Pickles

First you have to know what the licensing requirements are to know the types of staffing needed for the daycare. In Tennessee the ratio is 8:1, but because we work mostly with Alzheimer's disease our ratio has to be 4:1. We have an executive director, assistant director, parttime office assistance, and care compnaions who work directly in the program with participants; the number of care companions depends upon who is in the program and what their specific needs are. Depending on where you live I would think that pay could vary or be very much the same, however I would think that being a AD in an adult day program could be much easier than working in a live-in facility. Good luck!

I'm currently work as an Activity Director for an Adult Day Program. The board and staff are looking at salary comparisons and I was wondering if any of you would care to share your approximate annual salary amount, and share any perks that come with your job. Or if you know another place that I could find salary amounts and comparisons I would like to have that too! Thanks!

I don't know how to plan activities for anyone without first knowing the person. You must learn more about him from family members, find out his interests, hobbies, what he did for a living, what he did in his spare time, children, grand children, siblings, parents, etc. One-on-one is makes for a long day - are you confined to a single room or area? Good luck!

we use an old favorite - "Happy Hour"

I am the Activity Director for an Adult Day Program where most of our participants have Alzheimer's or some other dementia. I'm looking for published resources to give me ideas for daily programming . I currently use two monthly publications (Creative Forecasting and A New Day), and I'm not even mildly pleased with either of these publications. Are some of you working with persons with Alzheimer's and if so what are the resources that you use? I'm sure there are some good activity resources for persons with Alzheimer's, but I just haven't found them yet. Thanks for any help you can give.

I work in an Adult Day Program, 99% of our participants have Alzheimer's or other dementia. In planning for day to day activities, I do an assessment with family members before the participant begins our program in order to find out the participants' present and past interests and abilities. After learning about the participant, I write a plan of care for each and develop the daily calendar according their interests and levels of abilities. The program routinely goes very smoothly because activities were designed with particular participants in mind. There are times when acitivities don't work the way we planned, and some times activites work better. If we fail we smile and ask forgiveness, that's the beauty of working with folks who have Alzheimer's. Good luck with your new day program! pickles

Kerry, I always have advice. My advice to you is this: choose the setting that you want to work in as an Activity Director, go there and volunteer. Interview ADs from the settings that you want to work, and if you still want to pursue the career, learn everything you can. Take classes, read books and articles, join groups with ohter ADs, work as an activity assistant, etc. Good luck, pickles

Beth, I have champagne ideas too, but my budget pretty much fits my taste. Having said that, one of the ways I get supplies for acitivities is by putting a "wish list" in our monthly newsletter. I list most of the supplies I need for the month along with staples i.e. paint, glue, paper, scissors, coloring pencils, etc. that we use regularly. This has been so successful, that I usually don't use all my annual budget. I've found that when you ask for something most people will give, and if they don't someone else will. Good luck! pickles

I am the Activity Director in an Adult Day Program, and I don't even have a networking group. Until recently there have been very few adult day programs in our area. I work in Oak Ridge, TN and there are less than thirty Adult Day Programs in the whole state. I also have a question for Adult Day Program workers - I do quarterly progress notes for all participants, and would like to see what form(s)others are using. thanks, Pickles

I'm interested in your copy of Validation Breakthrough, but I would like to knwo the name of the author(s) before I decide if I want it. Could you give me just a little more information about it. Thank you.