shilbach

We do this in our facility every September. We enlist some of the residents to sit in the lobby area and rock. Usually 15 minute to 30 minute increments. They can watch television, others (staff, volunteers, residents and visitors) go by and talk with them. They can have a snack. This is good for them for interaction. If you place the rocker in a busy area of the facility and "switch off" and don't have them do it for the whole six hours it can be fun and rewarding

HI ROBIN, I go around fifteen minutes prior to the start of an activity and ask and take those who want to go. The aides in my facility are really good about taking residents down to me, I think that away they don't have to do much they are with me and they don't have to worry. But when they see me go around this motivates them to start moving to take residents down also. Sandy

Thanks for this posting. Great ideas for me. Think I might incorporate some into my ideas. I thought maybe at "midnight" have them stomp on balloons and try to make a bang that way.

At the facility I work at the social worker does all the scheduling or the RN supervisor. We get transportation to take them: ambulance, etc. The only thing I use the van for is outings and I use my regular license. We can carry 7 - 10. But that is something for me to look into. I am fairly new at this. Thank you for the insight.

I am currently an Assistant, however, when we do an activity right after lunch, they are more apt to keep going. We do arts and crafts, Bingo, table ball ( in which you are all seated around a table, place a bunch together if need, and you take a beach ball and throw it to each other without it going off the table) the residents find this a blast and get energized for cards, or the next activity.