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


3600 Comment

Susan 10th Jul 2017 Activity Director

Forum

Here is a care plan I used in word format and easy to change. Let me know if you need help. https://www.goldencarers.com/uploads/1499629925-activities_care_plan.doc

Susan
Susan 9th Jul 2017 Activity Director

Forum

Here is https://www.goldencarers.com/comments/14334/ a link to megan's post. She seems to have some good groups and is in a similar type facility.
Maybe you can comment on her post and discuss ideas with her. Two heads are better than one

Good luck
Susan 9th Jul 2017 Activity Director

Forum

Here is https://www.goldencarers.com/comments/14303/ a link to Kyle's post. He seems to be looking for similar ideas as you.
It sounds like you do have some good groups'How many do you want and what groups specifically are poorly attended??
Susan 7th Jul 2017 Activity Director

Forum

My residents always liked money even though they couldn't buy anything they like the feeling of having money
Susan 7th Jul 2017 Activity Director

Forum

Send out invitations with a trivia question On the invitation
If the resident answer the question and attends the activity then they have a chance to win a prize
Have the core group invite others who they think might be interested
Serve food at the other activities
Susan 7th Jul 2017 Activity Director

Forum

Try a breakfast or lunch especially for them
Try having a veteran come in to talk about their time in the service and have the residents share their experiences
A really engaging group leader makes all the difference
Susan 6th Jul 2017 Activity Director

Optimal Activities - Staff & The Physical Environment

Yes the staffing ratio is optimistic hopefully you can get some volunteers to help you so the staffing ratios will be better perhaps also you can get resins to volunteers to help you. If you have higher functioning residence that would be willing to help that would to help you and it would make them feel good about helping . Maybe you can get family members to help you so the ratios can be better
Susan
Susan 6th Jul 2017 Activity Director

Forum

If you have any men were veterans somebody from a veterans association could come to speak and talk about old times in the service often hospice groups have a veteran associate related to their group

I find men's groups to be difficult which is why I said when I had him in school that it was sponsored by the man but women were also invited

We also had a breakfast especially for man but then we invited the woman also and it worked out fine that's all the ideas I have for now but I'll think about it
Susan
Susan 5th Jul 2017 Activity Director

Forum

Hi Tyler
If the resident really like food and music have other activities centered around these things
Four example watermelon day is in the beginning of August
Why not have a watermelon party except serve the watermelon last and have watermelon trivia and songs before that
You could pass out cards inviting residents to the event and have a trivia question on the invitation if they come to the party and turn in the card with the correct answer they will either be eligible for a prize or you can pick one winner of all that have turned the card In
You could also have cooking activities where the residents get to eat what they made
For example in September is chocolate milkshake day who doesn't like a chocolate milkshake there are some simple recipes on line milkshakes that your group could do and you could have trivia and maybe songs about milkshakes or whatever
I am surprised your residence do not like bingo but every group is different let me know if this helps because I have more ideas if you need them
Susan
Susan 4th Jul 2017 Activity Director

Forum

I had a watermelon party
with trivia and song favorites
Here is a link to http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com/search?q=watermelon trivia

I also did a watermelon art project. Here is a link to that
http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com/2015/06/watermelon-art-project.html

I will check out the other things and get back to you

Susan
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