Pennie

Hi all, Donna in Houston (username Donna54) has started and maintained an Activity Network Association for several years in Houston. Contact her via your inbox Donna54 or email me via the contact form or pm pennie for more details. Pennie :-)

SUMMER FUN HOUSTON In Houston Chronicle Looking for something to do that is new and outdoors? The greater Houston area has something for the whole family. 1. Bayou Wildlife Park 5050 FM 517 in Alvin. 80 acres of exotic animals with an educational train ride. There are about 400 animals. It is open year round from 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Cost is $8.95 for adults. 2. George Ranch Historical Park 10125 FM 762 in Richmond. 23,000 acres of a working ranch. You will experience more than 100 years of Texas history through sights, smells sounds and taste. It is open everyday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. $9 for adults and $8 for seniors. Closed all holidays. 3. Houston Arboretum and Nature Center 4501 Woodway, four miles from downtown. This 155-acre nature sanctuary is a refuge for local wildlife. There are five miles of trails which you can explore the plant and wildlife in forest, meadow and wetland habitats. There is also a Discovery room that features 15-foot model of tree aquariums, interactive touch screen exhibits and microscopes with video display monitors. Free tours are offered every Saturday and Sunday at 2 and 3 p.m. Sundays give visitors free presentations about a variety of nature topics. 4. Moody Gardens One Hope Blvd. Galveston. Has a 10 story Rainforest Pyramid that shows off its tropical environment. Is also is the largest home to bat exhibit in the southwest. Rate and hours can be gotten by calling 800-582-4673 5. Oil Ranch 1 Oil Ranch Rd. in Hockley. This 100-acre working cattle ranch change to a guest ranch about 25 years ago. It features wide range of activities, including pony rides, hay rides, milking cows, train rides and petting zoo. Call for time and rates 281-859-1616 6. Sea Center Texas 300 Medical Dr. in Lake Jackson. This marine fish hatchery and aquarium is located on 75 acres. The hours are 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday through Fridays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free. 7. Downtown Aquarium off of I-45 downtown. The exhibit features a world tour of sea and amphibious life, including stingrays, turtles, alligators set in swamplands of Louisiana, a coral reef and a special shark voyage. The shark voyage features sand tiger sharks, pacific black tip sharks, Australian zebra sharks, whiptail ray sharks and many more. For directions, parking and admission and price call 713-223-3474. 8. Armand Bayou Nature Center 8500 Bay Area Blvd. In Pasadena. The largest urban wildlife and wilderness preserves in the U.S. The center offers a woodland-pond area, a bird blind, walking trails, pontoon boat tours and canoe trips. Reservations are required for boat tours and canoe trips. Admission $3 adults $1 seniors 60 and over. 9. Texas State Zoo and Texas State Aquarium One in Victoria and one in Corpus Christi. In Victoria, the Texas State Zoo is rapidly becoming one of the top attractions in the area. All the animals are native to Texas. In Corpus Christi 2710 N. Shore Blvd on Corpus Christi Beach the aquarium is open 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The cost $10.95 for seniors. There is a $3 parking fee. 10. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center 3 miles west of Glen Rose on CR 8008 northwest of Houston. The animals with the exception of the carnivores, rhinos and a few others are free to roam this 1,500 acres. Starting in June there will be a Sunset Safari, which includes dinner, dessert and guided wildlife tour for $75. To register call 254-897-2960 Ext. 0 they offer more things to do to get more info. email cherylj@fossilrim.org 11. Kemah Boardwalk 877 at Kemah I-45 South from Houston exit NASA Rd. 1. Escape to the waterfront beauty of the Kemah Boardwalk and experience a wide variety of restaurants, shopping and amusements. Life entertainment, stingray reef and more. Call 281-334-9880 or Kemah Boardwalk 12. Bubble Tea located downtown in Houston. This is tea's answer to Starbucks. Tropica Tea and Coffee Bar is serving bubble tea. Tapioca is a starch known for its use in pudding. The tapioca balls mixed in the teas changes the texture rather than the taste. For those who like the feel of tiny balls rolling around inside the mouth. They add to the tea for a little zing. Jellies are bigger balls than tapioca; you can suck it up through a straw. It is like a dessert. This full-blown drinking establishment offers free wireless Internet, people can come and stay as long as they want and sample their products. They serve real fruit and high quality products. Smoothies, more than 30 gourmet teas, and sandwiches. T-Spot Tea Bar in Rice Village serves the bubble teas, as well as smoothies, strawberry being the top one, Cream teas hot or cold and the most popular is Taro, a root like sweet potato. They steam cream the cream for hot tea. Try a tapioca cream tea. 13. Houston Museum of Natural Science welcomes The Lord of the Rings at 12:01 a.m. June 4. For tickets and info. HMNSor call 713-639-4629. Located One Herman Circle Dr. in the Museum District. 14. Museum of Fine Arts open for learning every Sunday. Sunday is family day. Choose from a variety of drop-in art activities each month. Monthly family day programs are held at Bayou bend Collections & Gardens, 1 Westcott St. through May. Call 713-639-7330 or view MGAH 15. Summer with the Houston Symphony offers a variety of performances. June 1 to June 30 the Houston Symphony is under directions of American Conducting Fellow Damon Gupton. Admission is free. Call 713-238-1477 or visit Houston Symphony Perry Homes' Symphony Summer Nights in Miller Outdoor Theatre in Herman Park will be preformed June 17, 18, 24, 25 and July 4. Free to public. Lord of the Rings Symphony July 8-9 7:30 p.m. Tickets call 713-224-7575 Summer Chills is time for Alley Theatre's ExxonMobil Summer Chills series of murder mysteries. A variety of these as well as dates to choose from. Visit Alley Theatre or call 713-228-8421. Tickets go on sale starting May9.

