kevinm

All assessments are coordinated with MDS schedule, which is usually every 90 days. Your MDS person should set schedule. A re-admit note is generated within 5-7 days depending on your facility policy. re-admit should not affect the quarterly note date unless as the previous person said there is a sig change. Again, your MDS person(s) should give all team members the dates of the Q notes, Yearlys and Sig changes..

Take them to Hooters, have one of the guys from the staff take them, and tell them this is the closest they will get. A strip club is out of the question. What's next? A massage parlor?? Who would fault you if you refused? Administration? Corporation? The State? I don't think so.. Heck! hire a belly dancer....again, this is the closest they will get. Kevin

Wii bowling is the hit here. We have a resident bowling team that competes with our other sister facilities. Those who cannot play are our cheerleaders. We host one month, next month they do. All staff get involved, we have t-shirts made up, etc. Local paper picked up on it, had a story. It's all good! Kevin

AD position open at South Heritage Nursing and Re-Hab 718 22nd Av S St Petersburg Fl 33705. Phone: (727) 894-5125 Contact Jacob Yonan Administrator. 70 bed

Is there a "special" form that you use to give receipts for donations to non-profit facilities like mine? (501-3C) or just a letter stating "thank you for your donation of craft material that was worth $$" is good enough? Thanks!

Ahhhh Bingo Prizes.. Always an issue no matter where I have worked. Have it down now, no complaints even from those quarter winners.. I have a Bingo Store once a week. I stock it with everything from Lap robes , bags for wc/walkers, stuffed animals, all donated, as well as an assortment of lotions, combs, brushes, puzzle books like word searches, suduko etc. again most donated, and gotta have the Little Debbies, each box you have 8/10/12 "prizes" to give away. Little Debbies have sugar free stuff as well. Generic sodas, diet and reg (2-12 packs for $4.00-5.00), cheese crackers, snack size candies, snack packs of chips etc. And yes! the dollar store stuff is great! all those little figurines, hair stuff, nail polish, BACKSCRATCHERS!!.. the flowers, picture frames all that stuff, my folks LOVE!EM more choose from this stuff than from the sweet stuff believe it or not.... I assign a "price" to the items, ie. a soda is 1 point (one win in bingo) little debbie swiss roll 1 point, 3 snack size snickers 1 point, etc. lap robes are 4 points, full size lotions, 4 points. Had some brand new watches donated once, they were 12 points..more expensive items more points.. Most of the dollar store stuff I sell for 4 points or better. I have had some save up for a particular item they wanted for two weeks or more! Lets face it.. what are they going to really use the quarters for? snack from the machine? soda? and thats about it, till they lose em somewhere...especially in a snf where there is limited opportunity for them to go out and really "shop", this is a winner! None of this stuff is expensive and again, GET DONATIONS! ask staff/family/vendors/ to pick up just 1 pack of little debbie, or sack of candy when they hit the store next. Come on... they are only $1.50 or less, just imagine if every staff member did that just once a week or so, you would be buried in snacks.. (don't forget the after halloween sales for candy! stock up and freeze!) How this all works, Points are recorded on a form by the bingo caller, Residents get 1 point per win on reg bingo, cover all is 2 points. We keep all the bingo sheets together, add them up weekly, and ea residents total is given to them and open the store. They all come at once, so we go by amount of points ea one has as to who chooses first. One week it's from most to least, next, from least to most. Many don't spend all their points, just get a soda and a twinky, save em up in their "Bank".. IMPORTANT! Word of warning....Do not keep the other residents who do not play bingo out of the loop with this Bingo store.. Offer other ways to win "bingo points" Trivia, horse races, card games, etc. You can and will believe me have some put off residents if they cannot "win" and get the stuff in the store too. It will be very popular. And maybe encourage a few to become involved in some way to win points too.. Oh and staff? each point is = to 50 cents, they can buy from your store too, help pay for the stuff! Hope this helps! Kevin

Rules for Resident Council do vary, but most have the same idea, Elect prez, vice pez, and secretary, (as able) have monthly meetings and take minutes, forward concerns to proper departments, make sure there is a paper trail of it all. Now I have a Question re: elections of Council members, do you allow only residents to vote, or can staff vote too?

