Miguel

A facility in Fresno California is seeking an Activity Director... For more information feel free to contact MIguel Sarasa at Sarasa_miguel@yahoo.com for more information.. -Miguel Sarasa

Hello! Contact SCAAP President Nora Johnson at Nonojo50@aol.com.. Keep an eye out in the newspaper and dont hesitate to contact me if you need any help.. I am about an hour from West Covina! -Miguel Sarasa

Hey Everyone, Wanted to let ya know that the Activity Director Network has the Wii workshop available online if you need CEU's and/or just want to know how you can implement Wii programming! Check out www.activitydirector.org for details! -Miguel

Hi Michelle, I would suggest that you find time to continue your own leisure and hobbies interests.. Sometimes Activity Directors are so giving of themselves that they forget.. also.. Sometimes you may feel like you can never do enough.. Take a step back and know that you are making difference and cant always do everything all the time! and always.. always.. have a smile and have fun! -Miguel

Hi Suzanne! Welcome to one of the best fields in the world.. I sent ya an e-mail.. Good Luck! -Miguel Sarasa

Welcome Jessica! Good lUck on your future professional endeavors! -Miguel Sarasa

It is hard to believe that I have been affiliated with this site for close to 6 years now.. This website along with the NCCAP website really are the ones who got me where I need to be professionally today.. and little did I know that when I first started networking on the ADN I would be working for them years later! The Activity Directors Networks educational standards are awesome and I have to say their workshops and educational classes are comparable to some online College classes I have taken! So a big.... huge.. KUDOS to all the staff of the Activity Directors Network! Close to 7000 members! KEEP IT UP! -Miguel

Hello! I would suggest maybe contacting chip and Pennie Bacon who are the owners of this site.. They may be able to use your expertise for the Activity Directors network as its growing more and more every month! Hope this helps! -Miguel Sarasa sarasa_miguel@yahoo.com

How many bed facility: 52 Bed Skilled Nursing and 54 Bed Assisted Living How many open beds: currently.. dont know off the top of my jead How many hours a week in activities(not including director)I ahve one full time assistant and one part time (leads one day a week) and at least 30 volunteers at the present moment.. This changes How long does last activity person stay:My assistant stays until 4, I till 5 Monday -Friday My part time assistant works Saturday and My full time assistant works Tuesday-Saturday.. Weekends:My full time works Tuesday-Saturday and my part time works Sunday.. Mondays are my Activity Days.. Get to actually see programs/residents in action Activity Director status: 1 Full time Director My assisted living facility is an Eden Alternative and the emphasis is that caregivers take a much larger role in encouraging activities.. Caregivers are assigned one Activity on their shift to lead. As the director I work closely with the caregivers and ensure they are doing the programs correctly!

Hi Jennifer! Sometimes I feel that Activity Directors get bogged down with the image that if there are not large group activities with 20 or more residents than activities is not doing their job. Activity professionals need to understand that activities vary depending on each and every person.. you may have those that like to attend group activities.. Those that like to stay in their rooms (making the activity departments role into a supportive one) and those that are so busy with their friends and family and doing their own thing.. I would suggest that you really look at what your people like to do and evaluate your population... You may identify that only about 10 residents really enjoy group activities and the rest are content doing their own thing.. Just make sure you have an outlet where they can be given things to do.. such as cart programs, etc. per the interpretive guidelines for activities, we need to an all inclusive environment for the residents activity interests. CNA's need to help, but it honestly is not their main priority.. Common sense to your CEO is that their are only 2 activity staff (just guessing) and depending on the number of residents you have its not realistic to expect activity staff to.. Set up programs and keep residents there while also running to round up other residents.. I would suggest you pull out the Activity Interpretive Guidelines and read them carefully (are you skilled nursing?) Hang in there! Hope this gives you some ideas.. don't hesitate to e mail me should you have any questions! -Miguel sarasa_miguel@yahoo.com

Welcome Ivone to Sunny Southern California! Orange county is one of the largest counties with Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities so finding a job should not be hard.. Just may take some time and work! A position was available at our sister facility in Lake Forest (I almost took it) but I believe it has been filled. I would suggest you get involved in the Orange County Activity Directors Association (OCADA) or SCAAP (the Southern California Association of Activity Professionals) these organizations can give you some leads as to what may come open! Thank you for being NCCAP Certified.. California currently doesnt recognize the Mepap Courses however being an NCCAP certified you are a rare thing in California (only about 100 NCCAP certified in the State, a very sad thing) Feel free to contact me should you have any questions.. I live in a small town between LA and San Diego! -Miguel Sarasa_miguel@yahoo.com

Hi Doug.. I think your brochure looks great! The only advice I would give would be the following.. 1. Always be willing to work with facilities about charges to entertain, You need to understand that many activity departments (primarily in skilled nursing) are faced with very small budgets. I personally will not pay an entertainer more than $50.00 an hour.. I think that charging a facility 100.00 for an hour is a little extreme.. But some facilities can afford it. 2. LIke someone mentioned earlier.. Send out promotional flyers and a demo CD for the facilty activity director to have.. This is nice to be able to have when planning the months events... 3. My biggest pet peeve personally is getting phone calls every week asking to be booked.. I understand that entertainers are trying to make a living but it really comes down to the activity directors decision to hire an entertainer based on the residents request or response. Sometimes I will not hire an entertainer to come back based on my residents responses to them. Other than that I would also suggest that you network with Activity professional associations and networking sites (ActivityDirector.net,org,and Com is the BEST!) Hope some of these ideas help! -Miguel

Does anyone have a facility camcorder that they use in their facilities? I use ours for special events to record but was curious if anyone uses theirs for something different than just recording events.. I would like to do something to send to famalies, etc. -Miguel

Feel free to join us on America's #1 Networking Site.. Myspace.com Simple go to http://www.myspace.com/Activitydirectorsnetwork You must be a registered myspace member!

