Pennie

Hi Miguel, If you will give me the URL of where you have the form(s) I can add it to the download area, free and ava. to everyone. Anyone else that has forms that they wish to share you can post them in the downloads area or send me the URl and I wil put it up. Pennie

Hi Brandy, If you are over the age 55 ( i believe this is correct age) you may qualify to keep your certification. Other wise you may need to be employeed. But either way you must work or volunteer so many hours in the field & you need to renew your license. Look a your licence and it will have an expiration date on it. For more details & to ask more questions check out NCCAP.org site. Hope this helps Pennie PS I also am in Texas

Theresa Robinson put this in her facilities newsletter "Park Place Health Care Center" I thought it was great and that other AD's might like to place it in their facility &/or newsletters, too. "Come Visit" You say that you can't do anything. Can you read? Good. Read to me. My eyes aren't what they used to be. Can you write? Good. Write a letter or card for me. My hands are shaky.  Can you sing? Good. Help me with the words and I'll sing along.  Can you tell about your job? I was a nurse once, myself.  Can you listen? Wonderful. I'm starved for conservation.  Can you make a sponge cake or zucchini bread or angel biscuits or fudge? They aren't on the nursing home menu, but I remember how good they were and I would love to taste them again. Do you play checkers or dominoes or rummy? Fine, so do I. But there is never anyone who has the time. They are understaffed around here, you know. Do you play the violin or the flute or the piano? My hearing is poor, but I can hear any kind of music. Even if I fall asleep, you'll know I enjoyed it. Once we were somebodies, just like you. We were farmers, and farmer's wives, teachers, nurses, beauticians, stockbrokers, electricians, bankers and sheriffs, and maybe a few outlaws, too. We're not all senile - just old and needing more attention than our families can give us. This home, whatever its name, is "home" to us, and you're an invited guest. Please come. The welcome mat is always out - not just on Thanksgiving. I hope you keep this and read it again in January, February, and every other month of the year. We'll still be here and our needs will be the same. - Author Unknown. **This was printed Sat, July 18, 1987 by Dear Abby.

:-) Hi All, Sorry for just disapearing,,, Our server host suspended us for excessive use of resources. They just shut me down, they could have been more social and just ask us to move... :-x It has been a painful couple of weeks, wondering if all the data and all the posts were gonna be restored.... but it looks like it is in good working order.... If you notice anything not working properly, please let me know, thanks, Pennie pbacon@activitydirector.com , PM Pennie , MSNim penadcom

You can just about call everything on an Alzheimer's unit an activity. Try having various activities going on at one time. Depending on the size of your area you can have a activity called "Busy Hands" - 5 residents folding towels, 2 sorting socks, 1 painting, 3 just sitting there listening to music, and if you can get plastic utensils you can mix them up and have them sort them and fold them in a napkin. The towels and socks you can take away and mess them up so they can keep folding and sorting. How about a "Walking Club" - The wanders you can just walk with and talk with. Get some of the other residents to walk with them. If you know at sundown they start wanting to wander then get them to walk because no matter what they won't keep still. Get some purses, old suitcases or even a dresser & fill them with various items. Let the residents dig through them. They will pull items out & them put them back in & in just a few mins. they start all over again, forgetting they have just done this. It keeps them busy!

I read this article from Shelly about a year ago & just ran across it recently, so Iwanted to share it with you. If anyone gets the directions could you post them? It would be easier than sending it out to 100 people. This is a game board I received from another Activity professional. It looks like a large bingo card....the boxes are pockets....if you would like directions on how to make write me at spreston7@adelphia.net This board is used in many different ways, but for January (soup Month) Activityconnection.com put out a print off of cambells soup pictures which we prinited out so we had two of each. Then a few of our higher congnitive residents cut them and pasted them to index cards. These cards will be placed in these boxes and the game will be played like the old concentration game. The residents call out a number and see which card is behind it, then the ask for the second box to be revealed. The next time the try to remember where the matches are..They love this game and at first you only put a few boxes out to get their memory going. We also use the same board to put in trivia questions and the group is split up into two teams to answer the questions. The team that answers their question gets a dot of their color. First team to bingo wins. The board and dots are made of felt so they stick together. Resident love these games, they enjoy the fact that they can remember more then they thought. Hope you can use.

