tdfuru

Residents in a group or individually can work on memory books over a period of time. They can be bound, accordion folding or hole punched and lashed together with ribbon or string. They can contain photos, stories, lists of favorite things, the name of your first boy/girl friend, how many husbands/wives did you have, what was your favorite Christmas gift, what did you do that you never told your mom etc. In a group there can be great bonding and a lively discussion while the answers are filled in and privately you can learn so much more about the people that you are serving in your employment capacity... that you can deliver better service to them. The families often appreciate the results finding things they never knew out about their loved ones. They often will provide photos etc. for the project. Any resident can choose an individual decoration they like for the cover.

My residents need music and snacks sometimes. We play cards, bingo and other mentally stimulating things at the afternoon time. Also outdoor activities are perfect for afternoon. Garden club, watering the grounds, bird watching...and sometimes just being out in the garden in the fresh air and sun. In winter they need food treats... not to spoil the dinner but maybe something they never tried before.

tdfuru=Susan Using old calendars with flowers or pictures from magazines you can help residents trace general shapes for a great picture. Even people with limited awareness can hold a brush and be assisted in creating a masterpiece...from acrylics to water colors a vase full of flowers or some large blooms are very colorful and really fulfilling to the residents sense of accomplishment...they can be framed and hung on a wall. Residents entered their works of art in the County fair art show. They got a free ticket to the fair with their entry. They got a wonderful outing, to see their work on display, and several won ribbons. Not bad for a group that had never painted before. Digital photos can be take of the art and can be printed or copied in color on card stock to create origional note cards to sell or share with family and friends.

tdfuru=Susan I have had good success with including many levels of capability with youth groups by using easy to make "stuffable" items. From pillows that are square and rectangle or seasonal shaped (hearts , clovers, stockings, etc.) to teddy bears and scare crow figures. Materials can often be donated for such projects...many residents have fabric and stuff their families happily donate. Cutting and sewing can be done with youth group assistance creating community service for the youth and help for the elderly. We also got an electric scissors so people with one hand can cut safely. Before Christmas we made 150 pillows from fabric samples that were donated. We bought $100.00 worth of stuffing and sold most of the pillows for $5.00. All the residents that helped got a free pillow and we made $550.00 profit for our activity program. All the visiting relatives purchased several around Christmas for themselves or gifts. We are now making teddy bears to donate to local police and fire units for them to give to children as needed...giving back to your community has many rewards. I'd like to hear of others ideas for real projects like this.

tdfuru=Susan I have been working with several residents to learn computer use. Solitaire is a good way to learn the use of the mouse. This seems to be the first challenge to my residents. I am doing th teaching myself. I'm no expert but know more than they do. Accessing sites of interest to them and helping them set up free private email accounts is a good second step. Some really like the joke of the day. Some have things we are able to research on the internet and find information to answer the questions. Even locating a local restaurant to have the kids take them to and knowing what he menu was in advance. I have no seperate room. just a locking computer desk to avoid staff abuse. We have designated access times. We also do a lot of digital photography which they can view on the computer.