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Jodie 4th Jan 2018 Recreation Activities Officer
Hello, I am in my first 12 months of working since completing my Leisure an Health certificate. I have been in aged care for the past 7 years, primarily as a carer.

My current workplace is a 65 bed Aged Care Facility. I am finding before lunch is when I get most participation for group activities, after lunch most of my residents go back to there rooms and my groups are much smaller. I tend to focus on more 1:1 activities at this time.

Just out of curiosity are your workplaces like this? how many group activities would you say you carry out a day? are you also getting in 1:1?

looking forward to reading your comments.
Lynda 8th Jan 2018 Recreation Officer
Hi Jodie, I work in a 70 bed facility. We usually run a short exercise program in the morning and another group activity in the morning and one in the afternoon. I find a lot of people do like a rest after lunch, but there are also others who are looking for something to do. We might run a Movie Matinee in the afternoon and have some special afternoon tea, a drive in the bus, a walk outside in the garden, special afternoon teas, cooking, etc. We also do a lot of 1-1's. It is not usually me though, as the paperwork and planning really does make the actual reality of doing things a bit tight at times, but I have an assistant and social nurse and wonderful volunteers who I program in to make sure everyone gets a 1-1 sometime in the week. I think you just have to adapt your programs to suit the needs of your residents. Have a look at your program and talk with the residents to see if there is anything different they would like and make changes where needed. All the best.
Lynda 8th Jan 2018 Recreation Officer
Hi Jodie, I work in a 70 bed facility. We usually run a short exercise program in the morning and another group activity in the morning and one in the afternoon. I find a lot of people do like a rest after lunch, but there are also others who are looking for something to do. We might run a Movie Matinee in the afternoon and have some special afternoon tea, a drive in the bus, a walk outside in the garden, special afternoon teas, cooking, etc. We also do a lot of 1-1's. It is not usually me though, as the paperwork and planning really does make the actual reality of doing things a bit tight at times, but I have an assistant and social nurse and wonderful volunteers who I program in to make sure everyone gets a 1-1 sometime in the week. I think you just have to adapt your programs to suit the needs of your residents. Have a look at your program and talk with the residents to see if there is anything different they would like and make changes where needed. All the best.

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