CJackson

Person Centered Care is actually giving the residents more choice. Most often it refers to the ADL care given. But can include Activities. Its all about choices. Listening to what your residents want and incorporating it into your activity program. Asking them what movie they want to watch. Also having more Self Directed activities is very important. Letting fellow resident lead an activity. Taking them out more. I recently had to incorporate all this into my program as well..It was a bugger, but I'm slowly getting there. And the residents are having more fun. Most important thing to remember though is its ALL ABOUT WHAT YOUR RESIDENTS WANT. not what we want them to do. :-D

:-D Hey ya'll. I would like to take a moment to say that to me, its not really how much I make that makes my job worthwhile. Its my residents. Everyday I have a chance to come to work and give someone a smile and a hug that they otherwise might not have gotten. I get a chance to give meaning to someones life. More than just showers, sleeping, pills, and eating. I get a chance to let them do things they have always wanted to try, but never got the chance. I get to help them make memories that will also last me a lifetime. When one of them give me a hug and tells me they love me. That is worth so much more than my paycheck. Sure we might be underpaid by our companies ya'll, but I like to think that the hugs and laughter that I get and give everyday is the greatest pay I will ever get. That is why I get up and come to work everyday.

Hey all...Its been some time since i've been here. :-o I need some help. I have a resident who likes to fold clothes, wash clothes..yada yada. Every time someone gets her something from laundry to fold, someone else takes it away from her. I was wondering if anyone knew where/if there was a place you could order a kit from that comes with items to fold. My Admin says that we need to get one, I have looked in ENasco, S&S, and Polkarobics. She won't let me just go to the local dollar store and get the stuff. I don't know why. Probably be cheaper but, if ya'll have any ideas please let me know. THANK YOU :-D

:hammer: I need some help. I think one of my residents is having her rights violated, but I'm not quite sure.I would like some input before I bring it up to anyone in my facility, as most there would think its a small matter. I have a residents who is under 55 who wants to have her pills crushed (I have seen some of her meds, and can sympathize with her). However the Clinical Nurse Specialist who follows her has said that in order to do that, she would also have to have her diet changed to a puree diet. Its this Specialists belief that if she can eat a regular diet, then she should take her pills whole. In reading over several copies of Residents Rights, I have come across one that I think pertains to this problem. That is her right to to a resonable accommodation of her individual needs or preferences. I dont see that this would present any health or safeyt issues for this resident. I mean even I have trouble swallowing Tylenol sometimes. Thats why I prefer BC powder for a headache. I know that when I do bring it up, some in my facility will see it as me trying to cause trouble. But preserving a residents rights is more important to me. Is there anyone out there who thinks that I might be going overboard?? Or is this really a problem? I have only been an activity director for two years and I have never had any problems with a residents rights being viloated. I could really use any input/suggestions/or just tell me I'm going overboard. :-? Thanks

We also have smoke break times at our facility. It used to be that I would have to take them. Wich was no problem, since i smoke. However, it does interfere with activities. I finally told my administrator that others are going to have to help with this responsibility. Since we do have many staff members that smoke. So now it is a policy. If you are a smoker and about to take a smoke break at the same time as the residents break is scheduled you had better ask for their cigarettes. This accomplished 2 things. One it really cut down on the number of smoke breaks that staff were taking. Two, someone who is really dying for a smoke, has no problem taking the residents. Now I dont have to take them. Unless of course i'm taking a break myself! Its great, and really frees up a lot of time. Talk with your administrator. Something like this should be in every facility. It should not be put on non smokers though. Unless they dont mind taking them.

Ok, heres my problem. I have a hospice client that refuses any kind of activity. If i try to sit and talk (a little 1:1 visit) she will say 'just leave me alone'. HOWEVER, she has really taken to the hospice worker that comes in once or twice a week to just sit and visit with her. And she will talk to him too. NOW will I be able to count on my participation record as a visit w/ family or friends???Or should I put it under the Talking/Conversing/Telephone? I have the generic Briggs forms and those are the only two I could find that i might be able to put it under. OR since it is a Hospice worker, am I even able to count it as an Activity? Does any of this even make sense? :-o Please I'm desperate to find out!

:-D WOW sounds Amazing....COUNT me in...I have only been in this field for two years and am always looking for ways to stay Inspired!! its definately not easy!! Maybe this will be just what i'm looking for! I know this site helps. Again Count me in!