No better resource I have found than being involved with your chamber of commerse. All local buisness owners who want to be involved with the community attend those meetings. I don't know how many things I have gotten through this resource. Now we are non-profit, which helps a lot! But the chamber is open to all! I also get involved with the local neighborhood associations. If there is one in your area, join! Again, these folks who are members and attend do so to better the community. Folks are out there just looking for a good cause. Make yourself known. Got a newsletter? Their name in print or free placement of an add does wonders too. An event to be in the media? You know you are going to mention them aren't you? Everybody wins! Kevin

I have already been there and done that re: Drug use in the Nsg home.. We have a lot of VA residents in and out, young folks, and plenty of the babyboomers.. Vietnam vets.. their buddies visiting, you can imagine.. NO! absolutely not! any illegal drug use of any kind is not allowed on property.. Now I'm assuming that we are just talking about recreational drug use. And these are grown adults, able to make their own choices/decisions. No matter if they are the correct decision or not, they are still free to choose. Sure we know "Charlie" just went off with his buddies to burn a couple joints. As long as it is not on our propetry, he signs himself out, he can do whatever he wants to do. He's his own man. We can discourage this behavior, but I'll be dammed if I will condem it. None of us are perfect, and we all make poor decisions in life. Now if his extra-curricular activities become a problem, affecting his health/recovery, drinking where he coming back drunk, serious drug use like with crack or some other addicting substance this is a case for social services and psyc services to assist with helping this resident. AA/NA etc. as others have stated. It becomes much more serious than just a case of simple recreational drug use. I've seen it all, residents going to the corner store and sneaking in a bottle of wine/beer, freinds/family bringing residents back plastered,(never again) a bag of pot falling out of a residents wheelchair as they come in the door.. (took it and gave it to his brother with a stern warning). Hell 10 years ago, I was working at a facility where we knew this one vet was smoking weed in his room, he was bedbound at the time, unable to get up, was the only one allowed to smoke ciggs in his room. Well he smoked more than just ciggs... we just closed the door and turned a "deaf nose" to it all. Sprayed a little lysol and left him be. He fought for our country, wounded in vietnam, govt. giving him the shaft, stuck in a nursing home with 90% of the clientel 70 or older, no one was going to say he couldn't burn one occasionally. Eventually, we did have to tell him to quit, (state was due) and he was then was able to get up and out, his biker friends would come by, and off they would go, we knew what was happening, but hey, if it didn't compromise his health or recovery, LET HIM BE! Now, again, I agree... there should be no illegal activity allowed on your facilities property. Especially in this litigious society that we now live in. Yes illegal in illegal, but what goes on in their personal life, off on their own, should stay there. Each case is unique. And we have to treat each one individually as it comes by. But as we enter this era of more and more our baby-boomers coming to our facility who were once very tolerent of recreational drug use, "bringing their baggage" as the article said, we must be just as tolerent in letting them make their own choices, and making the space to help them store that baggage. Kevin

Hi Guys! Well I know that this is not actually an Activity Dept problem, but I have been given the task of coming up with a smoking policy for our facility. It was an issue with our recent State visit. Residents did not have a smoking assesment in their chart, not care planned about it. Assessments have been completed, done by nursing. There are some residents deemed unsafe to smoke independently. (we knew that) So now the nursing assistants will be responsible to be on the smoking porch with those particular residents who require supervision. Everyone is getting hit with this tag btw... If a resident is not A&O x 3... and smokes, they need to be supervised. ANYWAY........If your facility has a smoking policy, could you please pass it on to me? I need some examples to go by in creating our own. We are leaning toward particular times throughout the day, 30min every 2 hours. Also NOBODY has their own ciggs or lighters. (except those deemed responsible and safe) Aides will have everyones ciggs locked in a box, only to open during our "Marlboro Moments". If you can, either post it here, e-mail me at kevinm@activitydirector.com, or e-mail me for my fax number.. We have only two weeks left before State returns, this has to be created, approved, and put in place before next week is out.. Thank you for any help you can give me Kevin

Anyone out there know of a site where I can dowload simple communication cards/boards for spanish speaking residents? Kevin

