Members Forum

Quirky Quizzes
I gathered the Quirky Quiz questions from many places, mostly from the various Golden Carers sites, and converted some of the more newsy statements into querty quiz question form, putting up to 30 of them into a one A4 page question numbered list with answer format that could be used as a Quirky Quiz session or time filler. There are many words with double meanings or which can be pronounced differently with a change of one or two letters that can be made into a querty question. I will convert what I have done into PDF from Publisher for you since you are interested.
Owen

There are many ways to play horse racing games you can have the residents make horses and you can make a board for the horses to go around then they can throw the dice to see how many spaces they move you could have act obstacles to make it harder or it could just be easy

I have also done this using the floor as the track because we had tiles on the floor so each tile was one space I may have to move the horses if the residents cannot reach we don’t want anyone to fall

Thank you Margaret maybe you can tell us some ideas that work for you

Maybe you can get a tape player or an iPad or iPod and play music for her to listen to or maybe a story for her to listen to see if this helps

Thank you Patricia for the feedback. It is really apppreciated.

Always relevant to the work that I do wth the elderly. I cannot thank you enough for these wonderful articles.
Patricia Keogh

I have just started as a diversional therapist. I have a resident who calls out all day. She is quiet when someone is with her and I have been including her in activities but as soon as we stop she starts yelling out again. It is gettIng very annoying for e anyone. Can you give me some ideas.

Hi, You could try, Mental Olympics session with riddles, crosswords, word searches, and general knowledge quizzes. Also Card Jokes - copy jokes from Golden Carers and print and laminate into cards; put into a container in the middle of the table and ask each lady to take one and read the joke. Also, making fruit kebabs, picking horses for the Melbourne Cup, Feet-tapping Line Dance, Finish the Songs.

Hi Bev, thank you for the excellent tip. Incredible that a simple change in the venue could make such a difference. Thanks for sharing.

I’m finding in the Long-term care home I work at that the group of residence we have love to be involved but refuse to put much effort into attending (even though they are physically capable of doing so) so I have started changing the program locations. Instead of holding a Trivia, Craft, or even a simple no-bake baking group in a lounge or out of the way room, I am running it in the front lobby or main area on one of the units. People are naturally curious and can’t help but engage, it also has a side benefit of show other staff some of what I do and gives families a taste of what their loved ones are still able to do. Some of my programs have tripled in size and people are starting to talk about them again.

There are lots of ideas for getting residents to attend and enjoy activities and conversations with friends!

I will give this trivia by September.

How do you play this horse race game?

Thanks Leslie great idea

I’d like the idea of hiring an entertainer and I after like the idea of having an open house where you invite the public but you don’t have much time to do either one so you may have to improvise
Maybe someone from a local organization can come in to entertain perhaps you could invite members of a hospice group to come in and do something with the residents and staff
You could have a program where residents reminisce about important events in their life

Hi,
Has anyone got any idea or themes? I have ladies group on Friday. all out of ideas!
Karen. D. T

I was lucky enough to find fly swatters shaped like a hand at $ General store, 3 in a pack for 1$! I simply used a hole puncher in top and pulled a scarf through and knotted it. I kept it simple because I like to take the scarves off and wash them.

Hi Sara, well done - this is a caring and conforting activity. Thanks for sharing.

i bought some cheap dollar store nail files, and each resident that comes to have their nails done, which i schedule for wednesday, thursday or friday afternoons, i make sure they each have their own new file and write their name on the back of it some residents like to have their own metal ones and I use theirs. I have seperate new clean towels per each resident that i take care of on the day and the carers in our center are kind enough to launder them for me. I clean out the special bowl i purchased to soak their hands in between each resident and after the whole session

The foam peanuts are a great option unless your residents think they are food and try to eat them

We use styrofoam peanuts, like the kind used in packing. I put 50 in a popcorn bag (10/$1) and they love using the peanuts. No allergy to be concerned with; no mess; We also made bidding paddles out of bright colored dessert plates with the oversize craft stick glued on the back. they LOVE IT. Play monthly and that's not enough.

