the New Resident Tea.
This is lovely Antoinette, what a wonderful welcome for your new residents.
This has been a goal of mine for a long time, and with this information I feel I can now proceed successfully! These are all wonderful ideas and the boost I needed to make it happen. Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for your feedback Julie! All the best!
I purchase the pretty photo boxes from Michaels when they go on sale - 5/$10 and fill it with welcome letter, word search/crosswords/Sudoku books, fuzzy socks, candies, Dove soap, body wash, travel toothpastes and of course our monthly calendar. Not all that goes into a box, but just some ideas.
Another idea is to contact the family and ask their interests (yes, even though we have a 'My Story'). First it shows we care enough to reach out to the families and you are establishing a relationship. I found out through the family that a man was so interested in WWI fighter planes, however, he didn't serve in the armed forces and it wasn't on his My Story. I purchased a coffee table book at Barnes & Nobel for $4.00 - it was full of pictures and history. This opened wonderful discussions when we visited his room.
Bought some small travel size toiletries put them in a wedding favour bags, have some postcards of the building printed to add a personal note and a welcome sign to hang off the door. Have left packs ready for the housekeeping staff to add to rooms as they are made ready as activity staff are not in at the weekend when many new residents and visitors arrive. Its not much but its a start.
I love this idea seems so welcoming.
Wow all fantastic ideas, I will be printing off and take to our next meeting to share with the team. It can be so hard doing the required admission asking so many questions these are great ideas to implement and help our resident adjust to their new home.
We are all welcoming and inviting upon arrival but love the ideas that we can add.
Thankyou heaps
Cheryl-lee
I am an activity director at an adult day center, we have people for 4 to 8 hours with different stages of dementia, we play many activities we stay busy all day really no down time , I go through alot of different games. Also would like some arts and craft ideas some need to be simple yet not to simple for higher functioning clients. Thanks
Haley has submitted a new article: How To Start A New Resident Welcome Program