roxy

On 1:1 's Hello, everyone...this is my first time posting so bear with me! There are several things that we've done in my department for 1:1 visits and gotten positive responses--but one of my favorite things is what we call the Biography Project. Every month we make up a hot topic to interview our residents about--something general to which most people can relate and that is appropriate for that month. In June, we might have interview questions about their favorite summer vacation--or the best summer picnic foods. In February, we interview them about their wedding days or their first love, etc. We then type up (or if you have residents who are able to do so, have them do it) "their story" for that topic. On the next visit, we allow them to read what was written and have them decorate their story with clip art or stickers or stamps, etc. After we've accumulated several stories-we have them decorate a portfolio in a way that is personal to them and put the stories in protective sheets and stick them in the portfolio. We got permission from some of our residents to have them on display at an art exhibit--and they were so proud. It was a great way to reminisce about their past and to really take ownership of something. Plus, this activity really took a wide arc--we were really able to build on and make each part of it something new to keep it interesting. And, on a selfish level, it also helped us to really get insight into some of these people to help develop more programs for them!!! Hope it's something that you might be able to tweak to fit your residents' needs! Roxy