Member Profile:

Susan

Activity Director From Nevada, United States


About Susan: Susan Berg is a freelance writer, retired healthcare professional, retired Activity Director and current writer for several senior care e-magazines with more than 20 years of experience working with Senior Citizens and eight years experience writing for a number of publications. She is the author of a book for those with dementia and their caregivers. Susan has two blogs about activities for seniors and information vital to all wanting to know about dementia. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and North Shore Community College.

Senior Citizens
Susan is an expert on senior citizen issues. She is currently a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant(COTA). In this role, she has worked with senior citizens. Susan is an expert on adapting and modifying activities so that seniors can participate in them. She spent twenty years as an Activity Director in nursing homes. She devised, planned, coordinated, and facilitated stimulating activity programming. Also she designed a program for homebound senior citizens. Currently, Susan shares her knowledge about senior activities on one of her blogs.

Dementia

Susan is also an expert on dementia and related issues. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner(CPD). She has participated in numerous workshops, seminars and alike where she has gained much knowledge. Her work as an Activity Director and COTA has given her much knowledge and experience in relating to individuals with dementia. Susan is passionate about sharing her knowledge. She is hopeful that people will do what they can to prevent or at least slow down dementia in themselves or loved ones. Susan has shared many tips on how to prevent dementia or slow it down on her other blog.

Feel free to visit and comment at either of Susan’s blogs at
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com
http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com

28 Activities


3491 Comment

Susan 17th Aug 2022 Activity Director

Forum

Hi Barb
Here are some ideas
https://www.goldencarers.com/search/?search=School+&search_tag=Activity&page=2
You could also do school activities like a spelling bee or math
Susan 17th Aug 2022 Activity Director

Forum

Hi Emma
Oh I used to do a theme because of the holidays
January is national activity directors month so that’s good for January or you could do some thing about the new year
February has Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day
March has St. Patrick’s Day And is the beginning of spring
April is National volunteers month
May has Mother’s Day and Memorial Day
June is the beginning of summer
July has July 4
August has the dog days of summer
September school starts
October has Columbus Day and Halloween
November has Thanksgiving
December has Christmas and Hanukkah
There are little known day is so might want to look at that as well
https://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/

Golden Carers also has plenty of ideas
https://www.goldencarers.com/calendar/august/
Susan 17th Aug 2022 Activity Director

Forum

Hi Dawn
Is a great idea
Susan 17th Aug 2022 Activity Director

11 Tips for New Activity Directors

Hi Latisia
What kind of facility do you work in??
A nursing home the MDS nurse tells you which residents you need to do assessments for
Usually you do and assessment or notes every three months and once a year you doing another repeat assessment or if somebody has changed
Susan 15th Aug 2022 Activity Director

Forum

Hi Pam
Thank you for sharing this
Food especially sweet food always makes people happy
Susan 15th Aug 2022 Activity Director

Forum

Hey Pam
Thank you for your kind words
I cannot wait for your contributions
Thank you again
Susan 12th Aug 2022 Activity Director

Forum

Hi Karen
I do not know how mentally aware the resident from Israel is

Perhaps you could get some ideas from her

I understand that an armchair travel activity from Isreal is coming
Susan 10th Aug 2022 Activity Director

R U Ok Word Search

Hi Eleanor
Hopefully Marlene will respond
I found this on the Internet which may help
https://www.google.com/amp/s/blog.vantagefit.io/r-u-ok-day/amp/
You may also want to ask this question at The golden Carers Facebook group
https://www.goldencarers.com/activities-for-seniors-facebook-group/4782/
Susan 9th Aug 2022 Activity Director

Forum

Hi Debra
This is most ambitious of you
What type of facility do you work at??
We always had to worry about infection control so that the residents could never cook something for the staff
I do not know what things are like in your facility
Maybe you couldn’t have some sort of sale to raise money so you could buy some thing
I suggest giving each staff member some sort of certificate
https://www.goldencarers.com/certificate-of-appreciation-1/3248/
You may want to have the residents perform for the staff
I always had a resident in coral group and they performed for special events
If you are interested I can post how I did it but you have to let me know
Perhaps you can use some of these
Perhaps you can use some of these
https://www.goldencarers.com/40-gift-ideas-for-the-elderly/4578/
May have to modify these so they are appropriate
You may want to give each staff member AN invitation to come
May want to ask this question to Golden carers Facebook group
https://www.goldencarers.com/activities-for-seniors-facebook-group/4782/
If you need any more help let me know with some specifics
You can also tell us how this event went when you do it
Help