Hey, I don't have a ceative saying or inspiring one, at the moment :-D But the field of doing activites for residents will be changing. What I mean is that we usually deal with a certain generation/age group. The age of people who will be admitted to nursing homes and ass't living will be changing. So must our activites. Think about our generation (well some of us) how we will want computers, more solitaire type activities, how the parties will need to change, the demands will be high on AD's. Of course the AD's will probably be our children. However this may not be as hard as it sounds to me. After I find it fairly easy doing activites fo rthe generation I work with. So why wouldn't they find doing activites for us just as easy? Anyway I don't know how you can use this but you will be the next generation/leader. What creative think can you think up that would appeal to us? You might want to think about a theme for Activit Professionals Day in January and submit it for approval to NAAP.org If they approve it there will be shirts, buttons and much more needed. Be of luck Pennie.

Hi, In 19030's you had the Great Depression and Wall Street Crash. There was also the "Slang" used in the 30's you could do word seach, trivia or whatever using some of these words: Baddy (1977) A criminal or desperado (A Bad Man) A villian in a play. A person of bas character Bonk (1931) To hit (a soild surface or bony part of the body) resoundingly with or against something hard. Blat (1932) A Newspaper Chizz (1935) Chisel So Chizzer, a swindler: Chizzing a cheat Clip-Joint (1933) A club, bar chrging outrageous prices. A clip-joint in New York usually preying on the out of towners. Crackers (1928) Mad, crazy I will go "crackers" (Mad) if anything happens to Ted. Dong (1930) Penis (Might not want to use this one?!) Dozzer (1930) Doozy Dumb Cluck (1929) A dumb or stupid person, fool. Emcee (1933) The names of the letter M and C, used to denote the master of cermonies, the introducer of a show or other form of entertainment. Eighty-six (1936) In resturant and bars, an expression used indicat ing that supply of an item is exhuasted, or that a customer is not to be served; also, a customer to be refused sevice Flat-out (1930) To be for something. I am "flat-out" for playing bingo. Fringer (1938) One who is on the fringe. Picked up a bit of living by introducing snob-conscious to the social fringers. Glam (1936) The abbre. for glamorous. Gee (1936) Opium or so similar drug. Geed-up drugged up. Hackie (1937) A taxi driver hep-cat/hepster (1938) An addict of jazz or swing music; one who is hep - hipter. He is a "hep-cat" on swing music. (know all about it) Hunh (1935) Used as an intensifier after a question. You got mo'poison in yun than dat snake dat wuz so poison that he bit de railroad track and killed the de train, huhn? Hoo-ha (1931) A rumous, commotion, row That gal always starts a hoo-ha. Hot Damn (1936 ) A intensified form of "damn" Hot damn, listen Itsy-bitsy (1938) Small, tiny, (charmingly) insubstantial. Iffy (1937) Doubtful, full of "ifs" Juke (1933) To dance at a juke-joint or to the music of a juke box. Juke (1935) A roadhouse or brother, a cheap roadside establishment provoding food, drinks and music. Jeeves (1930) A person who does a prefect job, courtesy. That waiter was jeeves-like. Killer-Diller (1938) A Killer. A musician shudder when a radio announcer his song as a "killer-diller" Lucky (1940) Lucky Strike cigarette Modoc (1936) A flashy chap wearing a helmet, goggles and usually leather boots with riding breches. Talking about the big things he is going