Hey Gang.. Wanted to share with a wonderful program we hold every year called the snowball tea. I was introduced to this program years ago and my staff and residents look forward to it every year. The Program is called.. The Snowball Tea.. Or you can do the Winter Tea.. Whatever your heart desires.. A few weeks prior to the Tea I pass out one invitation to selected residents. Along with their invitation their are given an invitiation to invite a staff member, family member or other. We have 4 teams.. The Red, Blue, White and Green. (each team consists of about 10-12 resients and staff) Each table is set up in theme pertaining to their color. A list of items should be pre planned and assigned a point value, for example.. I will give 5 points to every person on a team that has a kleenex in their purse.. I will give 1 point to each team who has a person named Mary or Joseph.. Ect Ect.. (Hope this makes sense) It is nice to have a volunteer or activity staff or other staff volunteer keep track of points for each team.. at the end of the game prizes are awarded to the team with the most points, least points.. Residnet/Staff team highest points and lowest points and single person with the highest and lowest points.. Hope it makes sense.. let me know if you have any questions.. -Miguel

The Activity Directors Netowork has an interactive Workshop on Wii being presented in January. Look for the workshop and great programming ideas to implement in your own facility. -Miguel Sarasa

Seasons Greetings Fellow Activity Professionals, We are in the final stages of creating the 2009 Activity Professional Program Planner. The 2009 Edition includes the following in a spiral bound 8.5 x 11 planner: Monthly Planning Space with holidays and Special Events and Celebrations Monthly Documentation Checklist and Budget Spend Down Form Entertainer Directory and Resources List Resident Birthday List, Meeting Dates and Times, notes and More! This wonderful resource helps activity Professionals keep track of their most important day to day necessities. Any suggestions that you might have that could be included are greatly appreciated.. To Order your edition please e mail us at APPlanner@yahoo.com or sarasa_miguel@yahoo.com. Sincerely, Miguel Sarasa The Activity Professional Program Planner

Greetings Activity Professionals! I need some advice.. I have a new administrator who is really big on residents being lined up after breakfast at the nurses station. Activities dont officially start until 10am and I was curious what some other Activity PRofessionals do so that their residents are not lined up or stored in the day room until activities start. We have this same problem before dinner and after dinner.. Any ideas!

Thanks Maryann for posting the information. It is difficult at times to find Educational Courses in Northern California. Now when I get phone calls I can share the information. -Miguel

HELLO! Welcome.. Where are you located?? I am in Southern California between LA and San Diego.. -Miguel Sarasa

hey gang! I recently took on a part time job selling candles and wanted to share with all of you a neat idea that I am doing! I purchased some Candle Warmers from Micheals (3 for $10.00) I purchased some Holiday Wreath Candles and placed one candle on the pod warmer... Because we have a fake tree our residents obviously cant smell the fragrance of a fresh tree.. so by putting this candle on the warmer it gives off the same fragrance... And you dont even have to light the candle.. 100% safe Of course make sure you turn off the candle warmer when not in the room! For all other fragrances visit my site.... www.mygc.com/YourCandleConnection PS.. I have free Scratch and Sniff's that can be used for Sensory Stimulation Fragrances include the following: Pumpkin Pie Apple Spice Clean Sheets Autumn walk Cozy Christmas Days of Christmas Sugar Cookie Sweet Pea Holiday Wreath E mail me at sarasa_miguel@yahoo.com and I will be more than happy to send you a few.. I use them for my Sensory Stimulation Program. Happy Holidays! -Miguel Sarasa

Hey Frustrated and Depressed! KEEP YOUR HEAD UP LITTLE LADY! It can be frustrating working for someone who does not have the passion that you have and can be a thorn in the behind.. I strongly suggest you do the following: 1) Look for another facility activity director looking for an Assistant or 2) out Educate your boss... It's something I had to do and it really worked... Develop your skills and do more for your residents. Obtain National Certification (something I bet she doesnt even have or even takes seriously) By doing this it really shows that you are not less of a person and actually are more of a person that she may be Dont EVER, Let someone else make you hate your job, especially Activities as its a job that is soooo rewarding. -Miguel

Greetings! Just a reminder that National Grandparents Day is celebrated on September 9, 2007. The Official Grandparents Day Flower is The Forget Me Not. Here are some suggestions for ways to celebrate the wonderful day. Pass out forget me Not flowers or place a bouqet on dining room tables Contact local churches or schools and ask if any students would like to come and visit seniors of your facility. Host a breakfast or luncheon and invite families. have residents complete a family tree. for a complete package of programming ideas for intergenerational programming visit.. http://www.legacyproject.org/ -Miguel Sarasa, ADPC

HI Deborah! NCCAP Certification requires that you complete the Mepap 1 and 2 Courses to obtain Certification. I stronly encourage every professional to complete these courses and apply for certification. ADN offers both courses with some awesome instructors! So... Complete the mepap courses as they are what's required to obtain ADC Certification. HOpe this helps, and always if you need help.. Dont hesitate to ask. Miguel Sarasa NCCAP California State Rep.

Hi Heaven Star! Be Confident.. Whenever I do speaking presentations it’s hard to not get nervous. Just know that you know your material and you’re just teaching others how to be better. Be Humorous, it’s important to not show your nervousness and being humorous helps ease the discomfort of being in front of others. You will be GREAT! -Miguel