This was posted by K. Hughes on NCCAP board. To read full article Timeline Thought you all might be interested in this: Residents Coming to Live with You Born in the 1920’s Thus making them in their 80’s In 2004! · Had access to a telephone · Always had zippers and sewing machines · The Panama Canal was always available for world wide travel · Have survived 6 wars · Grew Victory Gardens and conserved metal for the war effort · First to move to the Suburbs · Always had a radio

You can find some very interesting pre-approved courses at Medical Update. One of the few you can take: WORKING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE for Activity Professionals Help is here for dealing with your worst nightmares. Learn what to do if you are faced with dealing with people at their worst. Prevent defensiveness, resistance, and conflict as you face these individuals. Participants will receive the 226-page book, Dealing With People You Can't Stand, a workbook and an exam. Body of Knowledge topics 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 26, and 28. 12 Clock Hours $120

:hammer: For those working with or are concerned about older adults. Guidebooks for Activity Professionals and Social Service Providers Activities Keep Me Going & Going, Volume 1 - $45.00 Activities Keep Me Going & Going, Volume 2 - $25.00 You Made My Day - $25.00 For more information and a order form RAP in Ohio or call Otterbein Homes Program Department Phone: 513.932.7218 Charles W Peckham

Hi Stacy, You should be able to download as a registered member. You should click on the Downloads choice on the menu, you should then click on the category that you wish to download from, you will then be given a page of the downloads available in that category, each should have a name, a description, a format (windows98, 95, XP Capatible) In the upper left hand corner of each listing will be a clickable link, text that highlights when you put your mouse over it, you should double click on this link and a download should start... if it is a excel spreadsheet it may open your Windows Excel program and display the file, in which case you would then click file and save to your hard drive. Some spyware and virus programs stop download windows from popping up, you should disable popup control if this happens and then re enable it after the download is complete. As far as the Newsletter registration, PM me with your first and last name or the email you registered under and I will look you up. my PM is pennie to use the PM messenger click on your user menu choice, Inbox , and then Compose a Private Message to user pennie.... ;-)

Hey Folks, I ran across a website that has some cool things on it. some of may already know about it but for those of you who don't check it out. Cool Quizes It will let you make your own Trivia up, Trivia toons, Fun daily facts, quotes & what happen on this day. answers to life's questions. this is just a little of what you can find there. 8-)

Hey Stacy, Gina pretty much has you covered but here are a couple more. You could have a apple scavanger, applr skin peeling contest etc. APPLE Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off. An apple a day Keeps the doctor away. If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have. Apple Trivia Make some question up using thefacts below offer a apple prize to winner. Canadians love apples. We eat them out-of-hand or cooked in pies, sauces and other delectables. Apples make for nutritious eating on their own, but they also blend beautifully with so many other foods, from savory to sweet, adding a unique flavor to any meal. But did you know... Apples come in all shades of reds, greens and yellows Two pounds of apples make one 9-inch pie Apples are the most varied food on Earth. 7500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world! Canadians eat on average, 86 apples per year 60% of our apples are eaten out-of-hand; the remainder are processed The science of apple growing is called pomology The largest apple ever picked weighed three pounds It takes energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple China is the largest producer of apples. The US, Turkey, Poland and Italy round out the top 5. Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated Just one apple provides as much dietary fiber as a serving of bran cereal. (That's about one-fifth of the recommended daily intake of fiber.) Apple juice was one of the earliest prescribed antidepressants. Johnny Appleseed was a real person. His name was John Chapman. He was born in Leominster, Massachusetts, September 26, 1774. Apples may help you loose weight. A Brazilian study showed that 300 overweight women who ate 3 apples per day lost more weight than a similar group who didn't add fruit to their diet. Researchers believe that adding fruit to the diet of the overweight women changed their metabolic profiles. Apples bruise easier than eggs break

