Pennie

Hey Cindy How is it going? What are they looking at mainly? What do they seem to be focusing on as far as activites go? I have never gone through a survey with "The Feds". Here is your hug Hope it goes well for you & the facility Pennie

2010 THCA Activity Professionals' Annual Conference "Rolling on the River: Keeping Your Activities Current" January 18, 19 and 20, 2010 in San Marcos, TX at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Confernce Center. Register onlinbe at txhca.org CEU's are pending pre-approval. Please go to txhca.org for all the details

Hi.. visit this link to download a copy of the NCCAP Certification Standards for Activity Professionals also on the same page is the Surveyors Guide that will outline the Fed Tag f249 explaining what State and Fed Regulators are looking for when they visit a ElderCare facility http://www.activitydirector.net/Activity_D...p13_sectionid/4 Info on our Online Courses for Activity Professionals can be found here http://www.activitydirector.net/certification hope this helps.. pennie

Why are you looking for him? Please don't anyone give out any personal info about someone else on this messageboard. Thanks Pennie

The H1N1 influenza virus has found its way into a long-term care facility in Kennebec County Maine this week, according to the Kennebec Journal Morning Sentinel. State health officials did not release the name of the facility, which is closed to visitors at this time. The facility is the first in Maine to face an H1N1 outbreak. The severity of the virus’ presence is not known, but residents and staff members have been given antiviral medications. The news of the infected long-term care facility accompanied the death of two Mainers due to H1N1.

Hi You can buy the MDS book from HCPro.com for $49 but check with your admin usually they provide every department head with their own MDS book. If not maybe you can ask them to purchase one for every department, especially the Care Plan Team. We have a strore that sells a variety of books & I beleive you can find some on Care Plans ones on it-- here is the link: http://www.activitydirector.net/shop/index...at&catId=11 We have on our members site Care Plan Assistance which has hundreds of pre-written CP's that you can use & edit to fit as needed check the site out activitydirector.com Happy Thanksgiving Pennie

hey email Big Chris & see if he has any suggestions. he is great at CP writting but not sure if he does this type or not. bigchris1974@hotmail.com -- if you get any good ones or advise please come back here & share them with others OK

As we age ..... It's harder to tell navy from black. Everything old is new again, but if you wore it before, you're too old to wear it the second time around. Your kids are becoming you...and you don't like them! ..but your grandchildren are perfect. Yellow becomes the big color now like walls...hair...teeth. Going out is good. Coming home is better. When people say you look "Great"...they add "for your age." When you needed the discount you had to pay full price. Now you get discounts on everything, movies, hotels ... even air fares. You forget names...but it's OK because the other people forgot they even knew you. The last 2 outfits you wore had spots on them. You ask your husband or friend how your outfit looks and they tell you the truth. The five pounds you wanted to lose is now 15... and you have a better chance of losing your keys than the 15 pounds. Men realize they're never going to be really good at anything...especially golf. Your husband is counting on you to remember things you don't remember. The things you cared to do, you don't care to do, but you care that you don't care to do them anymore. Your husband sleeps better on a recliner chair with the TV blaring then he does in bed. He calls it his "pre-sleep." Remember when your mother said "Wear clean underwear in case you get in an accident"? Now you bring clean underwear in case you HAVE an accident. You used to say, "I hope my kids GET married. Now it's, "I hope they STAY married!" The best place to have a conversation with your husband is in the bathroom... THEN you'll have his full attention. Who wants to wear 3" heels anyway? You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch. When GOOGLE, ipod, email, modem were unheard of and a mouse was something that made you climb on a table. You use more 4 letter words like,"what?"..."when?" Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere. Your husband has a night out with the guys but he's home by 9:00 P.M...next week it will be 8:30 P.M. You read 100 pages into a book before you realize you've read it. Notice everything they sell in stores is sleeveless. Many of the people in "People" Magazine you've never heard of. Your concealer doesn't conceal. Your lipstick bleeds. Your mascara clumps and your eyebrows are disappearing. You don't have hair under your arms and have very little on your legs, but your chin needs to be plucked daily. What used to be freckles are now liver spots... Everybody whispers. Now that your husband has retired ... you'd give anything if he'd find a job. You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet....2 of which you will never wear. But old is good in some things:...old songs...old movies...best of all: OLD FRIENDS! (Thanks for being one of mine!)

Hi Angie I loved the article!! Finally an article that we can use to support the activity that so many of our residents love. Try to cancel it & you could have a riot on your hand lol.

http://www.ehow.com/way_5573069_weight-los...aign=27_10_2009 A great article from EHow for w/c residents & exercise written by Khaleelah E Jones Check it out

Romaine Kaufman BA ACC/MC Program Director Heartland of Lauderhill 2599 NW 55th Ave Lauderhill, Florida. 33313 954 485 8873 x273 District President(Broward County) FHCACA Meetings; Every third Thursday 3.30pm at Heartland of Lauderhill free CEU's and refreshments Please join us for networking and educational seminars

http://www.ehow.com/Halloween/templates.html The above link has some great printable pumpkin carving templates. Happy Halloween

Christmas Candy Bouquet This is a cute craft ideal that residents could make & place on each nurse station & at the entry area(s) of the facility. Plus lots of other craft ideals can be found on the web-site: http://www.createyourcrafts.com/projects/projects/christmascandybouquet.htm#christmascandybouquet.htm#

Hi Vickie So far these are the only states that have a ratio. It is really sad. We play such an important role in their lives & they deserve more than what the state is demanding/giving them. With that being said, be sure to check your policy & procedure manual as they may have requirements.