I work part time on a voluntary basis in a wonderful Day Centre for the elderly. I find Golden Carers is a fantastic resource for new ideas & activities. I particularly liked the article on Neurobics & the related activities, i’m so looking forward to trying them out!
Many thanks. Helena

I have been working 1 on 1 with residents living with dementia for over 5 years. I find many aged care staff are ignorant to the sensitive nature of 1 on 1 sessions. They are caught up ticking boxes for tasks and will think nothing of interrupting a session without so much as an "excuse me". The reason? Time for coffee and cake, Bingo or a bus trip. It's just plain rude and insensitive. The old adage of "leave a tender moment alone" surely applies. These staff are a rule unto themselves defending their task driven behaviour and filing complaints if I dare to continue a session. The resident feels compromised and torn by their behaviour. As one resident said: "you don't have to live here. There are repercussions for not doing as I'm told"

Ok, I was looking for a "Name that Tune" for seniors on the internet and this is what popped up. I was so impressed with the detail on this paper is one of the reasons I signed up. I am very glad I did.

Make sure the plants that you use are safe if they eat them. Some plants are poisonous if they try to eat them. Just check the list before putting it in a resident home.

Hi there. we played this game today but some of the rules were not clear. If they throw a five and a two (for example) towards the end of the game, can they just cover one of those numbers instead of both or the sum of them? One member had only one number left (a 1) and unless she can cover just one of the two numbers thrown, the game would never end! Can you please clarify. Thanks.

Hi, I’m really interested in trying the scarves on handles activity, but would love a photo of the scarf attached to fly squatter, I’m just unsure how to go about it, or would love to hear from anyone with a clearer description. Many Thanks
Sue

Here's a popular seated Neurobics I do which I call Tap-Claps. Everyone is facing me so they can see the rhythm I tap out with my hands on my lap / clap. Eg. Tap, tap, clap; tap, tap, clap. Residents imitate what I'm doing. Repeat a few times, then change it up. Eg. Tap,tap,tap,tap,clap,clap. I speak out what we're doing as we're doing it.

Great tips Penny, Thanks for sharing.

This is a neat program idea! What kind of items do you use for auction? What would you use for items with residents that have dementia?
We are thinking about doing this but using tickets instead of beans

At the facility where I used to work, we did something similar, first with actual pennies, then with "virtual" pennies. That way, nobody would hold up the show counting out their pennies, and we saved oodles of time not having to recount/bag them! We had a list of names, and each person received 50 virtual pennies. A member of our management team would be the "banker" for us. It worked like a charm, and we got through more of our auction items doing it that way. This is a great activity! I'm working at a new facility now, and would love to bring it here - just need to find some folks who are willing to donate some goodies for the event!

One other thing we did - we took small styro-foam plates and wrote numbers on them with an over-sized black marker. We then stapled the plates to paint sticks, and voila! We had auction paddles! When residents checked in to the auction, they'd receive a paddle (we got our attendance this way) then had a few minutes to review the auction items to see what was of interest to them. It was great fun!

I am all for Neurobics
May have to adapt and modify them to meet the needs of the group you are working with

That would be brilliant, Talita, if you could. The pictures are so eye catching. Thank you

How did you turn poles into palm trees ?

That would be brilliant if you could ,Talita . Thank you so much

If it’s too difficult give hints so It can be successful to all residents

Read Wendi’s comment

How do you put Clip Art on Canvas?

Great ideas and pictures nice a little difficult for our tenents

it is amazing this site cnt get enough of it

I likely to understanding this work well.
Thanks..

Good ideas

what type of glue is used to securely hold cup & saucer?

Thanks for putting together the Jeopardy game. One can tell it will be a success even before trying it out!

A great comment Owen and well done....bravo!! Once scouting and guiding are in your blood it never goes. The residents would remember being a part of likewise organisations too...eg Red Cross Brigade etc and these too have great ideas..give it a go everyone you and the residents will enjoy

Maybe you can try a local supermarket

Hi,

Can anyone in the UK suggest where to purchase a similar cart?

Thanks

Scouting and Guiding have a lot to give to Age Concern residents so it is good to know your talents are not being wasted. Make use of your training in both of these organisations for the benefit of the elderly which is always greatly appreciated, Songs, games, stunts, campfires, all can be adapted to the age group and loved. Take my word for it,
Owen
Life member Scouts New Zealand
(and still keeping on at 89,5 Years Of Age)

Hi, Wendy, great ideas for high functioning residents. Thank you for taking the time to share. I would add a few more:

A part of the garden to be looked after.

A podcast that appeals to them (science, book reviews, poetry).

Contacting your local Senior Citizens Club activities.

Learning something (a language, playing the drums/Ukulele or Belly Dancing.

Joining a Choir, Mahjong/Chess, Cards group

Thank you Nicola you see how many people love this