Hey Annie & everyone, Welcome to the site as a registered member. It does us all good to take time off as you know i am sure. the stress of our job is high & we burn out. I have never worked in an adult day care setting but have thought i would like it. it has to be a major change in the paper work, regs, etc. i would think the needs of residents are the same, after all they are all people with a basic need. We would love to hear about these changes and for you to share ideals with us. The question about Frances, those cities that will be hard hit have been evacuated. The towns that get bad weather etc. will have to carry on. Everyone has to still report work, after all the residents will still be there needed us. As far as activities, if outings were on the calendar it would depend on the weather & what the admin. says about still doing them. I have found that in bad weather just heavy rain most res. do not want to get out in it. If you are able to stick with your scheduled acts. this is always best as res. are prepared for this & it may also help keep them calm during this uncertainty. You should have a few back up plans just in case. when we had a hurricane & bad weather a few years back a sister facility flooded so res. were sent out to other facilities. Some of the staff from the other facility came with them. Needless to say we had 50 to 75 more res. to deal with. It was total confussion for them & our res. So my staff & me winged it. We threw our heads together came up with some acts. carried these out in different parts of the facilities with us taking a area. It worked great, a few snags & adjustments had to be made but overall went Ok. Once this was over my staff & I discussed this situtation & made a new policy/procedure plan for the dept. Res talked about this for days, "those others coming into their home & taking over" Oh well it is their home & we have to remember their age (lol). This might make a good topic discussion &/or chat for the board, after things settle down for all. Pennie

Hi, You are doing the correct sections of the MDS. Remember that you need to sign off on the MDS, to do this one must be certified, sign your name,your title, date, & the sections you did/responsible for. Therpaist also sign section T.

Hi, Since Sept is here I won't suggest any deco ideals. I worked a facility that also used a wooden frame for the cal. Same rules as you have. I found some stuf called Tack it, it is either blue or white in color. You can use it any where. Once you take the deco down remove the tack it. They sell this at Wal-Mart, office supplies etc. The only problem I had w/ tack-it was if there was a sudden change in temp., inside the building sometimes the items fall off the wall. Other is remove the tack-it at end of month. It may leave a spot on the white or lighter walls if left longer than that. I never had any problems using it on the doors or any wood type surfaces.

Hi Dawn, There was a major flood a few years back in Houston, from a hurricane. It flooded out a facility in our area. So they sent all of the residents and some of their staff to ours. We had res. in the hallways, dining room, etc. there were people in every inch of the facility. I was embrassed by the way my res. treated the other res. They acted like children. Anyway we played movies in one area, another had music, bible study in another dining room, games in different dining room etc.. I had no plan for this type of situtation, never been faced with it before. Needles to say I learned from it. Now have items, game plane, instructions etc.. in the office just in case. I noticed that how the staff reacted to the situtation played a big role as to how the res. reacted, so be calm and cool, after all we are Activity Directors we can handle whatever comes our way. Chris how about posting your list up on the site??! I know you love me (lol) P

Hi Big Chri and All, Auctions are lots of work, but the rewards are good. Hope your goes well BC. Over the years some of things we have done: we made a quilt, each resident was given a square to decorate any way they wished and then a quilt was made from these. Sold for over $200. The Lions Club is really good about donating items to facilities. I have gotten Snow Cone machines, popcorn machine etc. from them. Also contact Target in December, they set-up Xmas Trees for display in their stores. After Xmas these are given away, tree and ornaments the whole works. But you must contact them early. You will have to go up there and take the tree down yourself, but hey it's worth it. Also Pawn shops will donate items, we got a stereo. About once a year they get rid of items. Schools that have Home Eco. sometimes donate lap robes and things the kids make. Always check with you local Scout groups, they earn badges for lots of things. We got a sidewalk poured in the courtyard from the Boy Scouts. Garden clubs and churches also great resource. Use your newsletter, state certain items your dept/res need. Make a list of small to large price items. Also post this up in the facility in a well traveled public area.

