heavenstar

Last year I started a photography club. It has about 10 residents- which is a good number. The first couple of months, we had professionals come in and show their work and then we would do a slide show of the residents latest photos (we had a theme every month-- black and white, pets, nature, etc). The professional would critique it and give feedback. After the first couple of months, I wasn't able to get any more speakers, and I was left leading the class-- and I am NOT a photographer. I spend a lot of time getting photography tips online-- National Geographic and Kodak has great tips. We spent most of the remaining months just looking at everyone's photos on the projector. It was pretty boring. I tried to do an editing class on the computer, but most were not comfortable enough with the computer to get into uploading and editing- It would have been an 8 hour class instead of 1! At the end of the year, we made calendars and sold them as fundraisers- $5.00 each. We made about $300 and it was really awesome! But, It was sooooo much work for me-- I promised myself never to do that again. Today is our first class of the new year and I am stumped on what to do. We need a focus for the year. Any ideas? I told them to bring their cameras and we would go outside and take pictures (but of course it is raining today, so I guess we will stay inside). I think if I were a photographer, it would be a lot easier.

I am almost in the same boat! No football people and in independent. But I don't have to do anything-- thank God! But here are some ideas: Make table centerpeices with them with football helmets (goodwill, resale shop or staff members kids). Turn them upside down and fill with cut-out footballs or referee striped shirts (on a stick in styrofoam) Have a scavenger hunt-- looking for logos, player names (Tom Brady on a name plate on a residents door instead of their real name), Have a staff (or another resident) where a referee shirt, Find a football, whistle, goal post- make out of bendy straws, etc. Don't focus on the game, but the commercials- find old commercials on youtube and watch them and then talk about what will be coming up. You could even do a run through of different plays if you have enough people. Each person takes a position and then walks through the play. That might be neat especially if you had men. Hope some of this helps or sparks other ideas! Let us know how it turns out! Angie

Our Bylaws sate: The President shall have general supervision over affairs of the Residents' Council, shall preside at all meetings of RC and Executive Committee and shall appoint all committee chairmen. Should vacancies occur, the President shall make appointments to fill unexpired terms of officers and committee chairs. The President also attends meetings and gives reports at the Board of Directors meetings. Also, not in our bylaws, our President really does a lot of volunteer work! Usually they attend most of our events and programs, introduces special guests, and helps out by setting up, cleaning up and wherever is needed! Good luck!

Wow! I wouldn't be able to work in a facility like that. I think I would talk to the head admin or whoever is in charge. Would they allow that type of behavior in their facility? Do they know what is going on? And if they still let it go on, I would consider leaving and using your talents at a place that appreciates you. You have to be taken seriously. Sorry you are having so many problems.

It is good to know that other people have problems with Bingo! My group has pushed everyone out of bingo because they are rude, cuss, and acuse others of cheating. Yet, they come to me asking to get more people to come and play. Ha!

The more I think of this, the more it bothers me. Just to be clear, you are saying that when you have a small group, not only the regular bingo players disrupt, but the staff as well? If that's the case, one way to maybe curb the disruptions is to play the program up in the staff meetings or whenever you talk about your activities to other staff--- Put on a therapuetic hat and really emphasize how you are going to help someone with thier issues by doing this group. Talk it up a lot-- and after it is over, talk about how great it was and how next week is going to be even better. Maybe others will take your activity seriously and leave you alone to do your job.

What about doing a small group activity at the same time as bingo or social hour? It depends of course if someone else can run bingo and if you have additional space, but it might keep the disrupters distracted long enough to get through a program. I would seriously have a talk with your assistant too. She's your assistant, not the kitchen staff's. imo

Anyone else using pinterest to find decorations and activities? I love it. Some ideas that I've found are: bottles and epsom salt Framed handwritten recipes make your own coasters foam stickers and bottle lids new year's decorations record bowls

We start off with a new year's dinner: Matzo ball soup, baked chicken, green beans for money and black eyed peas for luck. Then we have an entertainer come-- he is a DJ and does all the party dances For decorations, this year I am going with a white/silver theme. I took lots of glass wine bottles (clear) and cut the bottom off and rolled in glue and then rolled in epsom salt. I will put a LED candle in the bottle. Add three per table with some sparkly branches coming out the top and that is my centerpeices. I am also putting up tissue paper flowers on the ceiling and white tablecloths with twinkle lights behind them. Hopefully, it won't look too much like a wedding when I'm done.

