callie

Just wondering if anyone is planning to chat tonight. The schedule for differenttime zones is: Wednesday's Topis is Careplanning Circle Monday, Wednesday, Friday Chat Night Time for All Time Zones! 7:00p.m. - Pacific 8:00p.m. - Mountain 9:00p.m. - Central 10:00p.m. - Eastern 6:00p.m.- Alaska 4:00p.m.- Hawaii I would love to chat with anyone but I am particularly interested in chatting with someone from assisted living communties. If anyone has time I would really appreciate your input. Thanks, Callie

Greta idea! I'm all for it. Just let me know what time and I'll be there.

If you have held a memorial service for former residents who have passed away would you mind sharing your ideas please? I am in the process of planning my first and would be appreciative of any advice or direction that anyone is able to give. Also if you have poems or special music ideas, please post them as well. Thanks in advance!

Hi Guys, One thing that I was lucky enough to stumble across concerning bingo was Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart previously held bingo for all of our town's senior citizens on Tuesday of each week up until last year in January. I took all of my residents religously. They made an announcement that they were going to stop this because someone had filed a lawsuit against a sister store (something about gambling). I went straight to the manger and asked if he would sponsor the bingo if my facility held the event for all local seniors, and much to my surprise he said yes. He could only sponsor $100.00 a month so we hold Wal-Mart Sponsored Bingo one time a month. My residents love it and look forward to visiting with players from our local community. There are many opportunities out there that you may not realize; and will reap generous rewards if only you ask...they can only say no and I've found that most never do.

At our first meeting we decorated the hats that the ladies would wear to all the meetings, I got cheap hats from Oriental Trading and spray painted them, then bought feathers, beads, sequins, tulle, ribbon and artificial flowers to decorate them. My residents had a blast! They enjoyed personalizing their own hat and believe me...the gaudier the better! I had a local photographer come and take professonal portraits of all the ladies in their hats...it was a great day and they loved it. Just a word of advice...make sure you have suffcient help when decorating the hats or you wil be run to death.

Hi Tiffany, I too, have to transport my residents to and from the dr's appointments twice a week on Tuesadays and Thursdays. There may only be a few, or sometimes they may be all day long, I think it is pretty much what your community decides, as for the norm, I don't know. It is very aggravating to be out of the building this much but our staff is very good to pitch in and help out while I am absent. Hope this helps.

Hi, I just had to prepare my inservice for all the staff where I work, I can tell you that it is very hard to find any info. on the web. I try to involve our staff in hands on learning instead of just speaking to them. I copied Mattie's Poem - What Do You See, Nurse? and had volunteers read a paragraph each. Also, you can do things to teach your staff why adaptive activities are needed. Coat reading glasses with clear nail polish and let them read through them, have them wear several pair of gloves and button a flannel shirt, have them put cotton balls in their ears to listen to you speak, all of these help to develop emapathy with our residents and helps them to understand the importance of adaptive activity planning. I also created an Activity Department Evaluation Form that I passed out to all of the staff with questions like: What suggestions do you have to improve communication between the activity department and your department? What activites would you feel comfortable leading? In your opinion, what can be done to improve activities for our residents. I use the information from these questionaires to better my department and it also improves the relationship between my department and others.

What is your name? Callie Watley What is your occupation? Activity Direstor in an ALF •What are you listening to right now? Elton John • What was the last thing you ate? Fatty McDonalds •Do you wish on stars? Always •If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Purple •How is the weather right now? Hot and Humid •Last person you spoke to on the phone? My mother-in-law •How old are you today? 105 (it's been a long day) 31 •Favorite drink? Mountain Dew •Favorite sport(s) to watch? Figure-skating •Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes •Do you wear contacts or glasses? contacts •Pets? various: cat, taratulas, sankes, sugar gliders, even an alligator •Favorite month? October •Favorite food? Pizza •What was the last movie you watched? Brothrs Grimm, I love horror movies •Favorite day of the year? Halloween •Fall or Spring? Fall •When was the last time you cried? about a month ago •What did you do last night? Ate out with my hubby and step-son •What inspires you? the small things •What are you afraid of? rats •Favorite car? Nissan Maxima •Favorite dog breed? shihtzu •How many years at your current job? 2 •How many states have you lived in? only one •How many cities/towns have you lived in? 3