Hi, You asked about Activity Ass't. You are certified as an Activity director, correct? What state do you live in and do you work in Long Term Care or Ass't living? No matter which, for 300 people you should have some help! This has to keep you running constantly. Also you being one person there is no way you could meet all of the needs of the residents. I would ask for help. Maybe you are working to hard to get everything done, to many hours etc.. by doing so the the upper management may see no concern for extra help. Push for help ASAP and keep at it till they hear you. Best of luck, Pennie

Welcome to the board Shirley. How long have you been in this field? What is the town you work in? I also live in a small town not far from Conroe, Woodlands etc. There is a monthly meeting in Houston for AD's, it is free, includes lunch, CEU's, guest speakers and more. If you want more info and are close enough to Houston let me know. You will find lots of help and support on the board. Pennie

Hi All, Here are the regs. for Ass't living Alzheimers units: 92.53 Standards for Certified Alzheimer's Ass't Living Facilities (g) Activities. A facility must encourage socialization, cognitive awareness, self-expression, and physical activity in a planned and structured activities program. Activities must be individualized, based upon the resident assessment, and appropriate for each resident's abilities. (1) The activity program must contain a balanced mixture of activities addressing cognitive, recreational, and activity of daily living (ADL) needs. (A) Cognitive activities include, but are not limited, to arts, crafts, story telling, poetry readings, writing, music, reading, discussion, reminiscences, and reviews of current events. ( Recreational activities include all socially interactive activities, such as board games and cards, and physical exercise. Care of pets is encouraged. © Self-care ADLs include grooming, bathing, dressing, oral care, and eating. Occupational ADLs include cleaning, dusting, cooking, gardening, and yard work. Residents must be allowed to perform self-care ADLs as long as they are able to promote independence and self worth. (2) Residents must be encouraged, but never forced, to participate in activities. Residents who choose not to participate in a large group activity must be offered at least one small group or one-on-one activity per day. (3) Facilities must have an employee responsible for leading activities. (A) Facilities with 16 or fewer residents must designate an employee to plan, supply, implement, and record activities. ( Facilities with 17 or more residents must employ, at a minimum, an activity director for 20 hours weekly. The activity director must be a qualified professional who: (i) is a qualified therapeutic recreation specialist or an activities professional who is eligible for certification as a therapeutic recreation specialist, therapeutic recreation assistant, or an activities professional by a recognized accrediting body, such as the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification, the National Certification Council for Activity Professionals, or the Consortium for Therapeutic Recreation/Activities Certification, Inc.; or (ii) has two years of experience in a social or recreational program within the last five years, one year of which was full-time in an activities program in a health care setting; or (iii) has completed an activity director training course approved by the National Association for Activity Professionals or the National Therapeutic Recreation Society. (4) The activity director or designee must review each resident's medical and social history, preferences, and dislikes, in determining appropriate activities for the resident. Activities must be tailored to the residents' unique requirements and skills. (5) The activities program must provide opportunities for group and individual settings. On weekdays, each resident must be offered at least one cognitive activity, two recreational activities and three ADL activities each day. The cognitive and recreational activities (structured activities) must be at least 30 minutes in duration, with a minimum of six and a half hours of structured activity for the entire week. At least an hour and a half of structured activities must be provided during the weekend and must include at least one cognitive activity and one physical activity. (6) The activity director or designee must create a monthly activities schedule. Structured activities should occur at the same time and place each week to ensure a consistent routine within the facility. (7) The activity director or designee must annually attend at least six hours of continuing education regarding Alzheimer's disease or related disorders. (8) Special equipment and supplies necessary to accommodate persons with a physical disability or other persons with special needs must be provided as appropriate. Want to see all the regs? Licensing Standards for Ass't Living Facilities

