18 replies to this topic

[hpt0413]

khall, on Nov 22 2006, 06:52 PM, said:

I am new to the profession, and have taken a job as an Activity Coordinator in an Adult Day Service. I worked as an activity assistant in an assisted living for six months pior to taking this job. I had started to have success with getting the residents out for activities at the AL center but at the day service all they want to do is sit at the tables and stare in to space. I am having a difficult time getting them to even simple things like arts, singing, ect. There is such a wide variety of participants and many different levels of functioning. I would love to hear from anyone working in a day service to get their perspective.

[hpt0413]

I interviewed two Activity Directors last week. That same issue came up and I asked them how they handled it. Both had similar replies. They divide the Participants into groups. When dividing they group similar impairments together. Sometimes she has three or four groups at once. She recruits volunteers and other facility members when they need more one on one help. Smaller groups with more individual help will probably work.

[kramos1223]

Guest_Mary, on 22 November 2006 - 06:48 PM, said:

Hi I do not work in that setting but my mom goes to an Adult Day Care. I have done some volunteer work there and some will do nothing but I have always found if you can get 2 or 3 to start something the others will want to try it also. Let me know if this helps at all Mary

I also tryed having serval programs going on at onces. Sometime thier Cognitive ability is not on the same level or physical ability as well. You might want to incoorpate a program for the higher function and one for the lower functions Good luck

[iloveoldies]

khall, on 22 November 2006 - 04:52 PM, said:

I am new to the profession, and have taken a job as an Activity Coordinator in an Adult Day Service. I worked as an activity assistant in an assisted living for six months pior to taking this job. I had started to have success with getting the residents out for activities at the AL center but at the day service all they want to do is sit at the tables and stare in to space. I am having a difficult time getting them to even simple things like arts, singing, ect. There is such a wide variety of participants and many different levels of functioning. I would love to hear from anyone working in a day service to get their perspective.

Make a CD with lively music from their generation...turn it up and play toss using a beachball or have them try to keep a balloon up in the air around the table...this wakes them up, then you can get their minds going...I have had great success using question and answer books made especially for seniors....you can start off with finish the song and then move on to other categories...they really enjoy going down memory lane and it builds their confidence when they remember the answers...I also have residents with different levels of functioning, sleeping in their chairs...but when I start using the books, they soon wake up and start to answer and participate. I urge you to check out our website...you won't be sorry. www.memorystreets.com