to do for avi ation. Moxie (1930) Guts, courage, nerve. I alway thought that he was a moxie (nerve) guy. Mojo (1935) An addict's name for any type of drugs. Nada (1933) Nothing, non-existence; a stae or condition. He knew it was nada. Not at all (1936) Don't mention it. ** I should not put this one here but it so funnt I can't help it* Nibcocked (1939) Having a penis like the point of a pen. The Enlish poets now are such a pinlegged, nibcocked, paperhearted crowd that you could blow them down with one bellow out of a done lung. Nitwitted (1931) A lack of intelligence. Stupidity. Off Base (1936) Surprise, mistake, caught off gaurd. Oomph (1937) Sex appeal, glamour, attractiveness. Payola (1938) A secret payment or bribe. Preggy (1938) Pregnant queeny (1936) One who talks like they think they are a queen. Raggy (1933) ragtime music. At the age of 16 she listen to "raggy". Raunchy (1939) Incompentant, sloopy, unpleasant, mean, dirty. No matter how good or "raunchy" we were we practiced for 3 hours a day. Schlepper (1934) A person of little worth, a fool, a jerk, a beggar, an untidy person. A customer who goes shops store to store trying on shoes but not buying anything is known as a "scheppler". Skid row (1931) Any run down area of a town. Swaccked (1932) Drunk. Man is he "swaccked". Smooch (1932) Kiss, neck, pet. We "smooched" while we were slow dancing. Thataboy (1936) Exclamation of encouragement or admiration: Attaaboy Toots (1936) A girl or woman. Used in families here and there as a nickname or a term of endearment. Hello "toots". Up-do (1938) A style women had their hair done in. Sweep up and securing it away from the face and neck. The "up-do" is so snazzy. Whammo (1932) An exclamation suggestion a sudden violetn blow or surprising event. Woofer (1934) US black slang; Woofer applies to someone who talks constantly, loudly, and in a convincing manner, but says very little. Weepie (1928) A sentimental film, story or play. That movie was so "weepie". Well now we can all go back to skid row and cause a hoo-ha by off basing all of our residents with itsy-bitsy slang. They will say we are either moxie or swaccked. The comics for 1930's: Krazy kat, Dick Tracy, popey, Little Orphan Annie, Buck Rogers and Superman. Have fun, Pennie

I agree that you should speak with the Social Worker as well as the making your Administrator aware of this rumor/resident. Remember that it is hard to talk bad about someone when they join in on the band wagon. If you defend yourself over and over each time getting louder you are playing into her game, so don't. Also since she has such a crush on him has he spoken to her? Maybe he could tell her that it is not true, and how he really avoids people that talk about others and those that spead rumors. He might also tell her that he is really dissapointed in her actions. Or appeal to her heart say that he may lose his job beacause someone has started this unture rumor. Since I don't know the res. I don't know which tact might work with her, but he might want to think about a way to get her to stop it. She more than likely does not want to look bad in his eyes. Keep you head up and focus on your job and other res. All rumors die when they have nothing to feed on or until next new item comes up :cry:

Wow Thank you all. I didn't relize that it had been a year it seems like last week. This site is such a success thanks to all of you. You will never know how much we appericate all of you. So Happy B'day to all of you, because this is not Pennie & Chip's site it is all of ours. Hope we have many more years together Chip & Pennie