Hi.... We put the b-days and the wacky days on the homepage, about half way down the page. :-) Pennie www.activitydirector.net

Hi Ya Lynn, There is a large range of answers for this question. Like you said Indiana pays different than NY or CA. Also others considerations come into play: Rural or City usually city pays more, Assisted Living, Long Term Care (Nursing Homes), Retirement Facility, Adult Day Care or Alzheimers Home/Facility. There are more areas but you get the ideal. Retirement Homes, theprivate ones usually pay more than say a Ass't Living. You're experience may also get you more money. That being said, in Texas the pay has gone up since I started in this field, many many years ago. Most AD's may start off with $9 to $10 an hour. California is so much more advanced than we are and they get paid better. Have you looked at NCCAP.org website yet? They discuss this topic on their message board and you may find others from you area. Hopefully someone from our board and/or NCCAP will be help to you. Hope you decide to join us others in this Profession. The pay is not always the best, but the rewards are worth there weight in gold. Once Activity Directing gets into your blood well you will be one of us forever Let us know how it goes. Pennie

This was posted on ElderCare.com I wasn't aware of this policy and from reading this article a lot of others weren't either. To bad I live in Texas and not Cailfornia! I wonder if we have this law and I'm just not aware of it. :roll: This article was posted March 2004 even though the law has been in effect since 2002. SAN FRANCISCO - The first statewide paid family leave program in the nation was designed with people like Elizabeth Gomez in mind. The 30-year-old Oakland resident is the primary caretaker for her 50-year-old mother, a Type I diabetic who doesn't speak English. Now that the law has gone into effect, Gomez will be able to take time off to take care of her mother and still get a pay check. Under the paid leave program, signed into law in 2002 by former Gov. Gray Davis, an estimated 13 million workers are eligible for up to six weeks of partially paid leave to bond with a new child- including foster or adopted -or take care of a seriously ill family member. But only 22 percent of adults surveyed are aware of the law and its benefits, according to a study released Tuesday by the California Family Leave Research Project, based at the University of California, Los Angeles. Read more details about Family Leave

Hey All, I saw this article on the Internet and thought what a great ideal. I have posted a small amount of the articel. To read the full article go Waggin Tails From: La Costa Glen seniors dedicate "waggin' tails" dog park "Many of La Costa Glen's residents are dog owners and so we had an immediate need for this type of recreational area," O'Connor said. "We chose to build our own park so the residents could enjoy the benefits of daily exercise and social interaction with others as soon as possible."