Hi Guy's! State survey last week... All just fine with Activities, tough though. With the new way surveyors are looking at Act I was looking forward to it actually.. Much more observation in halls, and not the numbers actually attending, but how they got there. No one left behind.. Facility wide involvement. Aides were asked about activities, "which activity does Mr Jones enjoy?" Do they encourage attendance, participate in activities themselves? (wow). And believe it or not, all had the right answers! Every under 55 resident was assessed and activity preferences reviewed 1:1's/in room activities of course, the documentation the key Some things just kinda related to activities but pushed on to nursing, was communication with non english speaking residents, and the smoking policy. Activities I know will be called on to assist. I will start a different thread with those issues. Anyway, unfortunately there were bigger fish to fry in my facility, so Activities I think really did not get the full brunt of an informed surveyor really doing some digging... But my facility is on alert! they know now what surveyors are looking for now.. I've been telling them, glad to see some change.. Kevin

Ella! Our Facility has had quite a few dogs but none better than a lab and a lab/chow mix dog we had. all rescue dogs from humane society. Great, even temperment, very mellow, and smart as hell! Just tend to get fat with all the grandmas (and Pa's) givin out treats... Good for you! Be careful.. 3 facilities I worked at the vet bills etc. all fell under activities.. Kevin

Now that as of June 1st, Surveyors are using the "new" Guidelines, anyone out there been surveyed? We are in our "window", I'll be sure to post any new areas/sites etc. for Activities. after they exit, what real changes have you seen re: Surveyors since new regs are in place? Kevin

I had at another facility 25-30 kids about that age come to my facility twice a month.. We did a mini olympics... pared 2-3 kids with each resident, and they went to 3 various "stations" to play a certain game... we had bowling at one, golf at another (putting green) and basketball for the third. They all counted off 1...2...3....etc to form the teams.. Kids got to play along with the residents at each station. We have also used bean bag horseshoes, and other games simular.. they had a blast! Presently I have 10 kids from the local high school from the special ed class come twice a week. They do all sorts of jobs REAL jobs while here for their hour. Some work in Laundry, housekeeping, dietary, amd of course, activities.. They get quite an education while here thats for sure... One popular activity they do is going for a "walk around the world" and take our folks in wheelchairs for a stroll around the block and neighborhood. Eveyone loves it! and it gets our folks out of the building and seeing something else than the same 4 walls all the time... Kevin in Fla

As long as it is an aroma that stimulates the senses, what does it really matter if it is Febreze Scent Stories , essentual oils, or bread baking? I do not know of any specific regulation stating it HAS to be essentual oils. It is all therapeutic. I like the fact that the febreze changes the scent every 1/2 hour or so it's wonderful! I'm in Fla, and I have never had a surveyor question why there are particular scents being sprayed about our alz. unit. or elsewhere.(not that they wont) We have had airfreshners of rose, pine, lavender, and other scents spritz about, and never a question, only that the items were properly secured, and that our lovely alz. folks would not be able to get ahold of them themselves. Cover up smells? you bet! and that is for the residents benefit, (well... ours too) we all have had that "wall of bm smell" hit us as we walk down one of the halls, not very good sense stim for our confused ones, (for us either) Don't we all have a can of something in our own bathroom? Now an airfreshner that constantly spritz the same smell all day every day ceases to be therapeutic, and could raise questions, but changing the scent like with scent stories does. (christmas one is great rt now) I think is wonderful! The scent stories also just runs for 2 1/2 hours, so it does not become redundant. non therapeutic. I use essentual oils as well but in a 1-1 situation, have a collection of 35mm film containers with drops of the oils on cottonballs inside of them. Lasts long and can be resident specific depending on the responce/goal you are trying to achieve. As one had mentioned, have it careplanned in some way you got it! All of it is good..... Kevin

Marketing! I highly reccommend that you get involved with your local Chamber of Commerce. Go to their monthly meetings, and get involved with what they are doing for their/your community. The merchants society as well. I have been attending the local c of c meetings regularly, and I have been amazed at just what a little involvement in the community does for a good "rep" for your facility. I have volunteers coming from the city council, local buisness donating items to our facility, and building a good voulnteer base. You get mentioned in the "Chamber News" that all c of c's put out, and I'm sure you have a local community paper. Get to know those folks on a first name basis, get all the good press you can, stand out amoung the others. After all you were there first! We are also the only nursing home in this town, and folks really appreciate when you are active in the chamber. The community as a whole is much more willing to provide support for you and yours if you show some support of the community as well. Kevin

