Members Forum

Thank you for sharing this information Sylvia
Hopefully more will share this with their residents and staff

My residents loved this! They were interesting and the answers were achievable with the great clues given. We look forward to an October birthday special.

Thank you for all the wonderful resources.

Hi I’m Jackie from England. I love your website! Here is an idea I am using at our Friendship group. We are having an Autumn poetry day and I am taking in a basket of autumn objects and words so each of our lovely group can choose an item or word... make up a 5 word sentence about it then recite their sentence punctuated after every third sentence with “Thank you for the Autumn” to create a group poem.
eg autumn days, summer has gone
Frosty mornings, mist lingers low
Wind gusting, leaves taking flight
Thank you for the Autumn!
It’s very strange to think our Autumn is at opposite times to yours in Australia!

Thank you, Gwen and Rosemary, for sharing.

Have a bowl of coloured buttons (or pom poms) . Firstly separate the colours into groups then count how many there are in each group, then add the group totals for an overall total,

Last February I tried this activity with residents in a dementia care home where I used to volunteer. We used upcycling materials and the masks were vibrant and colourful!
Everyone enjoyed it - not only residents. Relatives and nurses also created their own masks. It was great fun to everyone!
Thanks for sharing this lovely idea. :)

Great idea Rosemary

My residents play High Roller with 4 dice. Each resident rolls the dice, and together we add up the total on the dice, and I record it. Then the next resident does the same. We play two or three rounds, and then add up each person's total score. The one with the highest score is declared the High Roller for that day.

Had a blast with our Adult Day Support Centre clients! It was a fun mind-stimulating activity ----- very appropriate for mid-high level cognitive seniors.

I'm struggling with how to put together a Q AND A

Our residents really enjoyed travel bingo it then lead onto the places they had visited.

For those looking for a printable passport, Activity Connection has one with "stamps".

Hi Nina and Leticia, what subject/theme are you considering for the Q & A?

What a blessing, thank you I have found this site. Good references indeed for our Senior ministry in our parish.

Great idea Diane

It is really nice to know that this website: Golden Carers has so many uses for so many people
Thank you to everyone

Hello everyone!
I have used a punch ball with the rubber band taken off for years. Arms length away from each other. Sometimes we can only use our feet. We call it volleyball exercise.
Everyone loves it & they cant get hurt.
Thank you all for your comments.

Hi Diane, what a great tip. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for the beautiful poem. I can't wait to share with all my residents and staff.

I teach ESL (English as a second language) to mostly older immigrants. Therefore, these activities are perfect for seniors, and all age groups, to practice English:
reminiscing, simple cooking, games and quizzes. I'm a senior, and the website is helping me, too! What
a great and handy resource!

I am so glad this worked out for you and the residents had a great
time

I am currently working on putting together elastic tap bands to be used in some of my senior classes that I teach. Having a dance background myself I am happy to make suggestions as to steps you can do with your residents.

While sitting in a chair or wheelchair place the elastic bands (around front and back part of shoes). Each participant will use two bands on each shoe. That way everyone can make the sound together and be included in the activity.

Step 1. Toe Taps - Extend leg out in front and tap toe in counts of 8’s, bring foot back in and step. Now reverse using the other foot stretched out in front for 8 counts and again bring back to center. (The extra 8 counts of switching feet helps with the transition).

Step 2. Heel steps - again stretching leg to front place heel on the floor and do heels for 8 counts. Bring back together and reverse.

Step 3. Marches - alternating feet march in place with various counts.

Step 4. Kick steps - kick foot out in front and then step, keep alternating.
Kicks can be very small or bigger depending on ability.

Notes:
**incorporate arm movements once everyone has the footwork down.
**patterns are great to use in all of the above dance steps.
Example; March for 8 counts and then extend leg to front for two toe steps right and two toe steps left. Then repeat
**music - after teaching the above steps I play music and we dance together with the music. I love the song New York New York, Give My Regards to Broadway etc.
**props - sometimes I bring top hats and everyone wears a top hat while we do our tap class. I also have sequin bow ties, capes etc. I have these items for my other programs I teach so am able to utilize them with my seniors as well. I understand with budgets, etc. for your Rec departments it is not always feasible to have these items but the dollar store is my go to for extra items especially around various holidays to purchase items that can be used.

I’m happy to answer any questions regarding performing arts programs (Dance, Theater, Improv, Puppetry, Instruments, etc.) there are so many fun activities that can be done with all ages and all abilities!

