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: activity engagement
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 […]
Family Members Can Benefit from Your Expertise
Hello everyone, You and your staff have lots of experience working with people with dementia—probably hundreds of years collectively if you add up everyone’s time!—and have learned ways to communicate with them effectively and therapeutically. Sometimes, though, we assume that the family and friends of our residents have the same intuitive response and knowledge when […]
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 […]
Are Your Halls Dull?
Hello everyone, This week, we’d like you to think about the environment in your facility and how it may influence behavior and/or encourage or discourage physical activity among your residents. Remember, if we can help residents stay engaged in pleasant ways, then they may be less likely to become anxious, depressed or agitated. They may also […]
Never Give Up…EVERYONE Can Find Something They Enjoy
Hello everyone, How often do we see a group of residents participating in a recreational activity, but notice that at least a few of them are left out? Sitting in the corner looking on? Often, these more “challenging” residents are the people who most need to be active and engaged in activity so they avoid […]
Are Your Policies Helping or Hindering?
Hello everyone, Policies are certainly a necessity in community care environments, but sometimes they can have unintended consequences. For example, is it your community’s policy (either written or unwritten) to have all exercise and activity items locked away when not being used during a scheduled activity so they aren’t “misplaced” by residents? While safety and […]