You're not raining on my parade. I have no idea what's out there and if it is even worth pursuing. I have been asked to do fused glass for others-- friends and children of some of our residents and I thought it would be a good idea to bring it to other groups especially since it is so expensive to start up. Thank you for being honest!

I have an idea, but would like feedback from you all. I would like to start my own part time business being a Mobil Activity Director. I would go to different facilities (once, once a month, or once a week) and do an activity with the residents that they currently don't have access to. For example, fused glass jewelry or fused glass art, computer classes, ipad classes, Wii Fit or Wii Bowling, sewing, scrapbooking, etc. I have all of the materials and could do them on a 1:1 or group. I think it would help the AD in that they won't have to learn a new technique, they won't have to buy the materials-- or need the room to store them. AD's already don't have the time to do "one more thing" but it would give them more activities in the evening or on weekends-- I could even write the progress notes for you. I have no idea what to charge-- on top of the materials cost. I know it has to be affordable because we all use every cent in our budget, but I need to make some extra money too. But is this something you would be interested in? Is it worth me pursuing? Let me hear your thoughts, and be honest! Thanks Angie

You're Right! Computers are an awesome tool for our residents. I teach them computer classes and this is some that I've done: 1. Beginners, 2. Internet 3. Email 4. Organizing email and address book 5. Power Point presentations 6. Picasa 7. Greeting Cards- Jackie Lawson and making own with Microsoft Word 8. Games 9. Slot Tournaments using a game website 10. Windows Movie Maker 11. iPad classes Also, I use google translate a lot! Pinterest is my new obsession because it gives me great ideas on decorations or craft ideas How's my mom is a neat service NSL is the National Senior League where your residents can play Wii Bowling and compete with other teams around the United States-- We have been part of it for 3 years now and they love it. etsy.com has lots of ideas on it for handmade items I use Publisher to create our newsletters and our fundraising calendar The residents love bigfishgames.com-- they purchase the games themselves Skype is HUGE at our facility-- they love communicating with their grandkids and families through this service Picasa is probably the most used program that we have-- you can organize and edit all of your pictures here.

Have you asked them what they would like? Some things that you could do: drum circles Aromatherapy reiki massages gardening storytelling computer classes-- using adaptive technology any trips that you go on can be beneficial to them Clubs or organizations: sewing clubs, residents councils, Veteran's club,widow's club, bible study, birthday club, welcome committee, exercise classes discussion groups current events Let them do the introductions at birthday parties, residents council meetings, program meetings. etc. Let them lead the book club Hope you can get some ideas from this. Most importantly, talk to them and see what they would like to do.

The martini glasses are a good idea. You could also get some fedora hats and put on manequin heads as centerpeices, records from them and use as charger plates, or melt the records over bowls to make chips/ appetizer bowls. You can even just put flowers in the record bowls and that looks good too. Placemats could be trivia questions You could also do song names as a centerpeice-- and it would be free For example: 1. Come Fly with me: Print a picture of an airplane with Frank Sinatra 2. Kick in the head: Print a picture of a boot or foot kicking someone in the head 3. Ring a ding ding: A phone 4. Witchcraft: witchy stuff-- make it cute or noone will sit at the table 5. Luck Be a lady: Lady with horseshoes, rabbits foot, four leaf clovers, etc. 6. Me and my shadow: Picture of Sammy Davis Jr and his shadow Hope these help! Good luck and it sounds like a great party!

Not sure what you mean, but here is my interpretation I teach computer classes to residents- beginning, email, digital photos and editing, powerpoint presentations, internet, scams and fraud, organizing files, skype, etc. glass fusing american customs (most of my residents are not from America) English as a second language Cultural classes-- similar to armchair travels art appreciation theatre appreciation (reaching back to college days and using same syllabus) memory enhancement workshops cooking classes