Enjoy

A new activity has been posted by a Golden Carers member: September Birthdays

We did this yesterday and it was very successful. I set up a milkshake making area with ice cream, milk, straws, cups and the choice of 2 flavours and assisted the dementia residents make their own shakes. Even the sound of the milkshake machine being turned on was an important part and made them smile. It was a great sensory experience all around.

Thanks for your input Judy

I really like this idea! I think I will turn pictures into cards and laminate them and perhaps add some information on the back of the photos. Thanks for this idea!

Yay, a new picture bingo !
The residents love playing picture bingo . Plus more residents are able to join in .
Thank you

Sounds like a great idea

Dear Haley,
Thank you for this excellently written article! You've covered very well, what can be hidden issues, for eg., how introverts tend to respond and how extroverts can feel lonely because, even though they're interacting, they may be sad that family aren't visiting or that there isn't any family anymore. I also really appreciated the attention to those who cannot get out of their beds/room without full-support.

One of my clients love to make jewelry! This will be a welcome addition! Thank you!

Awesome idea! I can't wait to do this with my client!

In New Zealand Soccer is Association Football and Football is Rugby (Union), Rugger or Footy. Other games of football are Rugby League, American Football or Gridiron, Sevens (in Rugby Union), and a number of other variations in some sports. But Football has always meant Soccer.

Thank you for sharing this
Take comfort in knowing your lady friend is in a better place

Sadly one of our ladies from my group passed away over the Summer and this was one of her favourite poems, so I thought I would share with the lovely Golden Carers - Carole

A Song Of Spring And Autumn - Poem by Francis Turner Palgrave
IN the season of white wild roses
We two went hand in hand:
But now in the ruddy autumn
Together already we stand.

O pale pearl-necklace that wandered
O'er the white-thorn's tangled head!
The white-thorn is turned to russet,
The pearls to purple and red!

On the topmost orchard branches
It then was crimson and snow,
Where now the gold-red apples
Burn on the turf below.

And between the trees the children
In and out run hand in hand;
And, with smiles that answer their smiling,
We two together stand.

I have just found these helpful ideas for late stage dementia. I have been looking for so long for help in this area. I work in a dementia wing, in a large activity room on my own with anywhere between 10 and 20 people each day. I am unable to leave this room due to the risk of residents falling. This is very difficult sometimes as the residents will wander and I have to try to accommodate for all forms of behaviour in the room. I am aware that I can’t provide for everyone all the time but it is hard to give my time to one person with so many others needing help. I have been in this job for 12 years and have days where I just run out of ideas to help my residents. I have found this article to be very helpful and it has given me hope of at least improving some of my days and the days of my residents. I thank you very much for your ideas.

I'm so excited to try this with my residents!!!
I will keep you updated how our residents like it.

love Golden carers !!!!

They liked this a lot. Can you make a quiz for american baseball teams? Also, how about a famous people quiz for sports? Like all the "best" people in their sport during the time the elderly would remember them? Tennis,l, golf. boxing. baseball, football, basketball,
gymnastics?

Canine friends in NZ offer a Pet therapy service by matching up Pets to Resthome residents. We have a dog that comes into our memory care unit once a fortnight and our residents love it. 2 have taken on the responsibility of helping walk the dog around the unit to other residents. It is a very worthwhile activity and enjoyed by many.

We have our apple day in November but I will use this extra info then. Thanks heaps

Hi Christine, the costumes in a panto should be exaggerated as for a parody. having said that, the sky is the limits. Use what you have or can borrow. Good luck.

A new activity has been posted by a Golden Carers member: Wheel of Fortune with Dice or Hangman with Dice

hi all just wondering what you all did for costumes for you panto.

I’ve made multiple sets now. I did the school, professional life, growing up, being a kid, being an adult, etc. once you start thinking about it, it gets fun and easier!! One group included the question, what’s the worst gift you have ever received? That one was a blast!!!

I think they will like this A LOT! Thanks

Thank you for that information Sharon it will be very helpful

We make these each year and they are very successful and easy to make. We put a longer hanging string on ours and the residents hang them from their verandas or they give them to friends and families as a gift.

Hi Cheryl
Could you give us more information about the dice game Tenzi

Could you put the comment in the forum section which says start a new discussion
Thank you

Sounds great KathIe
Could be a great gardening activity without a lot of trouble