Finally found the Surveyors Draft with the new guidelines for F tag f248 The Publishers of the Newsletter had an incorrect site listing. They contacted the submitter and she send us a copy... here is the link to the pdf file ::::: Download the SurveryorsDraft F-248 thanks, Pennie :-)

Hey Linda, I posted this under Volunteer Gift, on the board but i should have posted it here :-? You may want to look at it also. This is from Bunny: "Bunny" <bunnyhopping@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Ideas for volunteer party favors Our volunteers are as good as gold--favors gold foil wrapped candy bars...centerpieces, could be shallow containers of round rocks spray painted gold and gold chocoalte coins with small white candles tucked in them. Or an assortment of mismatched silk flowers all sprayed gold and put into clear vases filled with gold packing shred. Volunteers are the stars in our night sky...fill star shaped soap molds with plaster and create paperweights that you paint and or write on. Star shaped garland is pretty on a mirror around a candle or several small vases with white flowers in them. Volunteers reap with joy what they planted in kindness....decorate the tables with small rose or other potted plants, and buy enough mini ones to send one home with each volunteer. We bought a case of 24 for only 24.95 from a wholesaler, so they are not out of the question. Ask for the Tom Thumb size....they are sweet! Some other possible awards to offer your volunteers depending on your facility .....lunch for two in your dining room for a ny lunch or dinner with one days reservation. A new hairdo ( or manicure or massage) from your on site salon. A certificate to be spent in your crafts "store".

Hi Jersey, Will you send me a copy of your Excel Part sheet. If you agree I will put it up on the site under the download area for all to look at etc. If anyone else has any type of forms that you have made up and find useful please email them to me as well. I will put them up to so that we can share these. If you know how to put them up please do this. It helps so many of us out. You may send me info. by email me at pbacon@activitydirector.com or send them to the contact us located in the main menu area on the left. Thanks P

Hi Evon, I agree that it is very important that your staff be trained in any of the firelds that they work in. This will help they in their work and self-confindence in doing that job. Also this would be a plus for the facility and especially fo rthe residents. As far as getting someone certified to be activity director certified there are several options that can be followed. Here are the required ways become certified. ADPC Certification (listed near the end of this) may be of use to your employee, depending on their education level and/or money. TRACKS Each of these levels has differing TRACKS to help you obtain your certification. Each of these TRACKS has, at minimum, three qualifying components: A. Academic Education B. Activity Experience C. Continuing Education Activity Director Certified (ADC) Track 1 - Bachelor's Degree Track 2 - Associate's Degree Track 3 - 60+ College Semester Credits Track 4 - 12+ College Semester Credits *Below is the track used for ADPC* Track 4 A. ACADEMIC EDUCATION 1. 90-Hour Modular Education Program for Activity Professionals Part 1 and the 90-Hour Practicum (Basic Education Course). 2. 90-Hour Modular Education Program for Activity Professionals Part 2 and 90-Hour Practicum (Advanced Management Course). 3. 12 semester college credits (cannot include #1 and #2 (must include an English PLUS 1 other required coursework area). ...AND... B. ACTIVITY EXPERIENCE 4. 6,000 hours activity experience within the past 5 years. ...AND... C. CONTINUING EDUCATION 30 clock hours (Body of Knowledge) within past 5 years. Activity Director Provisionally Certified (ADPC) ACTIVITY DIRECTOR PROVISIONALLY CERTIFIED (ADPC): The Activity Director Provisionally Certified is one who is working towards requirements to meet NCCAP standards for ADC certification. Certification is provisional for 6 years, and nonrenewable after that time. To maintain provisional certification it must be renewed every 2 years during the 6 years with 30 clock hours. By the end of the 6-year period, all 5 components must have been met to be ADC Track 4 (or meet ADC certification standards from Track 1, 2 or 3). * This level can only be applied for one time. (The ADPC must meet three of the five standards in Track 4.) All tracks must have the MEPAP 1 (Basic) and MEPAP 11 (Advance) courses. Each requires the 90 hours and 90 hours of practicum. So this would be 180 for the Basic and 180 fo rthe Advance. Some instructors will allow you to use your work towards your practicum. (I don't believe this has changed, but it has been years since I had to take the courses) The MEPAP Courses can be taken in a class room enviroment at a Community College or by a local Instructor. It can also be taken on the Internet as well as a home study course. *I personnal like the class room enviroment. Depending on the expernice level of the person, new to the field then I would take MEPAP 1 in a class, for someone who has some knowledge then MEPAP 11 in a class room envirpment. The reason I prefer this is because the interaction with peers and the instructor is such a benefit and knowledge that can only be gained by this type enviroment. The cost to apply for ADC through NCCAP is $65.00 ADCP is somewhere in this same area. The courses cost can really vary. Your would need to research the options and compare the cost. They will more than likely all be over $100 per course. I had to take 2 other courses to become nationally certified the Intro to TR (Theraputic Recreation or sometimes called TR 1) and TR. In Texas you are required to sit in on the Exam to become certified. The 2 TR Courses were not requried to be state certified. So check with the laws of your state to see what is needed. You can get detailed info. from National Certification Council for Activity Professionals Also look on their web site for the Instructors in your area, they can tell when next course(s) are being offered. On the bulletin board you will find a section that has a listing on classes offered on the internet and home study courses. Well this is a lengthy reply but I hope it will help in answering your questions. Let me know if I can help in other way. Thanks Pennie

