Jean

Thank you everyone for your input, it has helped to clear my mind regarding the foundation that I will be putting in place once this virus is behind us all and we have a new community of residents. Very keen to get the name of the app Darla. In the meantime Stay srong and look forward.

I do a Memory Club once a week that is multi sensory (reminiscing, includes food drink and music) and suitable for mixed ability, I like your idea about the YouTube concerts, will investigate that area. Jigsaw puzzles YES as I could do them in the wind down hour, thank you

HELP. COVID19 has ripped through the dementia home where I work and we have lost 33% of our residents. I will have to review my entire activities program and would appreciate feedback on the strategy that I have in place. Firstly I will review and assess the surviving residents (PAL) I will then have to implement an activities program, however I have to think about what I can do for each new resident as they move in. I would like this program to include, person to person activities (once or twice a week), morning exersise x 3 times a week, after lunch quiet time with background music (napping for those that need it, reading word search for those who have the ability, 2PM - 4PM interest group/club activity (includes a tea break) then 4PM - 5:00PM an hour of wind down individual activities in the lounge (music DVD's sing along etc). I have to go forward and see this as an opportunity to completely revise my program however until the new residents do arrive I can't see where I'm going!!. Do you think this basic will cover the ground and make it possible to give everyone 'something'. It is a 7 day week shared by 2 of us 10AM - 5:30PM. Sunday morning is dedicated to a church service for those who wish to attend. All your thoughts, ideas constructive critism feedback etc will be appreciated. Many thanks,

Yes, I like this idea and will adapt it for my situation. Many thanks

Saint Patricks Day sorted. Thank you Golden Carers

Thank you so much. This is quite an 'unusual' topic and certainly a topic that I have no knowledge about, it is absolutely perfect for 1 of my residents giving me an opportunity to offer that resident a 'person centered activity'. I will download it each month and create a folder for her. jm

Do you think that he might enjoy sanding down a small coffee table or chair etc?

We move her around all over the home.
It is fantastic, the residents also have a good laugh when I ask her to play a song and she tells me that she is 'having trouble understanding me right now. Please try in a little while'
I use her for multi-sensory activities also and ask her to give me the sound of eg 'the waves and seagulls' .
When a resident wants to hear a song I show them a printed cue-card with her name on it so that they can ask her to play it. They love her as much as I do.

And you won't believe it but a lady just walked in to the care home, before lockdown, put her hand in her bag and fished out a brand new Alexa Echo asking me if I wanted it. I am lucky, very very lucky, I get everything I 'need'. My manager even comments......and now I have Alexa and Golden Carers....who could ask for more

Susan I wish I was high tech, really not at all. What I meant was that as we have Alexa I use her for all our musical support. When doing the carols/Christmas song book I had to choose a more basic one that I could ask Alexa to sing with us as we don't have anyone who can play the piano etc. I will ask her to give us the song White Christmas by Bing Crosby so that the words I have put in the song book correspond with the version Alexa is going to sing with us. Merry Christmas to everyone in care homes every where.