Hi Everyone, As many of you may already know I love to collect jokes, stories and poems that are usually funny :-D Most of these are jokes about getting old, seniors and/or about our profession. So if any one has any I'd love for you to share them. :hammer: I ran across these and thought some of you all would like them. Share these with your res. and others too. Pharmacy Jacob, age 92, and Rebecca, age 89, are all excited about their decision to get married. They go for a stroll to discuss the wedding and on the way they pass a drugstore. Jacob suggests they go in. Jacob addresses the man behind the counter: "Are you the owner?" The pharmacist answers, "Yes". Jacob: "We're about to get married. Do you sell heart medication?" Pharmacist: "Of course, we do." Jacob: "How about medicine for circulation?" Pharmacist: "All kinds." Jacob: "Medicine for rheumatism?" Pharmacist: "Definitely." Jacob: "Medicine for memory problems, arthritis?" Pharmacist: "Yes, a large variety. The works." Jacob: "What about vitamins, sleeping pills, Geritol, Metamucil?" Pharmacist: "Absolutely." Jacob: "You sell wheelchairs and walkers?" Pharmacist: "All speeds and sizes." Jacob says to the pharmacist: "We'd like to use this store as our Bridal Registry." My AAADD They have finally found a diagnosis for my condition. I have Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder... This is how it goes: I decide to wash the car; I start toward the garage and notice the mail on the table. OK, I'm going to wash the car. But first I'm going to go through the mail. I lay the car keys down on the desk, discard the junk mail and I notice the trashcan is full. OK, I'll just put the bills on my desk and take the trashcan out, But since I'm going to be near the mailbox anyway, I'll pay these few bills first. Now, where is my checkbook? Oops, there's only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk. Oh, there's the coke I was drinking. I'm going to look for those checks. But first I need to put my coke further away from the computer, oh maybe I'll pop it into the fridge to keep it cold for a while. I head towards the kitchen and my flowers catch my eye, they need some water. I set the coke on the counter and find my glasses. I was looking for them all morning! I'd better put them away first. I fill a container with water and head for the flower pots. Someone left the TV remote in the kitchen. We'll never think to look in the kitchen tonight when we want to watch television So I'd better put it back in the family room where it belongs. I splash some water into the pots and onto the floor, I throw the remote onto a soft cushion on the sofa and I head back down the hall trying to figure out what it was I was going to do? End of Day: The car isn't washed ; the bills are unpaid ; the coke is sitting on the kitchen counter ; the flowers are half watered ; the checkbook still only has one check in it and I can't seem to find my car keys! When I try to figure out how come nothing got done today, I'm baffled because I KNOW I WAS BUSY ALL DAY LONG! I realize this is a serious condition and I'll get help, BUT FIRST I think l'll check my e-mail When I'm an Old Lady Unknown Author When I'm an old lady, I'll live with my kids, and make them so happy, just as they did. I want to pay back all the joy they've provided, returning each deed. Oh, they'll be so excited. When I'm an old lady and live with my kids. I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues, and bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes. I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out. I'll stuff all the toilets, and oh, how they'll shout. When I'm an old lady and live with my kids. When they're on the phone and just out of reach, I'll get into things like sugar and bleach. Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head, and when that is done I'll hide under the bed. When I'm an old lady and live with my kids. When they cook dinner and call me to meals, I'll not eat my green beans or salads congealed. I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table, and when they get angry, run fast as I'm able. When I'm an old lady and live with my kids. I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click, I'll cross both my eyes to see if they stick. I'll take off my socks and throw one away, And play in the mud until the end of the day. When I'm an old lady and live with my kids. And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh, and thank God in prayer and then close my eyes, and my kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping, and say with a groan. "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!" When I'm an old lady and live with my kids. Be Careful What You Ask For A fairy godmother shows up to celebrate the 35th wedding anniversary of 60-year-olds Norman and Nora. The fairy godmother promises to grant each of them just one a wish. Norma says she wants to visit Paris. And, poof, she’s there. Norman asks for a wife 30 years younger. And, poof, he’s 90 years old When ‘Hip’ Means Fashionable Here are some “medical” definitions that might tickle your funny bone: Artery - The study of paintings. Cauterize - Made eye contact with her. Coma - A punctuation mark. Dilate - Live long. Enema - Not a friend. Fester - Faster than someone else. Genital - Non-Jewish person. Impotent - Distinguished. Medical Staff - A doctor's cane. Nitrates - Cheaper than day rates. Outpatient - A person who has fainted. Recovery Room - Place to do upholstery. Rectum - Darn near killed him. Secretion - Hiding something. Seizure - Roman emperor. Tablet - A small table. Terminal Illness - Getting sick at the airport. Tumor - More than one. Varicose - Not far. Vein - Conceited The Ten Commandments An elementary school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her 5- and 6-year-olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother," she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" A little boy piped up: "Thou shall not kill." Aiding a patient Mr. Brown goes to the doctor's office to get the results of his wife's test. The lab tech says there's been a mix-up with the tests of two women named Brown. The news is either bad or very bad. One Mrs. Brown tested positive for Alzheimer's disease and the other for AIDS. But the HMOs are refusing to rerun the tests. "What am I supposed to do?" the man pleads. The lab tech makes the following recommendation: "Drop your wife off at the supermarket. If she finds her way home, don't sleep with her." Now didn't at least one of these make you smile? Have a wonderful day. Pennie