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I co-own and operate a small assisted living home in Pittsfield, NH (U.S.A.). We consistently seek ways to improve upon our senior activity program, providing a diversified balance of a purposeful and enjoyable time of recreation, crafting, exercise and others to reach all of our residents. I must say, it's been a challenge. This past October I began researching options online and came across your site, subscribing for a year to see what you were all about. Let me tell you, you have not disappointed! Your site is a priceless resource that we are extremely thankful for. We find a significant increase in resident participation and look forward to the new ideas that each month brings. Our residents love the changes!
Linda Small
Caregiver
United States
Our memory care areas for 20 residents has limited activity space and cannot accommodate the elaborate "life stations" some communities have. We have some shelf areas, a tv, a little kitchenette area and a little doll baby cradle. There are arm chairs and tables with chairs. We are trying to set up our space to encourage residents to feel free to pick up an activity material and engage with their space when activity staff is taking break or in evenings. We want to leave activitiy supplies out to encourage the care staff to interact with residents in positive way when activities is not present. We also want it to look adult and familiar to residents and not like a kindergarten. I'd love to incorporate the idea of life stations but would have to be able to use all spaces for multiple uses. Also there is the concerns of residents taking off with materials or putting things in mouth so we need to be intentional about what is left out. I'd appreciate it if anyone can share what works for them and also looks good for marketing department!
You are sin a tricky situation because of the marketing aspect of it
What is your budget ???
Anything you put on the tables will probably disappear so plan on that
Inter-active wall art is good and doesn’t take up much room, but you may have to make your own because of budget constraints
I like this
https://www.goldencarers.com/bored-board-brain-training-for-seniors/6212/
You can put anything you want, on it to meet the needs of your residents
You could hang up other things on your walls, such as a whiteboard or a colorful circle that is used to play catch Then have items that could be stuck on it
As far as what to put on the tables, I like a fancy nonbreakable vase and some fake flowers to put in it
You could have magazines and books
Make sure to have a daily weekly and monthly calendar on the walls where people can see them
You can put colored paper and pipe cleaners stickers Colored pencils on the tables and may be decks of cards There are some Monet things you can do with a deck of cards
Of course, it depends on what your residents like to do which surely change over time
You can put some of the activities that on your bored, board pn the tables also
you could get PVC pipe tees, and joints so residents can put them together
Untangling and tangling string. Is also a good.
You should plan on everything disappearing so I wouldn’t get too fancy with that may be could have Special items when the marketing person is around
If you need any more help, let me know
I am in a similar situation as yours, in that our MC community is an open-concept space that has no options for "life stations". The section for activities has a very large TV as the focal point, with some chairs and two large tables for group activities. I don't have a "bored board", but I liked the concept, so I now print out Golden Carers coloring pages and leave those and colored pencils and markers on the tables, along with a couple of puzzles and word searches. And yes, things do disappear, which is why I love that we can print items easily, rather than have an entire book! I also provide copies of "today in history", since several residents read. I also leave a balloon out which can easily be batted around by residents and staff.
And, I love the idea of PVC pipes for residents to put together and take apart!! I often will ask a few residents to help fold napkins or sort something at one of the tables before I take a break. This can give them purpose while keeping them busy and sometimes others join in with them.