Hi, There is also a couple of other postings about Volunteer recog. on the board. Try going to the home page and looking at the new postings or going to the other topic areas loking fo rthem. I posted several web sites that offer gifts at reasonable prices. even though you have a great admin. how about sending him something about how volunteers benefit the facility and staff as well as the res. It means that people in the community know of the facility and word of mouth can help or hurt the census status. Do some research on the net about volunteers. They have some sites that offer great wording, showing what all they do and how much they benefit everyone. You won't have anything to lose but everything to gain. Vol. are just as important as doctors in getting people in the door. Have you spoken to the PR people in your facility? I always work hand and hand with mine on these type of events. They get really involved and help with the cost of this event. They sometimes have more pull in the purse dept. with the admin. As far as Family Day when do you do this? How is the turn out on it? You might consider having a Hoe Down or western theme. Have hot dogs, C&W band/music, square dances could come in. Bales of hay & camp fire or draw one to look like it for deco. This type of party usually go well. P

Hey Julia, You could try: Getting in touch with the local community college, see if they offer the course or can help. Look at NCCAP site. Go to the instructors list look for someone in your area. If they don't have one listed look for the closest instructor an call them ask if they can help. You could also post a message on their board. You can also call NCCAP and speak directly to them. they are really very helpful and nice. You might consider taking the courses on-line. Hopefully one of these things will help you get certified. P

Listed are some sites you might want to check out. They may offer some different items for your volunteers and at affordable prices. On ABC, which I use every year for this, states you must buy in lots of 3. You don't have to you can order just 1 or any number needed. The price is still the same. Everyone gets small item at the door when they register, like pencil, paper pomotional type items. Then everyone (groups are considered one) gets a plaques of some type, the large organziations get a large plaque with a place to add years of service (then I only need to buy the yearly attachement for it) and others may need a different size plague depending on their services etc.. Then we do door prizes, everyone gets something. The prizes vary; in size and cost . Noone cares about this since all get something, they love the door prize drawings, just like our residents enjoy bingo :-P Of course speeches are given, awards presented (plaques), regular things like this it all ends with a buffet style lunch. Be sure to include your volunteer residents. Have some of the residents man the greeting table, give out the awards, do a speech or poem, get them involved in some way. abc distributing Recognition Gifts The Thanks Company Thank Em Promotions Volunteer Gifts Volunteer CHEER

Hey Emily, I agree that 9 are tough. I use Print Master. You can adjust the text & print size. I do the newsletter w/ calendar, then I take the calendar & blow it up to 11x17 hang in the res. rooms, make extra for those who want to come and get them from act office, family members, volunteers etc. to use at home. I then take the calendar to a office supply place, like Kinko's, have them blow it up as large as possible. This is pretty big & I have one made for each hall/unit & hang these up in those areas. This usually makes everyone happy, they have 3 ways to see the calendar.

