15 replies to this topic

[pklashley83]

Tinki, on Dec 6 2006, 09:22 AM, said:

All Facilities
books
1. I love books by Marge Knoth!
2. Long Term Care for Activity Professionals, Recreational Therapists and Social Services Professionals, Fourth Edition
Elizabeth Best Martini, Mary Anne Weeks, Priscilla Wirth
3. The Care Plan Cookbook
4. The Monthly Activity Planners from Gary Grim
5. The Activities Department guide to Assisted Living book by Karen Connelly
Websites
1.Here is a link to AHCA (American Health Care Association) that I look for each tiime this time of year to plan the staff celebrations ahead of time. I can then add it to my yearly calendar! It's priceless in order to stay a step ahead!- BT
http://www.ahca.org/...care_events.pdf
2. www.members.activitydirector.com - great resource
3.3. FamilyFun.com there are unreal amounts of activites - Brandi
4. www.nccap.org
5. www.thenaap.com
6. Teachers Supplies (http://www.teachersparadise.com/)
7. Senioract.com

Products
1. It is an interactive trivia dvd program based on past decades. I bought the 1940's and 1950's and the programs are great to use in a group activity. I use the pause button to have the residents interact with each other and talk about life experiences. Check out the website for more information www.unlockthememories.com
2. Buying products - enasco and Seabay games
Exercise
I love Light and lively for exercise - I used it in AL and Dementia Units- here is there weblink - http://www.melodyhousemusic.com/shop/Cart....&catid=1009

Party Supplies
MakesParties.com
300 Jericho Quadrangle West, Suite 240
Jericho, NY 11753
phone: 866-272-9897
web: http://activitydirec...akesParties.com
A good place to get supplies that you may need for an activity: i.e party kits, banners, themes, paper goods etc. - Pennie
Magazines
1. Reminisce Magazine
2. Trend (Catalog)
3. BiFolkals

Assisted Living

Products
1. New Currents- it is expensive, but a great current events program I used every more in my AL for some cognitive stimulation and reality orientation!!!
<span style='color:red'>http://www.newscurrents.com/intro/NC_sr.html</span>
2. Hand bells from S&Sworldwide for a great bellringing choir

Books
1. You Be the Judge- My residents enjoyed me reading these stories to them - great discussion group material.
2. Chicken Soups for the Soul - My residents also loved when I read these - Especially the Grandmothers soul and the pet lovers!

Games
1. Skip Bo, Yahtzee, Chickenfoot- My residents love these games

Dementia
Nursing Homes

Independent

[HirschmC]

Tinki, on Jun 6 2005, 10:02 AM, said:

What are your favorite resources? I am from Texas and want to see what other AD's are using, I don't want to miss anything.

Favorite Websites: www.activitydirectors.net and www.recreationtherapy.com

Favorite Book: Long Term Care for Activity Professionals, Recreational Therapists and Social Services Professionals, Fourth Edition
Elizabeth Best Martini, Mary Anne Weeks, Priscilla Wirth

Anything by Marge Knoth

Favorite Product Newscurrents - a current events program, I loved it but it was expensive.

Favorite Magazine
Creative Forecasting

Karen :-D
I love the Long Term Care for Activity Professionals, Recreational Therapist and Social Services Professionals, Fourth Edition. Betsy Best Martini was my teacher and mentor. My activity calendar is in the book. Also Safe and Effective Exercise for the Frail and Elderly by Betsy Best Martini and Kim Botenhagen.
A great book that teaches you how to organize an exercise class. My class the Millenium Movers helped name some of the exercises and three of my residents are in the book. Creative Forcasting and News Currents as well.
Connie

[elainec]

Hi Karen.
I use a lot of the same resources that have been listed.
But I also look through the newspaper in entertainment sections and the what's happening now sections. and there are some small local papers call the Advertiser and the Merchandiser in lots of towns across the U.S. They tell about what's going on in those small towns.
I also go to Christian book stores and they have booklets of what's going on in the area for the next several months too.
I have gotten so many names of organizations or ideas through these resources.
And I like to use local historical organizations. They have interesting displays and can often link me to crafters or historical actors or events.
Music stores are good for linking me to musicians.
And I like to look on the internet at college newspapers. They have lots of good entertainment at cheap prices.
And ballet companies and ice skating clubs often put on shows at low prices and sometimes matinees, so I check in with them from time to time.

Thanks,
Elaine

[jennb54]

Hi Karen,
I use a number of the already mentioned but also use the following:

activityconnection.org is great for planning calendars, daily chronicles, and activities. You can get a subscription for less than $10 a month.
Teachers Depot is another favorite where I get bean bags, maps, and manipulatives. I like the colorful dominoes and we use these for math games in group activities.

