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Marie 28th Apr 2020 activity director

Ok guys ...I need ur help--how is everyone dealing w/ the whole lockdown thing--rules in my facility change daily--I watching residents slowly becoming withdrawn--the decline is rapid--we do a lot of 1-1 and hallway cart stuff--more people are in bed now then ever before....
my heart is breaking for the families --when they do get to visit--they will not find the same person they left.....i feel like we are now doing a rotation of the same or simiular things---cant do crafts--too many eat the glue--or the items we r glueing !! lots cant see well--i print everything really big---we do all the ice cream-snack-float..etc. carts....I need some encouraging words---I falling apart over here........

Susan 28th Apr 2020 Activity Director

This article and comments may help you
https://www.goldencarers.com/spice-up-your-activity-calendar-with-new-twists-to-familiar-activities/5586/
Also the comments I made to this post might be helpful as well
https://www.goldencarers.com/comments/26127/

Solange 28th Apr 2020 Diversional Therapist

Hi Marie, hang in there, you are not alone. Its such challenging times but you are strong and will persevere to the end. Have you thought about having ‘Hallway’ activities? Have residents sitting at the door entrance of their rooms so they can see each other at a distance. Present activities like a sing-along, poetry reading, read aloud short stories and jokes, chair exercises, Roll a Ball game (give each resident a pool noodle and throw a small beach ball in the hallway for them to pass around), themed quizzes, Finish the Proverbs, True or False, High Tea. quizzes: themed quizzes, Threesome, True, or False. You can also spice things up with a competition: enlarge one ‘Spot the Differences’ or 'Hidden objects and give each resident a copy; whoever finds the most gets a token reward. All of the above can be found in Golden Carers. Take care, thinking of you.

Lisa 30th Apr 2020 Activity Director

Hi Marie,

Your post was exactly what I am feeling today. It is a struggle to think of different and stimulating activities that you can only do 1:1. Unfortunately we have strict guidelines related to Covid 19 and we are not able to do any group activities. Door ways do not work for us because a lot of our residents are in semi-private rooms. What I am working on right now is doing themed days. Music Mondays ( going to try and have our performers send video clips of them singing to show on ipads), Trivia Tuesday ( use this wonderful site for different ideas of Trivia), Word Game Wednesday ( again using this site for ideas such as Hangman, tic tac toe) Tech Thursday ( ipad programs ), and Fitness Friday ( Exercise). I'd love to hear other ideas!

Susan 30th Apr 2020 Activity Director

Hi Lisa
Solange had some great ideas
Also read the comments to this article as well as the article because I think it may give you some ideas
https://www.goldencarers.com/19-ways-for-residents-to-socialize-in-isolation/6335/

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