Latest Report: Alzheimer’s Rate Accelerating source: ALFA The recently released 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report confirms that by 2010, there will be nearly a half million new cases of Alzheimer’s each year. By 2050, that number will double to nearly a million new cases per year. For senior living companies that care for residents with Alzheimer’s, the data reaffirms the increasing demand for specialized memory care services. The 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, published by the Alzheimer’s Association, looks at various aspects of the growing prevalence of Alzheimer’s cases throughout the United States, including care challenges, costs of care, and state-level budgetary implications. Here are some highlights from the study: ■As many as 5.3 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s disease. ■Every 70 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s disease. ■Alzheimer’s is now the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States, surpassing diabetes; it is the fifth-leading cause of death among individuals 65 and older, following heart disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and stroke. ■The National Academy of Sciences estimates that an additional 3.5 million health-care workers will be required by 2030 just to maintain current levels of staffing for Alzheimer’s care demands.

Hi.. look in the download are on www.activitydirector.net for a Chart Starter Form pack created in MS Excel it has a resident assessment as a top page and once the assessment is filled out you may print the entire packet and create the original assessment, MDS and the quarterly forms as well or just print them as blank forms .. http://www.activitydirector.net/Activity_D.../2/p13_fileid/3 later Pennie

Hi Kathy.. visit http://www.activitydirector.net/Activity_Downloads/ the AD Network Hompage - Downloads area and you can download a sample calendar, newsletter, and resident council forms pack.. .... also visit http://www.activitydirector.net/Activity_D.../p2_articleid/7 the AD Network Homepage - Activity Articles and read the article on HIPAA privacy by Chris Loga for the rules about publishing resident information.. try to refer to your residents by firstname or nickname only when in print. ... also try the search at http://activitydirector.net/forum/index.ph...Search&f=10 to look for other ideas post throughout the message board.. search for resident council .. newlstetter .. facility newsletter .. bulletin boards .. activity calendar etc hope this helps , Pennie

Hi Danielle, Our MEPAP I starts the First Tuesday of Every Month.. You can call Damon or Sheryl at 1.888.238/.0444 for information.. Visit http://www.activitydirector.org/classroom to download the MEPAP I Course Info and Enrollment Pack https://activitydirector.org/classroom/file.php/1/MEPAP/MEPAPEnrollPack.pdf thanks, Pennie

Arkansas regulations indicate a minimal number and type of activities and type per day. 585.1 There shall be adequate staff to provide activity/recreational programs daily, including Saturdays and Sundays. There should be at least two (2) group activities scheduled daily. 585.2 Activities shall be varied in nature and shall be designed to meet the needs, interests, limitations of residents. This is to include all residents: bedfast, ambulatory, and disabled. These activities should provide for the mental, physical, social, and spiritual stimulation of the residents. 585.3 Residents and patients will be informed of events and given opportunities to participate. A calendar of events shall be posted in obvious places throughout the facility. The calendar should reflect the actual activity program. 585.4 The utilization of community volunteers is encouraged, but they must work under the direction of the facility’s activity director. 585.5 The activity director shall be aware of the limitations, strengths, and weaknesses of residents. 585.6 Plans for activity involvement both on individual and group basis shall be developed for all residents. 585.7 Activity supplies as a minimum: A. Television B. Dominoes C. Checkers D. Outside furniture (50% of ambulatory patients) E. Two daily newspapers (one local and one having state-wide circulation) for each thirty-five (35) patients and current copies of four (4) popular magazines.

A ratio of activities staff per number of residents is mandated by regulations in these states: For Illinois Activity personnel shall be provided to meet the needs of the residents and the program. Activity staff time each week shall total not less than 45 minutes multiplied by the number of residents in the facility. This time shall be spent in providing activity programming as well as planning and directing the program. The time spent in the performance of other duties not related to the activity program shall not be counted as part of the required activity staff time. For Indiana An activities program shall be provided on a daily basis, including evenings and weekends. At least thirty (30) minutes of staff time shall be provided per resident per week for activities duties. Participation shall be encouraged, although the final option remains with the resident. For Iowa Staffing for the activity program shall be provided on the minimum basis of 35 minutes per licensed bed per week For Kansas The nursing facility shall employ activities personnel at a minimum weekly average of .09 hours per resident per day. For Maine The Activities Coordinator's hours per week and those of the Assistant Activities Coordinator, if applicable, are in accordance with bed capacity as follows: 0-30 beds = 20 hours per week 91-120 Beds = 60 hours per week 31-60 beds = 30 hours per week 121-150 Beds = 70 hours per week 61-90 beds = 40 hours per week 151-180 Beds = 80 hours per week For New Jersey Mandatory staffing amounts and availability for activities . An average of 45 minutes of resident activities staff time per resident per week shall be devoted to resident activities, which requires at least one full-time equivalent staff member for every 53 residents. For Wisconsin activities staff shall be employed to provide at least .46 total hours of activities staff time per resident each week: Note: The required hours are the total time that activities staff must be on duty serving residents each week, not the time directed towards each resident. If I have missed any or your facility requires a certain number please share.