I also enjoy Kroger's weekly sales papers. Their color and layout is easy for residents to read and we use it weekly to go shopping. I get one weekly for each resident. The residents discuss what's on sale, which leads to reminiscing about the prices (back in their day) and also we learn some favorite items from the residents. They are given markers to circle what they would purchase and we make a grocery list. It is also helpful to us to give to dining services or in planning activities for making snacks. We learn their favorites such as if it's Blue Bell....they will circle the flavor and some make their grocery list and come up with how much they would spend.

It really is a fun event. Later we might take some shopping and bring back some items and they have a blast! We have also gone on a field trip to local store and had our photo with the store manager.

Bennie

[browndeborahlp]

jennb54, on Nov 8 2009, 05:46 PM, said:

Hi Karen,
I use a number of the already mentioned but also use the following:

activityconnection.org is great for planning calendars, daily chronicles, and activities. You can get a subscription for less than $10 a month.
Teachers Depot is another favorite where I get bean bags, maps, and manipulatives. I like the colorful dominoes and we use these for math games in group activities.

I also enjoy Kroger's weekly sales papers. Their color and layout is easy for residents to read and we use it weekly to go shopping. I get one weekly for each resident. The residents discuss what's on sale, which leads to reminiscing about the prices (back in their day) and also we learn some favorite items from the residents. They are given markers to circle what they would purchase and we make a grocery list. It is also helpful to us to give to dining services or in planning activities for making snacks. We learn their favorites such as if it's Blue Bell....they will circle the flavor and some make their grocery list and come up with how much they would spend.

It really is a fun event. Later we might take some shopping and bring back some items and they have a blast! We have also gone on a field trip to local store and had our photo with the store manager.

Bennie

[browndeborahlp]

HI, along with the numerous suggestions already mentioned, I find that a local newsletter covering a variety of subjects is of great interest to the residents. They enjoy hearing about things that are common to them. When the hear the name of a person from their community they are qyuick to 'chirp' in an extra comment or two. You can probably find some at the Chamber of Commerce in your area. Also I incorporate volunteers to come and sit for Social Hour where the conversations have no specific topic and we drift from subject to subject. Most volunteers are retired and are of a generation close enough to have some familiar experiences. Most often we have to keep a close eye on the clock because everyone gets caught up and we lose track of time. Good luck, hope this helps.

[pmk0224]

Tinki, on 06 June 2005 - 12:03 PM, said:

What are your favorite resources? I am from Texas and want to see what other AD's are using, I don't want to miss anything.

Favorite Websites: www.activitydirectors.net and www.recreationtherapy.com

Favorite Book: Long Term Care for Activity Professionals, Recreational Therapists and Social Services Professionals, Fourth Edition
Elizabeth Best Martini, Mary Anne Weeks, Priscilla Wirth

Anything by Marge Knoth

Favorite Product Newscurrents - a current events program, I loved it but it was expensive.

Favorite Magazine
Creative Forecasting

Karen :-D

We use News Currents as well but we are a large facility and 3 Activity departsment share the cost. I would like to get Sentimental Reflections but those are $110 for quarterly DVDs. They are good though.
Creative Forcasting is good. We also subscribe to Creating Together Journal and A New Day.
I also get idea from an online site "Those Were the Days". It's one of those this day in history sites, but it gives me ideas for the coming month.

[plong]

I use many of the materials you have all listed. One of my favorite resources that I've used along with Creative Forecasting is A New Day which is $29.95 for a year subscription that offers great ideas. A lot of you have mentioned Reminisce but I also like to use Good Old Days. I have also used a calendar swap between local facilities to find new programs and entertainers or just a new name for a program already provided such as changing "Manicures" to "Fancy Fingers" or "Nifty Nails."

[iloveoldies]

Senior question and answer books ( interactive )
www.memorystreets.com
Fun and easy to use with all cognitive levels.

[sly2sharon]

I live in Virginia and I love doing parties with the residents. For party ideas I go to www.activitydirector.net


Sharon Wilson

Tinki, on 06 June 2005 - 12:03 PM, said:

What are your favorite resources? I am from Texas and want to see what other AD's are using, I don't want to miss anything.

Favorite Websites: www.activitydirectors.net and www.recreationtherapy.com

Favorite Book: Long Term Care for Activity Professionals, Recreational Therapists and Social Services Professionals, Fourth Edition
Elizabeth Best Martini, Mary Anne Weeks, Priscilla Wirth

Anything by Marge Knoth

Favorite Product Newscurrents - a current events program, I loved it but it was expensive.

Favorite Magazine
Creative Forecasting

Karen :-D

[npitman]

Thank you everyone! for your responses..new and starting out...(I hope) and it was interesting t osee that most of you used the same sites and had similar ideas...Love the Sales part of the paper idea...Thanks again! Nancy in Massachusetts