Mance

HI, Pennie. I've been AD for 8 yrs now and started doing evening activiies about 2 years ago. I have dinner and a movie where we set up the lobby like a dinner theater and have classic movies for my residents, board game night, evening reading hour, on Friday or Saturday nights Movie w/ refreshments (popcorn in the old popcorn boxes, m&m's, Charleston Chews, ect....) any type of old candy they might have had in their days. We also do outside dinners with soft music out in the courtyard. I'm still trying to come up with some different ideas for evenings and for Sunday's. So, if you have any idea's please let me know!! I hope this helps. Mance Z.

Hi, I have in the past had treasure hunts, raffling prizes and putting the money towards bingo or other projects for the residents. I have alson done theme days like carnival, Hawiian, Western & the swinging 20's & 30's. We have a popcorn machine that the local church lets us use and snow cone machine, we grill out and get some of the local business' to donate prizes like dvd players, tv, radios and gift certificate's to raffle off for like $1.00 a ticket. I hope this is helpfull. Mance Zglinicki

Hi, I have been an AD for 5 years now and we do have beauty shop days for the ladies and barber shop for the men. We set a time each week to have maicures for our residents each week. I'm not sure what CA. regulations are for nursing homes but ours have been getting more and more added to them here in GA. I mainly started doing it just because it does make a huge difference in how the residents feel about themselves. Most were used to having their hair done on certain days when they were at home and we try to keep that up for them. If it's not to much you might want to try and see about taking a Certified Nursing Assistant class and get certified in that. I did it so that I could help a little more than just my regular tasks if they need me. I hope that this info was helpfull. Mance ]Hi everyone, When I think of ADL's in relation to activities, personal care is limited to self esteem and pleasurable activities like facials, hairstyling, and some limited grooming like nail care. Please let me know, what ADL's are you responsible for, if any. I am concerned because my work is now saying that I must be able/willing to perform beyond this if need arises. We are in CA..This is not what I thought of when looking for an AD position. I have no skilled traning/clinical background in regards to nsg. or rehab. Thank you in advance!

Hi. How we "recycle" our BINGO money is that I have a little store with snacks, nick-nacks that are safe for the residents and when they when they go "Shopping" I have thing's for 25 cents and just put that money back in Bingo. It seems to work and the residents actually enjoy the shopping. Maybe this will help. Mance

Hi. I get my Dietitian envolved with us for any party or holiday festiveties. For Mardi Gras she has ordered what we need from our food suppliers. They have the King's Cake, purple & gold ice-cream, chicken nuggets, little sandwiches, virgin daquires and fun foods like that. I order all of my beads and decor from Oriental Trading, Inc. and I also keep my Christmas Tree up year round and decorate it for each holiday or season in which I have the residents make the decoration's for it. After Valentine's Day the residents will make masks, beads and other fun stuff to put on the tree. I hope this will help you. If you have any other question's just let me know if I can help. Mance

Hi, it was showing that I already voted and I didn't get to see the poll. Anyhow my education is that I am a high school grad, i've been in managment, live in babysitter, worked in day care with children and have a neice and 2 nephew's that I get weekly. I'm not sure if that's what you were wanting to know but that's my experience.

Hi everyone!! My name is Mance and i've been the Activity Director in Donalsonvill, GA for a little over 2yrs now. I am trying to come up with new December craft idea's for my residents. I only have a handful that are actually able to do crafts and I can't find any fun one's that are easy for my residents that have real bad arthritis. I mean we do alot but my CNA's are good to help us with the jewelry making and crafts that take a little more cordination. I was just wanting to know if antone has some easy ideas for me. Thanks, Mance Z.

I am an Acitivity Director in a small farming town and have found that bake sales are fun and effective to raise money for activities. I'm lucky in that the RNs, LPNs, and CNAs join in and we all cook different cakes, cookies, and candies. It's a real good treat for the staff and the staff at the hospital buy alot of them. We also put an ad in the paper on what we're doing and what it's for and the community is a great supporter for this. Also with staff and families that come in we sometimes do a fried green tomatoes and biscuts for like .50 cents and the residents love it because we always make enough to give to them also. Mance, A.D. Georgia :hammer:

I've only been an Activity Director for 2 years now and am still trying to learn alot. My pay isn't all that great but I am in a very small town. It is a fun job and I absolutely love my job. I am constantly trying to get new idea's from other Activity Directors. :-D