kabepo

I'm a recreation assistant at a large retirement community (ALF and Independent Living Community). Several of our ALF residents' families have requested "more activities for residents with severely impaired vision." Our current daily activities include games (both visual and oral), exercise, socials, video concerts, live music, pet therapy, mind challenge/trivia, therapeutic spa activities, outings, arts & crafts, cooking demonstrations, holiday events, current events/news, and more than I can write! Our limited staff somehow provides engaging activities 7 days a week for a minimum of 12 hours a day. I am a little confused on what else I can plan because I feel we have so many activities that can be easily enjoyed no matter what the resident's vision is.... any suggestions would be helpful. Since we have so many residents to consider, the activity must be enjoyable for those without vision impairment. Thanks for your assistance.

Some ideas for a group of clients with profound disabilities: hand massages with scented lotion and soothing music (you can enlist some of the other residents to help with this), pet therapy visits (Local humane society can provide this), travelogue and concert videos, "nature walks" if you have a scenic area nearby and the weather is ok (residents can assist with this also), and 1 on 1 devotional/reminiscing programs. You would be surprised how many "higher functioning" residents are able and willing to assist with those who need more assistance, allowing you to focus on your client's needs and give other clients a sense of purpose. Hope this helps

Wage varies and depends on the company operating the facility. County facilities are typically lower than private-owned corporations. However, $9.25 is much lower than I would expect for that kind of position. Typically, entry-level Activity Assistants can expect $8-$10 starting hourly wage and Directors can expect $11-$15 starting wage. Unfortunately this kind of economy has really hit the retirement and LTC facilities hard and "recreation" is often seen as an area that can be "trimmed." Good luck!

I've helped plan Assisted Living weeks for about 7 years now and here are a few things that are always a hit: Fresh bagels for breakfast (panera is always good), easy crafts the residents can make to give to the staff as a thank you (i.e. bookmarks), pet fashion shows with your local humane society, twin days (staff and residents wear similar outfits) and vote on best dressed twins, and family nights where we invite all the resident's family members for a bbq dinner then we post pictures on posterboard and display them all over the building. All of these can be tailored for each year's theme.