Hi Gary, Working with people that have Alzheimer, Dementia or any kind of cognitive loss is hard. I am able to deal with it and can come up ways to keep them involved, for the most part. But when it was my grandmother & father-in- law I was unable to cope woth it as I do with others. I guess I was to close to the source. The hardest thing is keeping them occupied with meaniful activites, the attention span is so short. You do learn how to keep certain res. away from each other for some reasons certain combinations cause a conflick and the fights begin. Most persons with Alzheimers may forget names, faces, words etc.. but they can remember words to songs without missing a beat. Animals are usually a good combination, but not always. Know your res. before present one to the. I have found a few things that have worked; get an old purse and fill with various items. Leave it sitting around or give it to a female res. She will dig in that purse, empty it out and start the process all over agin. This can keep her busy for hours. Do the same thing with a dresser, filling the drawers up. Set out a basket of towels & washclothes. The ladies will start to fold these. Keep out a broom & dust pan, itme to keep a house they will use these. I once had my dad make a board up with itmes like a lawn mower carb, different kinds of door locks, a telephine, just a array of items & the men would use this board all of the time. All of them at one time or another would use the phone. Go to your local video staor and ask them for there old posters & the cardboard figures that stand up. Res. talk to them & think they are real people. Use finger foods with them, they forget how to use silverware &/or forget to finish eating. Finger foods they can carry around with them. This will help ensure that they don't lose to much weight. Remember to offer them lots of water & fluids. They forget to drink which causes a lot of problems for them. If a res. wanders towards the door try putting up a stop sign, or you can paint a black 1/2 circle on the floor infront of the door. They think it is a hole & will not cross it. Set up benchs with bus stop signs, lots of them think they are traveling. However the most important thing of all is that no matter how bizzare the things they say or express it is real to them! They are in their own world & we usually can't bring the back to ours without confussion and other problems. So you need to go to theirs and help them deal with that tiger in the bathroom or whatever it is. I don't know if this waht you are looking for or even if it will help but here it is ;-) P

Hi Missy, If you took the required courses either from your State and/or NCCAP then you would be a "Certified Activity Director". You would have recieved a certificate stating that you are certified, also it wil have an expiration date on it. To keep your certification you must con't to get CEU's. Your state & NCCAP may require different number of CEU's for you to renew, so be sure to check on this. If you wish to advance from AD then you could work towards becoming a Activity Director Consultant, you must have a BA to go for this, the same goes for TR, OT etc.. You can as far as you wish with education and not mention the green stuff (money) If you still don't quiet understand all of this let me know. You can email me or PM me. It is confusing at first, I know I was. I use to ask my instructor, so how do I sign my paper work now? AD or AD/TXC (Texas Certified) or do I use both etc.. It was just something I couldn't get my head around. P

HI, There was a pretty big discussion about this a while back. You may want to go back a few pages on the board & look for it or do a search for it. ANyway I have tried a lot of programs & I like Printmaster the best. I use it for calendars & newsletters, plus much more. What is your ED looking for in a calendar? Or what is it she doesn't like about yours? If we can figure out what s/he is looking for maybe we can please them ;-) P

A lot of the homes are going to smoke free but theu still have to honor the smokers rights that are already in the facility. At the facility I worked at there was designated times for smoking. The cigs. were kept at the nurse station. The residents could only have 2 cigs per smoking time. They also had to be watched by staff or someone who was comptent. No one wanted to take on the job of watching them it was a general complaint by all Depts. So the way we handled it was that evey dept. was responsible for a certain smoking time everyday. This worked out great because you only had to watch them once a day & we were able to work out a schedule that didn't interfer with out depts. I used the smoke break as a time to also hold an activity, since most of the smokers did not attend them. They were to busy watching the clock & wating for the next cig. So this worked out well for my dept. We also had a Res. who was alert, orentitaed etc.. who was a volunteer. He watched the res. on one of the shifts since he also smoked. It was the Social Service Job to get the cigs. S/he would get the money from the res. trust funds, although we encouraged the family members to buy the cigs & bring them to the facility. I was able to get a family member who volunteered to come get the money & go buy the cigs once a month fo rus. This helped & usually this was the only cig run that we had to make every month. So talk to your Admin. about this, explain how it interfers w/ your act. & how you have to stop in the middle of one. This is a deficeny waiting! Also it is not fair to the other res. or you. Try and get it to be everyones job. Good luck P

