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Our biggest turn out is money bingo or men's and lady's cards when money is involved. We also do a pennies auction. The residents are given 25 pennies and they can bid on the auction item. They have a great time , some of the items are gags and some are very nice things. Helene

We do a Secret Santa for our residents and the staff are the Santas. We put all the resident's names on gift tags and post them in the staff lounge. The staff members pick as many tags as they feel comfortable with and buy gifts for those residents. When the staff member take a name tag they write their name next to the resident's name on a list that has been provided. The Activity Department buys gifts for those whose names have not been picked. On Christmas Eve the gifts are given out to all of the residents.

You may want to meet with the nursing staff about getting the residents up and off the units. Observe the residents and to see who would like to come to the early activities and give a list of these residents to the nursing staff on each unit, prehaps this will motivate the staff to get those people up and ready first. This worked for us. The lower functioning residents may be passive participates in activities but still enjoy the social interaction.

We also have a beauty shop for hair cut and the activity deppartment provides manicures. I think it would be great if we had some CNA training so we could help out. I find if I want a resident that is a 2 assist in walking I have to wait for the CNA's to be available to help or if someone is sliding in their chair I CAN NOT help them. But, My AD is afraid they (nusring and CNA's will take advanage of this.

We also have a beauty shop for hair cut and the activity deppartment provides manicures. I think it would be great if we had some CNA training so we could help out. I find if I want a resident that is a 2 assist in walking I have to wait for the CNA's to be available to help or if someone is sliding in their chair I CAN NOT help them. But, My AD is afraid they (nusring and CNA's will take advanage of this.

Diana, We do some thing similar. If a staff member comes into the activity room while we a playing a word game. They can not leave until they play the game with us. Example:In Boggle... They have to find a word. This doesn't make the disruption seem so bad and the resident and the staff have fun.

At our facility the Receptionist sorts all the mail. The resident bills go to the Billing Department or the Social Workers. The Activity Department doesn't distribute any of the actual bills to the residents, just letters, newspapers, etc. Helene

I do weekly shopping for the residents and at the same time get supplies for activities, occasionally we go out before Snack and Chat, an activity after entertainment, to buy a snack. All of this is done on the facilities time. I don't know if I would do it on my own time. Helene from MA

How about calling it? MOVE IT or Morning at the gym Helene from MA