80 replies to this topic

[Pennie]

It seems like there is always an area that we have trouble with (questions) and can't seem to get any answers to.
1. Ex: I remember that when I started out my area was Care Plans. I just could not understand them and was unable to get the answer that I understood.
So is there a trouble area for you, that we all share and just don't realize it?
2. I did buy books on CP's but none of them seem to help me. I also bought books on In-room activities. I would love a book on Policy & Procedures.
3. My "Bible" is the MDS book, & I like the ones that help me with the required paperwork we have to do.
This is just a sample of how to answer te poll questions.

[Diana]

Definetly Men's Activities. Since the population is so small, and men have a "particular way about them" I need guidance with approach and followthrough.

[Stacy]

Mine is QA. I have the hardest time finding new idicators and setting them up. I think a book with examples and all the set up would be great.

Stacy

[Margi]

Care Plans remain a mystery. I am not good at writing goals. I have bought all the books but they have not dealt with the problems of my residents. I definetly need a policy and procedure book. I need something to take to the Administrator because he does not have a clue of all the things an AD does.

[Pennie]

Diana, on Jan 8 2005, 08:35 AM, said:

Definetly Men's Activities. Since the population is so small, and men have a "particular way about them" I need guidance with approach and followthrough.

Mens Activities... this is an area that was hard for me... I figured out over the years that it wasnt the activity, men are simple... (Jeff Foxworthy said "men are simple, just give em a beer, and something naked. and they're happy") they dont want to play bingo they want to build a new bingo table, they want to be useful, to work, to be thanked and praised. They have lost they're position in the world, and just like youth, they want it back... badly.. if only for a second. I always approached my men residents as my doers, my work force, my "get er done" guys
I didnt stop by their rooms to ask if they wanted to play bingo, I asked them to help find something for the next activity, or help prepare the room for a meeting ... guys like nothing better than to help a lady in distress... my male residents were eventully always out and about looking for ways to help. Bird houses to hang, ballon wreaths to make... once they were out and among one another the Domino Competions started the football parties, NASCAR, projects etc.. they wrote their own activity plans....

have fun :hammer:

[Diana]

Thank you Pennie! How right you are!
Thanks for teh advice - I'll let you know how it comes about!

[bigchris]

On Men's activities....

I may be using a simple answer, but I have foud the best way to program for men is to ask them. Most of my guys were in leadership roles. So when I first started I tried to make them happy and let them lead or be in a position of power.

That did not work. I found that most folks, whether they are men or not. Prefer to be heard.....that is, they did things in the past and the best way to get them involved is have an activity that they did in the past. So sit down and talk to them. Get feedback on what they did and ask them what they miss, what they want to explore, what they need. That is the best way for me.

Now, I am a guy, so there may be an advantage for me. So I will relate the way that I program for my ladies. The same way!

Now, I said that was too easy. So here is the worst case scenario.


I have found that if you get other residents on board with what you do, they can be your best recruiters. I have several residents that I assign to my "hard to reach" folks. These residents will go talk to the difficult ones for me and that way it is a little easier to break the ice.

Hope this helps.

Chris

[CJackson]

:hammer: [B][FONT=Impact] My trouble area would definatly be the daily activity log. Who participated in what. The company we are with require us to use a certain form. The only problem is, The form stinks!! It has all these items on it. But most of them are not applicable with my residents. There is absolutely no way to Personalize it. So half the time, it looks like they are not doing much. if anything at all. I tried a different form one time, and got in trouble because it wasn't a "company approved" form. I have also tried to explain this to company people. Do they care? no, they want the approved form and everything else be.. well you know. Sometimes I feel like I'm slamming into a brick wall. (of course that could very well be what their heads are made of!) :-D Any ideas would be soo greatly appreciated.

[pokeysmith36]

8-) I don't know about you guys, but for me the hardest thing is bed bound or 1:1 visits. If 1:1 visits were genuinely "bed bound" that wouldn't be my problem...it is having so many 1:1 visits due to the fact that staff either will not consistantly get residents up, or they get them up to a recliner or the like within their room which just reinforces isolation.
I have tried different groups to help with this problem and I found that it did not help....it is as if they (CNA's) resent being asked to have residents up for specialized groups. I always try to be polite and friendly - anyone have any ideas on this? How 'bout you BigChris? You are so informative at our state convention.

[Pennie]

pokeysmith36, on Mar 24 2005, 05:49 PM, said:

8-) I don't know about you guys, but for me the hardest thing is bed bound or 1:1 visits. If 1:1 visits were genuinely "bed bound" that wouldn't be my problem...it is having so many 1:1 visits due to the fact that staff either will not consistantly get residents up, or they get them up to a recliner or the like within their room which just reinforces isolation.
I have tried different groups to help with this problem and I found that it did not help....it is as if they (CNA's) resent being asked to have residents up for specialized groups. I always try to be polite and friendly - anyone have any ideas on this? How 'bout you BigChris? You are so informative at our state convention.

I have been in your postion as I am sure alot of others have too. When you get to many 1:1/s and In-rm visits it is just about impossible to get everything done that is required. So I finally had to take a stand for myself. During CP meetings I wrote CP's that stated res. would be out to certain act. on certain days and times. I made sure I had a selection so that I could see if one shift was more willing to get res. to an act. than another shift.
The approaches stated that CNA's would ass't res. to act, have res. out of bed (OOB) an ready etc..
of course I kept daily part. records and if the res. was not at any of the act. I would check after it was over to see if s/he was OOB, or what happened. And I write on the Part. records under that res. name why they did not attend. I placed the blame where it needed to go. Next CP meeting this was discussed sometimes it brought about changes and if it didn't I tried to speak with DON, ADON and/or Admin. However when State came in they saw the Part Records and sometimes a defiiciency would be written up but not on Act. but nursing.
I will bend over backwards to help any other person/dept/staff I give them all respect but in turn they must also respect me and my dept. Sometimes you have to fight back to get this. Hope this helps in some way. P

[AggieTiff]

The hardest part of my job is NOT being able to do the activities. We have meetings, conference calls, appts to run, volunteers to orient and recruit, supplies to buy, plans to make, newsletters to publish, calendars to publish, marketing, hospital visits, entertainers to book, budgets to establish and maintain, networking, bla bla bla....bla bla bla...you get the idea ;-) :-o

There is a reident here that is very vocal about thinking that I do NOTHING around here because I am not leading the activity, calling bingo, or whatever. Whe is always telling me that I am the Activity Director but I never do my job....I always deligate it out. I can not argue with her because there are days that this is true. I also can not argue with her because I agree with her. I try to make a joke out of it by saying "I know...all I want to do is play BINGO and they are making me go to another meeting". I know that my role is what it is and I can not pend the day playing games and such but I still WANT to.

Another thing is that it is company policy that our care managers do the activities. If I have a spare minute I play bingo with them or excersise with them (as the are manager leads it). Also, I implimented a program where all of the Department Heads (and anyone else who would like to...ex the beautician) lead at least one activity a month. I make sure I am always the one to go on any outing with either of our neighborhoods so that I at leaste get to spend that time with them. There are times that I think I would be happier as an assistant so that I would get to spend more time with the residents. I know I will not go backwards in my career but sometimes I do daydream....LOL.

Just a vent....I will get over it.

Tiff

[RebeccaM]

I find it difficult to provide support for bed-bound residents. Our policy is that no students or volunteers can be in a resident's room unattended so it is very difficult to do anything other than one-on-one's done by myself.

I'm actually excited now doing the participation charting after reading about a new format right here on this site. I use my calendar and highlighting system, and it is so easy, and tells more about how a resident spends their day!