Hi.. look at this link, it is for the President of the US 100yrs Greeting Program. The pres will send a certificate to your resident, I have used this quite awhile back, I have not been on the site in sometime, so please update us on the site. http://activitydirector.net/modules/mylink...hp?cid=2&lid=19 There is always the grocery store manager, free cake and favors, with an honorable mention in the family newsletter, GoodMorning America Willard Scott 100yr old greeting, and the local news... check with the resident ... hippa regs :-)

Hi, You are not alone, I believe that most of us have been to the point that you are at. It has nothing to do with not loving your job or your feeling towards the res. This profession is high stress, it is hard to smile, be happy and postive everyday. This is just the tip of the ice berg as you know. Once when I was burned out I was lucky enough to have a great Admin. that gave me a week off w/ pay. Another time I took a few days off but I so many other issues going on in my lfe that I couldn't over come it & I had to quit. It took a few months for me to start feeling normal again. When you get burn out don't wait til the point that it is to late. Take off on a monday or friday, or whatever to give your self a 3 day weekend. Speak with your admin. about it, I have found that they really understand this feeling and usually will work w/ you. When you get the time off try and I know this is really hard to do but make it about you. Self-indulge you deserve it you give 150% of yourself to others this is at home too. As Dr. Phil says if you don't care first then you can't take care of others, put yourself first. Let us know how you handle this best to you. P

Hi there, I have never heard this before :-? The only thing I have ever heard about was to be sure that you stay so many feet away from the springler systems and that you can must have so many inches from the celing (sp). Did they have a problem with any other thigs? Please let us know how you handle this. Any of us could be faced with this problem later too, I hope not :-? P

Hi Marcia, Welcome. All jobs no matter what they are I believe have some stress of one kind or another involved. Ours would be one that has a high level of this. You are an Ass't correct? Do you have an AD? What kind of hours do they work? What kind of work do you take home to do? I can tell you first hand that you should not take any work home or do it on your own time. This will also cause you to burn out fast. I know all of have & some still do. However if you do this then the powers that be think there is no problem, after all everything is getting done. So you need to show that the 31 hours is just not cutting it. Really the AD should be standing up for you & the dept. on this! But if not take matters into your own hands & speak to the admin. about your concerns. As far as getting money back on seminars etc. it varies from facility to facility. Some do not even pay for this. I have gone to seminars where they send the bill to the facility and get paid this way. I have also gotten all of the seminar info. with full cost well in advance and given it to accounting, they pay for the seminar prior to the date(s) it will be held. I have had them give me the check to take with me to the seminar & pay at the time of registering. You just need to speak to accounting dept see how they handle things as well as speaking to the people doing the seminar to see what they are willing to do. Your travel time will have to be after the seminar but this shouldn't be to bad if they cover the rest for you. You said you would have to take 2 weeks off for the classes, what kind of classes? If it is for the Basic & Advance classes to become certified you might look into taking these on-line. I hope I have not confussed you but if I have please let me know. As far as staying in this profession only you can answer this. But if your heart is not into it you should probably find another line of work. Life is to short to work in a field that we just don't like ;-) ADing is a lot of hard and stressful work, it will at times interfer in your home life. Take the time to think about what you really want. I'll be waiting to hear back from you P

Hi, Are U looking for CEU's for your State or CEU's NCCAP? This is for renewal of your certification correct? If you go to NCCAP web site you can look at the certification area & it will let you know how many you need for renewal, I think it is 30 but not 100% sure on this. Also they have a instructors listed for different states listed. You can look for your state & get the number to call them. If you are unable to find anything you should post your question on the message board. They have staff members who answer back. If you have no luck be sure to PM me and I'll try and get you some answers. I am not sure what you mean about the different jobs you hold, all AD's no matter what the setting will be the same. Are you in a different profession? P

Hey There I am in Texas I just think it gets cold here bet you can one up me on It is nice to have you on the activity web site. If you need any help feel free to ask away. If you can help out please just jump. P

Hi, Welcome to the site. I know where Sealy, I lived in Houston and have worked in there area as AD and as a consultant. There is a group of AD's who meet monthly from all over Houston area for CEU's. Lots of networking going at these meetings. They have alot of guest speakers,coving various topics lots sharing of activity programs etc. Let me know if interested. P