We are in the process of buying a van for our facility. I am making sure all know from admin on down that I am not a taxi service. For outings that are activity related is one thing but to spend the day away sitting in a waiting room? NO WAY! That is what med transportation is for. Especially if they are on medicaid. We have 3-4 such transport companies in the area to do that. When they come, if a CNA is needed to ride along they assign one to do it. There is no way that that should be in the scope of practice for an Activity Director. You are a Department head. Let's see your DON or SS Dir.or any other department head spend the day sitting in that waiting room. I bet it won't happen. If it does I bet only once! If you let them take advantage of you it will continue. I have been in this situation before at another facility. I put my foot down and refused to transport residents to Dr. Appt's. They finally listend to reason and got a few others to get the license they needed to drive the van. I have no problem with the facility van being used for such things, just not me being the driver. AND they better schedule those appt's around my schedule for outings. Kevin

Hello Fla! Be sure to check on your local Florida Health Care Activities Coordinators Association (FHCACA) chapter. They usually meet once a month and have good networking. Let me know if you need to find your local contact. FHCACA does have a website that will help you find your local chapter. Kevin

For Art therapy and alzheimers residents, be sure to check out your local Alzheimers Association and the program "Memories in the Making" it is geared specifically for alzhiemers, and a very good tool for your residents to be able to express themselves through art. Kevin

Thanks guys for all the suggestions... I have done the "bingo bucks" thing before, but had a problem, someone went to the store and got their own supply! ended up stamping ea one so we knew they were legit...geeze! Went to giving out tickets off of a roll... Did the bingo store thing, and was going great till one resident offered more tickets for a particular stuffed animal and it turned into a bingo auction! Actually was quite fun. But that was THOSE residents... mine here are too greedy to play along with an auction... Think I will go with the tickets/store thing. Actually today was resident council ummmm...excuse me...... "neighborhood association meeting" (gotta be culturally correct) and it was presented to them and got a favorable response..wooo hooo! Now we shall see once the REAL players who don't attend the meetings take it.. We got lot's of stuffed animals just donated, lap robes galore, will get case of snacks in the bags from cosco/sams, pastries, pens, pencils our arts n crafts, greeting cards, etc etc. Maybe even some ciggs for our smokers.. offer a free outing to a local resturant by entering their tickets in a giveaway... Oh I hope this works I got a tough crowd....lol Thanks again, Kevin

I would have never started it, but Residents when I came here have been getting money for bingo prizes. I have not had much success changing this. Costs me about 25-30 bucks a week. Admin says NO MORE! (comes outta petty cash ya know, others wanna use that $$... hehe I was snaggin it b4 them) Anyway, I need ideas, stuff that I can get that'll get their minds off of that cash!! And won't cost me too much. I'm sure you all have been down this road, gimmie some pointers, especially when presenting this change to resident council........ Wish me luck! Kevin

I have dealt with these situations a number of times. As long as BOTH parties have capacity they are free to express themselves lovingly in any way they desire with one another. One facility I worked at, we had 2 couples, not married to ea other, living in same room. Both had previous relationship before, and so there was no problem. Even so, if they are capacitated we have to respect their wishes. I also had a gay resident who regularly had a friend come and visit. Again it all comes down to capacity. If they are of sound mind, we have to respect and try to provide their wishes to the upmost, as long as it does not infringe on others rights. As far as the hubby coming by only for a "booty call" Is the resident capacitated? Could she give proper consent? If not, the hubby needs to take her home for booty call, as we are again protecting the rights of our residents, and legally one could get into hot water by allowing the hubby to do his thing in your facility without the resident having capacity to agree to such "goings on" Yes document document document, not only to protect your facility but the rights of all concerned. SS as well should be involved and following up on rights/dignity of the resident(s)

We just finished survey this week and you bet everyone was on the floor and active all week. Administrator on down! Activities were all well attended (thanks to all the help) Residents that I hardly ever see in activity programs were in them this week. I wish State was in more often! By the way Activities passed inspection with flying colors thats 12 years str8 without a gig..... whooo hooo! You can be sure that I will point this out to all the Department heads next week As one member said, their Admin. says to go about EVERYDAY as if State was in the Bldg. Kevin

I was just wondering, if the e-mail feature for the old activitydirector.com is no more? and is the site now completely gone? I also see an e-mail link on this site but have been unable to access it. Is this e-mail feature only for members to correspond with ea other? I had been using the e-mail on activitydirector.com right up till the other day, and now unable to access it, just as I was expecting an important message. Wouldn't you know it? Grrrr, could have used a little notice if that's true, addresses, and some stuff I saved in folders I could have saved someplace else... For some reason I did not get any notice of the shut down if there was one.. Kevin