Hello everyone, If at first you don’t succeed…well, you know the rest: Try, try again! How often do we ask residents to join us for exercise class or another activity, have them say “no”, and we say “ok” and move on to the next person. Then after a few “no thank-you’s” from them, we give […]
Tag: activities
Activity Ideas for the Guys this Father’s Day
Hello everyone, Happy Father’s Day to all of you dads and grandfathers! Speaking of dads, sometimes it can be challenging to find activities that the men in your communities find enjoyable. We’ve come up with some ideas for physical activities that may be more appealing to the guys. Lots of these can be done outside […]
Ideas for keeping your residents active during isolation
Hello everyone, With no visitors coming in and some residents being isolated in their rooms to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we thought we’d share some ideas to help you keep your residents entertained and active, even with limited staff. Here’s what we’ve come up with so far: · Have residents stand at their […]
Let the Music Move You–And Others Too!
Hello everyone, Music has enormous power. It can motivate. It can soothe. It can make you smile, and move you to tears. It is more accessible now than ever before, and we aren’t using it enough in long term care. We have seen first-hand how simply turning off the television in a common area and […]
Cues to Move
Hello everyone, The environment plays a large role in encouraging physical and functional activity of residents in your communities. Some of the most common things we find lacking are cues in the environment to promote activity. Things like hand weights, foam swim noodles, elastic bands, stationary bikes, and other exercise equipment are great to have […]
How Engaged are Your Residents in Activities?
Hello everyone, When it comes to engaging residents in activities, especially people who have dementia, one size does not fit all. It can be challenging find activities that a particular resident will take part in and enjoy. In addition, communities sometimes rely on nursing assistants to engage residents in activities, and these staff are often […]
Helping a Loved One Adjust to Long Term Care
Hello everyone, When a person with dementia moves from home into a long term care community, it can be very difficult for them and their loved ones. This week, we offer some tips on helping to make the transition a bit easier: Encourage families to join their loved ones for activities. This helps the new […]
Approaches to Address Apathy
Hello everyone, We’ve mentioned that apathy is a common challenge for people who have dementia, and is often overlooked because the person with apathy is not generally disruptive to staff or other residents. It is important to remember that apathy is different from depression, as a person who is apathetic is not necessarily sad, but […]
Success Stories on Managing Apathy
Hello everyone, A few weeks ago, we asked you to share some of your strategies for helping residents with apathy become more involved in activities. Gina Gentilini-Borzilleri, the Activities Director at Lorien Elkridge in Maryland, sent us a few wonderful examples of things she has tried with residents where she’s has had success! We thought we’d […]
Activity Suggestions from the National Institute on Aging
Hello everyone, The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has some good tips on how adapt activities for people with Alzheimer’s disease so they can enjoy them too. Household chores like baking, doing dishes and folding laundry can provide a sense of familiarity and calm. The article also gives great suggestions that your residents’ family members […]