HELP ME!! My entertainment for our Easter party on Friday, called me and cancelled...I plan on playing the easter bunny, but its not something i have ever done before....Please someone...give me some ideas on what types of things to do..i have 75 kids coming to hunt easter eggs and we always have a little 15 minute show first...I'm in desperate need of help...I have been unable to find a new clown on such short notice...any suggestions would be so greatly appreciated!! THANK YOU!!

:hammer: 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.

I always tell my staff, that even if our residents have a form of dimentia, Activity participation is more important for them, than anyone else. Simply because, getting them involved in activities is a good way to help keep them at the level they are currently at. Just explain to the staff that it does make their jobs easier. Even if for an hour a day, that dementia resident is sitting down involved in some silly activity. At least they are not having to chase them around. And it really can help them stay at the function level they are at and slow down the decline rate. hope this helps

We celebrated this in October. For each of the dietary staff, we purchased a plastic cutting board, on each board I drew a pot with steam rising out, and wrote a little saying on each one. All the dietary staff (who usually grumble about what they get) really liked them. And it was so much fun making them!!

8-) Hi! recently my residents voted on not having a St. Patricks day party. They said they wanted to do little activities throughout the day. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas what I could do. I'm at a loss. Usually they want a party for every holiday. Need help! thanks :hammer:

8-) That sounds like a blast!! I am going to try it first chance that comes up!! I have one that works for med/high functioning residents, and residents that tend to get agitated easily. And its very simple! MARSHMALLOW TOSS Items needed: med/large mixing bowls, and several bags of marshmallows, dab of flour arrange residents so they are in a circle. give each resident a bowl with 10-12 marshmallows. lightly dust marshmallows with flour.Explain to residents that the object is to be the first one to get rid of all the marshmallows in their bowl. However, they cannot just throw their marshmallows on the floor, they have to try to make them into someone else's bowl. They can throw one marshmallow at a time. and they cannnot throw to the person to their immediate left or right. The first one to get rid of their marshmallows wins. we even have a marshmallow thrower champ!! The residents really laugh, especially when they can see the flour where the marshmallows hit someone (and their very soft, so it doesn't hurt)

:hammer: Everday I face the same problem. How do I get staff members and family members to see how important activities are in these residents lives. Whenever corporate comes for their visits, they tell me we need more staff involvement, and that i need to "inservice" the staff. Well that works for maybe 2 days. What can I do?? Please give me some ideas!

:pint: I work weekend manager one saturday every six weeks, unless there is a holiday, then i will have the facility schedule that day as my weekend manager day. Other than that, i do not work weekends. I have churches that volunteer on sundays, and on saturdays, i have groups that visit every other saturday. the other two saturdays I leave table games, and dominoes out for them. they seem to enjoy this, of course i keep them so busy on the weekdays, they are ready for a rest on the weekends! :hammer:

:pint: Hi, my name is Crystal Jackson, and I work for a small skilled nursing facility in Bastrop, Tx. I have been an Activity Director for 1 1/2 years. I really enjoy my job. Whenever someone asks what I do, I tell them I get paid to play games! :-D , of course as we all know its not all fun and games. I really don't like the fact that a lot of people that work in nursing facilities think that Activities are the least important part of a residents day. I have had to work really hard to keep the aides/nurses from interupting an activity to take someone to the shower or give meds. and it still happens. I just recently found this site. and boy am I glad I did. In just a few days of browsing, I found answers to questions I have had for a while!! Thank you so much to the creators!!! this site is heaven sent! :-D

:hammer: I would like some aromatherapy ideas. I use a bread machine, but everytime I try to use things like simmering pots or other items like that, I get the DON telling me that things like this are not allowed. I have a sound/smell machine, but it doesnt seem to put out much of a scent. Is there anything else I can use??

Hi! I am currently participating in a collabrative with the Texas Medical Foundation on this very subject. The whole idea is to allow the residents more choices in their care, and hopefully allow the staff to create more personal relationships with the residents. It also focuses on creating a better work environment. Every employee should be allowed to make suggestions without fear of admin staff not listening to them. I think as long as the staff can remain open minded about it, this will be a wonderful thing for our residents and facilities. 8-)

Hi! All this talk about paying assistants. I would like to know how to get my company to see that I need even one assistant. I make $10.00 an hour, and I am the only one in my facility. I have a hard time getting the staff to see that activities are just as important as the bath, and eating. :roll:

Dear members :-D I have a sister who is an Avon distributor, and she is checking into whether Avon still makes the handheld Bingo caller. Unless someone else already knows, i will keep everyone posted on it.