Deborah

Is it possible to move the answers all to the 2nd page?

We did a similar activity. We used ring toss, buckets for ball toss, and we did sheets of paper with numbers 1, 2 and 3 written on them, place on the floor that residents could toss bean bags on to. We made it challenging by asking them to try and get the beanbag to land on a paper not necessarily easy or close by. The bean bags were numbered 1,2 and 3 and they had to try to toss bean bag 2 on paper 2. We also have an indoor putting green that we've played before for those who are able.

What Kim said. We do a social hour every day at 230pm. We serve drinks (alcohol and non) along with a lite finger food snack. Some days it's just a social where we get the residents visiting and talking. Other times we have a theme and do trivia or word games - Word in a Word for example. Or Scattegories and Categories. Some times we have an entertainer come perform. It's a great way to get residents introduced to each other and just interact with other people.

Check with you colleges for guest speakers who might come out for free or low cost. I have one lady who speaks once a month and she charges $75. Contact the local Alzheimer's Association to see if they can come once a month and do a talk - maybe include family members.

I'm in a similar situation. It can be overwhelming and it's easy to get burnt out. People don't realize all the duties that an activities director takes on in their role and a lot of times you aren't appreciated. I find if I'm not here nothing happens and that's a lot of stress to carry. It's a lot for one person to do on their own. I agree volunteers can help but it's not as easy as it sounds to find people who will consistently come in to help - and if you are depending on them that makes it tough. I feel like I keep being given more and more tasks and it's just too much. I can't do anything well because it's too many things on my plate at one time. I have yet to find the answer except for feeling I'm going to have to tell my ED that things have to slow down and we need to take a step back and get one thing working at a time. It doesn't help that most of the staff and care managers aren't involved in helping with activities. There's always an excuse. And for most communities dining and activities are the most important things for families. It should have more support so we can be successful

We play Bingo more than I would care to or than my ED/Regional want - but it's what the residents enjoy and it what I have the highest attendance at. I'll even hear the residents talking excitedly about it. We have Bingo 7 days a week at various times and typically for one hour. I'd prefer not to have it that often, but it's what they want and the activities are supposed to be for them. We play some days at 330pm after our house social which we have every day with drinks (alcoholic and non) and a lite snack. And then we play Bingo some nights at 630pm after dinner. I only give our prizes for the night game just to change it up a little. I ordered online and also found at the dollar store little prizes. Sometimes I give out snacks or candy. Sometimes I just sit out a bowl of candy for everyone and they just play - without prizes. It doesn't seem to matter that much to them as long as they get to play. What I have found is you either love Bingo or hate it. There's no middle ground.

Love this idea. We are in a wooded area and my residents would enjoy using nature as their materials. We have gotten twigs of the trees before - or broken ones on the ground - and glued them on heavy paper to make a branch. Then cut out bird forms, colored or painted them and glued them to the stick/twig. It made a neat 3D effect and each one was different because of the shape and size of the twig. We also gathered rocks and painted them making our own pet rocks and talking about that fad/craze

I think my residents will enjoy talking about this past/former jobs - but I know in the Dallas area there are still some people who have a chimney sweep business - and they tend to be in high demand as there are so few, but a lot of people have fire places and chimneys that need to be cleaned once a year or so. Also on seamstress - I think that one still applies but just as a tailor/alterations - I know several by me will also custom sew an article of clothing.

Love this. During one of our conversations at social hour the discussion turned to a nursery rhyme and we all said it together - but then moved on to something else. I'm excited to do this activity with my seniors and have us all reminiscing about the rhymes we know!