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Activity programs are a cornerstone of quality care in long-term care homes. These programs offer opportunities for residents to connect, stay active, and enjoy fulfilling experiences each day.
For prospective residents and their families, the quality of an activities program is a key consideration, alongside the facility's environment, services, living spaces, and the well-being of current residents.
One common challenge for Activity Coordinators is the lack of engagement among residents. This issue may stem from:
Habitual Participation: Some residents may attend activities out of routine rather than genuine interest.
Social Gathering: Residents may congregate in recreation areas simply because it's a social hub, not necessarily because they are enthusiastic about the activities.
Boredom: A lack of interest in current activities, even if residents don’t openly express dissatisfaction.
Activity Imbalance: Overemphasis on certain types of activities can lead to a decline in interest in others.
Lack of Enthusiasm: Insufficient energy or passion from staff leading the activities.
Behavioral Factors: Conditions like apathy impacting participation.
Conducting regular surveys is an effective way to address engagement challenges and tailor your activities program to residents' preferences. To assist with this, we’ve included two printable survey templates in Word format:
Activity Program Survey: A concise tool for gathering quick feedback on current programs.
Resident Lifestyle Survey: A detailed questionnaire exploring various aspects of residents' interests, histories, and preferences.
These surveys are ready for customization and easy distribution, helping you gather meaningful insights to improve your activities program.
Self-Reflection: Review your current activities before creating the survey to ensure alignment with resident needs.
Resident Involvement: Encourage residents to participate. Family members can assist if needed.
Survey Distribution: Use multiple channels, such as printed forms, online submissions, or facility newsletters.
Anonymity: Offer the option to respond anonymously for honest feedback.
Feedback Analysis: Look for patterns and actionable insights in the survey results.
Action Plan: Develop and implement a strategy based on the feedback. Include new activities and adjustments to reflect residents’ preferences.
Continuous Improvement: Repeat the survey process regularly and adapt programs accordingly.
Engaging residents in shaping their activity programs is one of the most effective ways to create a vibrant and fulfilling environment. Surveys provide a direct line to their needs and preferences, empowering you to make informed decisions that improve their quality of life.
Have you conducted a survey before? If so, what insights did you gather, and how did it impact your program? If not, there’s no better time to start. A small effort today can lead to a big transformation in how your activities program resonates with your residents.
Can be difficult to get everyone involved
It is great that you are thinking of all your residents
First you need to know what the residents like to do and what they are capable of doing
I like to do one to one within a group or a mixed group
This article will be a big help to you
https://www.goldencarers.com/how-to-support-mentally-alert-clients-in-mixed-group-environments/4992/
I also like music activities for a mixed group
https://www.goldencarers.com/music/
Here are some more things to try
ave you tried these
https://www.goldencarers.com/dementia/
https://www.goldencarers.com/reminiscing-activities-for-seniors/3184/
https://www.goldencarers.com/sensory-stimulation-for-dementia-care/4184/
https://www.goldencarers.com/20-practical-activities-for-people-living-with-alzheimers-disease/3778/
If so, do you need help adapting and modifying them to your particular group?
Here are some other ideas
I always had one to one interactions within a group activity. With such a diverse group, it is hard to have everyone participate unless you
walk around the group making eye contact so you get each person's attention
address each person by name
have an activity that most everyone can participate in like a sing along
but what I usually do is play name that tune and here is how
After the group is assembled, make sure to greet everyone. Tell your audience how happy you are that they are there. Greet each person by name. Remember you need to be enthusiastic about what you are doing
Now you are ready to start the activity
Instead of playing one or two notes or playing the game like hangman, (You could play these ways as well), you say the first word of the song title. See if anyone can finish the title. If not, say the second word of the title and so on until someone gets the title. If they are having a hard time, give other hints. To allow the meek resident a chance, ask the other members in the group to give the meek person a chance to name the song. Even if someone else shouts out the title, still ask the shy individual to say the title of the song. Be extremely complimentary to this person, as well, to boost his/her confidence.
After the song title is guessed, ask, who can sing it. Sometimes we only sing the first line. Sometimes we butcher the song, but then we have a good laugh.
Continue playing the game in this manner, singing the familiar songs, or singing them with a CD, for the allotted time period. I usually do it for about an hour
Throw in a little trivia if there is a lull in the action. For example, if the song is about summer, I ask the participants to tell me their favorite season and why they like that season. I always tell the story of how I hate winter.
If they are nonverbal, you can say the answer for them. However before saying the title, say, I can tell by (name of participant)’s smile that she thinks the title is (whatever the song title is). or you can ask a higher functioning resident what he thinks the non verbal resident is thinking
Then you might want to gently squeeze this person’s hand or give him/her a hug
I just go with the flow. Thus, the group is different every time.
Another good game is a dice game called one
We have played a similar game using just one die.
Each person gets a turn rolling the die until he gets a one or chooses to stop
We add up the numbers rolled each person gets
If you want to have a winner, the one with the most points at the end of the round wins.
What is so good about this game is, that it is good for a group with mixed mental and physical abilities. You can have some group members help other group members.
It is great as a long or short activity