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
29 Activities
3010 Comment
26th Nov 2018
Activity Director
23rd Nov 2018
Activity Director
https://www.goldencarers.com/christmas-poster-1/4867/
Here is something online that you may or may not have to pay for mayor may not be a pain in the neck but you decide
https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/g/holiday-season-collages/poster#6abc4afc39c4353ec8d4e701dcdb1cc7
Here is a place to find free Christma clip art
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/free-christmas-clip-art-1356282
22nd Nov 2018
Activity Director
It is hard to redirect residents like this because they will forget what you told them and they will think they have to do what they have to do so my advice is to do a room search when they are not In the room
It's amazing what you'll find in residents rooms
In fact it's a good idea to help residents straighten out their room and you may be amazed at what you find
22nd Nov 2018
Activity Director
Here are some member ideas
https://www.goldencarers.com/comments/18925/
Here are some sample calendars from other activity directors
https://www.goldencarers.com/sample-activities-calendars/3881/
21st Nov 2018
Activity Director
20 Fabulous Day Trip Destinations for Seniors
19th Nov 2018
Activity Director
Who is insisting that the short term residents be involved in activities??
Speaking from personal experience I was in short term rehab because I broke my hip and I was not in any mood to do activities I wanted to get better and get out of it and that's what I think many short term residents want
I don't know if you have entertainment but that is always something good for all residents also some short term residents might like to play bingo
Another idea is to bring them things they can do independently because They can't do that but can't get around that well
Just make sure your progress notes and care plan reflect their feelings about activities
This might help you too
https://www.goldencarers.com/comments/12873/
https://www.goldencarers.com/comments/13394/
These people might be your future volunteers
19th Nov 2018
Activity Director
Have a discussion about what it means to be kind and maybe read some kindness poem discuss them and maybe make up your own or have the residents help you make them up
https://www.goldencarers.com/kindness-poems/3851/
This not only will help residents think about being kind but it's a good creative activity as well
14th Nov 2018
Activity Director
What to Include in a Staff Meeting
Who is asking for the meeting???
Do they want you to cover certain topics ???
Is this something you're doing before your annual survey so you can get all the issues that might be brought up at the survey out in the open ????
Is this something to promote your facility ????
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Del McAlister
Activity Officer
Australia
Forum
https://www.goldencarers.com/count-down-to-noon/4097/
We used many of these ideas
In addition will you would use a beach ball and have a resident hold it over their head and hold onto it while we counted from 10 to 0 and then said happy new year
I have a special entertainer unless the weather was bad but we would have our party with the entertainer or not
Before the party we would make noise makers
Before of the toast which I made homemade champagne with diet soda and juice
We would give glass of juice to each resident and one we got to zero we would hold the glass up and say happy new year everyone would drink their juice and then they would shake their noisemakers
We would invite family members to join us they seem to enjoy the celebration
The room was packed but there were still some resident who could not come so we would go to their room and drink a glass of fake champagne and give them a noise maker and say happy new year to them
They really enjoyed this