LaurenAD

My money issues have apparently gotten to the point where if I want to spend ANY money going forward, I have to raise my own money. While I find this completely ridiculous (do CNAs have to raise money for wipes, gloves, etc to do their job? Why do I have to raise money to do MY job?), I have taken the mindset of, well, if they want me to raise money, I'll show them. I'd hate for it to become the norm, however. I have no start up capital. I also don't necessarily want residents to know that I have to raise money for their activities. I have churches who like to come and play Bingo and will put up 10 dollars each time to do that, but that's not enough for day to day expenses. I cannot personally afford to put up any money at this time. Besides going out and asking for a handout for something my facility SHOULD be paying for, what else can I do to raise money and still run my department day to day?

From our Resident Council By-Laws we're working on... i) President (1) Serves as Chair of all Resident Council meetings. (2) Acts as representative of the residents at public relations events, administration meetings, etc. when called upon. The President is the “face†of the Resident Council. (3) Serves as representative of the residents of the floor they reside on, providing a monthly report on issues pertaining to the floor itself and concerns from residents on the floor. Concerns from residents on the floors may be reported by the representative (or President) anonymously if they wish. The floor representative is also responsible for encouraging the residents of their floor to attend the Resident Council meetings.

I really like this idea and think it can work in my facility. Any tips on constructing the wheel? I am about the least handy person, and even if I was, we don't have the tools to make one from my research online of plans for them.

Any activity I have tends to fight constant disruptions of noise, staff disruptions as they clean or socialize in dining room, or other residents. I try to play it up what I am doing, especially in regards to the need for the residents to do activities, but especially when it comes to our Alzheimer's residents, other staff view my reassurance of them as "Why even bother? They're just going to repeat themselves." For instance, today, I was having a cooking class and a resident with Alzheimers was being disruptive with her constant need for reassurance. I gave her some towels to fold while the cookies were baking, and as usual, she was questioning it at first, then accepted it and quieted down, but both the housekeeping staff AND residents started calling her "Slave," which led her to return to the questioning. I think we all know as Activity Professionals that doing things like folding, that are familiar, can be very reassuring to Alzheimers...but when both staff and residents are calling that person a slave. I think the main problem I deal with is that people, both staff and residents, view Activities here as a place to get some snacks, play Bingo, and maybe hear a band a few times a month. The smaller activities or crafts, that are meant to be therapeutic and the day to day activities, are just looked at as "the AD's crazy attempts at crafts." I think this is where I lost my assistant along the way, because she was so used to just doing the bare minimum of snack passing, Bingo, etc. Now my attempts at meaningful activities are falling on deaf ears, all around. Add to it that I am a manager and a supervisor of all staff, and it's like I'm the laughing stock, despite my attempts at gaining respect. No one thinks that the fact I got a non verbal person to speak in the first time in 4 years is valuable... I guess it just goes with the culture of where I work, and how frustrating it is. I guess my post really goes further than fostering small groups, but getting more respect and support for Activities. Maybe then I can get buy in with the small group activities... Apologies if this turned in to a rant, but as you can see, I am VERY frustrated.

I'm having an issue in creating small focused groups around a certain activity that a few people may like, but may not have wide appeal. Due to staffing issues that I am trying to work on (namely my assistant thinks she works in the kitchen and its her responsibility to help there...every day), I am the only staff able to lead activities, so in addition to being the director and a manager of the facility, I am also the assistant in a facility with 112 beds. So I really need the activities I can actually lead to have an impact. However, in trying non-Bingo ideas, with things that are aimed more towards a smaller group that would enjoy that particular activity, I am running into big issues with my Bingo and social regulars. Some of them have Alzheimer's, so I can understand their issues, but some are of perfectly sound mind. They complain when there's any activity that isn't about them or doesn't give them food, it seems. I share my activities room with the dining room, and in addition to fighting the televisions, rush of the dietary aides, set up for meals, meals, clanging of dishes, constant mopping and sweeping, now I have to fight residents who are dead set to disrupt something they don't even want to do. I've tried sticking to my guns, but it gets to the point where they will completely disrupt the activity for any other residents who want to actually do that activity. I've tried doing it on our 3rd and 4th floors, but it disrupts people who just want to sit and drink coffee and watch TV and they act the same way. Any ideas on working through this group behavior? I'm at my wit's end, but I don't want to give up trying and just go back to Bingo Bingo Bingo for the 12 who like to play and forget the other 100 who might like something else.

Does anyone have these problems? I am required to buy all supplies out of my own pocket to get reimbursed for later. The reimbursement process usually takes about 2 weeks. I don't make that much. The amount of money I'm putting up is putting a dent in my personal finances as I am paying off student loans (like everyone else), and it usually happens that come the week before payday, I am struggling and eating ramen. I have such limited supplies on hand to begin with, so getting supplies is a necessity. We have things donated, and I do my best to work with what I have...but my creativity is running out. My arts & crafts supplies right now are down to some markers, a pack of construction paper, and 3 bottles of glue! With the holidays coming, I can't do much with that. Simply put, I can't afford to be an activity director anymore, and give the residents what they deserve. I'm at my wits end. I don't get much support from administration on this - they apparently seem to believe that this comes with the job. I didn't sign on for this. Advice needed! I'm beyond frustrated.

I love the wine bottles with epsom salts! They look great! We're going to have a "ball drop." We're making a pinata ball the 2 days prior to New Years Eve, then at the strike of "midnight" we're going to have the ball drop from the ceiling, and hopefully break apart with prizes inside of it. Cheesy, but all my residents are excited for it. We'll have sparkling grape juice and go outside for sparklers afterwards.

I'm not sure of our state's regulations right now (just started), but my question is: If it is regulated that we have to, but no residents attend, how does that work? We have evening Bingo one night a week, and we only get 3-4 people who specifically stay up to play. 99% of residents are in bed right after dinner. It seems better to have the limited Activities hours we have spent doing things during the day when it is actually beneficial.

Hello! My name is Lauren and I am a new Activities Director in New Orleans, LA. I just started 3 weeks ago and was hired at a 112 bed nursing home with the plan to certify as I work. I have an assistant director, and we are the only staff on hand. I am dealing with a lot of challenges with lack of staff support and keeping my assistant director focused on activities as opposed to "helping out." Also dealing with a lot of challenges in reactions to change - mostly from STAFF, including my assistant! My background is as a camp director, and most recently, a program assistant at a public health program. It's helped prepare me for some of these challenges...but not nearly enough. I'm very excited, though. We are moving into a new facility in a year that is based on a household model, which I am VERY excited about, because it increases the focus on homelike settings and ALL staff participating in all aspects of daily life, including activities. So I'm here not just for ideas of activities, but how to increase BUY IN to the benefits of activities. The administration wants to promote culture change in the nursing home...but I'm not seeing much support when I try to promote involvement. We help out with meals and laundry, I don't see why other staff can't help with us. There's no buy-in to the importance of activities. It's all "get business done and get out." That's not the kind of place I'd like my family to be in, and I don't think anyone would! I feel like even though it's my job to spend time with the residents, I don't have time to, because I'm too busy transporting residents back and forth, doing paperwork, planning, etc. Half of the things I try to plan never get done because my assistant director won't do it or I'm required to be elsewhere at the time! When I do activities, I'm too busy making sure residents "get their snacks" to run the activity, because in the past, half the "activities" were socials where they get food, and now if they don't get it, they flip out! I am going for my state certification next week, and am very excited to learn more about the ins and outs of what needs to be done and to talk with other Activities professionals. I'm sure my challenges are not unusual...but something's gotta give! Lauren