I thoght that some of you might find this interesting: Ten state statutes mandate weekend and/or evening activities programming. Arkansas requires weekend activities. Oregon regulations stipulate the need for activities programming six days per week. Where as Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Ohio, and Washington require activities on both the evenings and weekends. Your facility may have it in their policy & procedure manual that you hold evening & weekend activities, so be sure to check that out.

Hi all.. We use a three part system One form for minutes, one form for attendance and one form for actions / concerns. ~^~^~^~^~ You can download a copy in the Download Area on http://www.activitydirector.net/Activity_Downloads ~^~^~^~^~ the Ftag 164 gives the resident Rights of Privacy .. anything photo, communication (audible/visual), clinical.. etc. so in fact each resident should sign a release to have their names published quoting something he/she said ftag 164 sub section (f) "Grievances" gives the resident the rights to voice disapproval ftag 165 residents have the right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal. Such grievances include those with respect to treatment which has been furnished as well as that which has not been furnished. as the AD you cant determine discrimination or reprisal, so as a friend to an extended family you should protect their privacy, they depend on you. the 3 forms system helps you maintain a line of privacy. ftag 166 prompt efforts by the facility to resolve grievances the resident may have. Including those with the respect to the behavior of other residents Also read the article on HIPAA Activity Article on HIPAA Chris Loga an Administrator, AD and member of the Georgia Activity Association writes " In general, HIPAA is nothing to be afraid of for any Activity Director. The regulation was enacted to prevent privacy issues for residents of Nursing and Skilled care. If your activity department uses common sense to prevent improper disclosures you should be fine." In conclusion, its always best to lead with your heart, your compasion and refer to your common sense for answers to the tough questions.. later Pennie

Hi all.. the regulations for the Resident Council dont spell out the withholding of the resident names, it is company or personal policy and procedure. As a troubleshooter I always taught my facilities to use a three part system One form for minutes, one form for attendance and one form for actions / concerns. ~^~^~^~^~ You can download a copy in the Download Area on http://www.activitydirector.net/Activity_Downloads ~^~^~^~^~ the Ftag 164 gives the resident Rights of Privacy .. anything photo, communication (audible/visual), clinical.. etc. so in fact each resident should sign a release to have their names published quoting something he/she said ftag 164 sub section (f) "Grievances" gives the resident the rights to voice disapproval ftag 165 residents have the right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal. Such grievances include those with respect to treatment which has been furnished as well as that which has not been furnished. as the AD you cant determine discrimination or reprisal, so as a friend to an extended family you should protect their privacy, they depend on you. the 3 forms system helps you maintain a line of privacy. ftag 166 prompt efforts by the facility to resolve grievances the resident may have. Including those with the respect to the behavior of other residents Also read the article on HIPAA Activity Article on HIPAA Chris Loga an Administrator, AD and member of the Georgia Activity Association writes " In general, HIPAA is nothing to be afraid of for any Activity Director. The regulation was enacted to prevent privacy issues for residents of Nursing and Skilled care. If your activity department uses common sense to prevent improper disclosures you should be fine." In conclusion, its always best to lead with your heart, your compasion and refer to your common sense for answers to the tough questions.. later Pennie

Check out the contest in the October Newsletter Online October Newsletter.. read now this months contest is : Post your best Halloween activity to Activity Directors Network "WALL" on Facebook, simple login to Facebook, do a search for Activity Directors Network and post your activity on the wall.. We will pick a winner to receive a FREE Activity Directors Policy and Procedure Manual .. as seen in the Activity Director Store

Hi Daddysgirl.. there is a printout in the downloads area that explains the federal regs that went into effect this last June. CMS the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services provides the guidelines for Surveyors. goto http://www.activitydirector.net then click on the Downloads tab and then click on the Activity / TR Documentation link This guideline for surveyors will help you to pinpoint your weak spots before the survey.. these regs are defined clearly and whether the findings are entered into a computer for assigning deficiencies or if the tags are given directly by the survey team, the rules are the same. basically CMS / US Government has been moving towards a more person directed care. Back 10-15yrs ago the facility employees kept to themselves, didnt interact much with the residents, everything was either activities or nursing. In 2006 they moved to a more person oriented care..employees were encouraged to get to know all the residents, help report back to activities, document after hour activities, late night dominoe game.. a self directed resident playing piano for others.. not scheduled but an activity that should be documented as participation. Now one step closer to a more home, culture, person-oriented care. Residents are care planning themselves, I-Careplan, Some are holding club meetings in the facility, inviting friends from the community. They are trying to make the transition from home life to care life as seamless as possible. Activities will soon life directors, planning events, scheduling meetings, interacting with an extended family to create a happy, diverse, culturally enriched community.