cindytexan

I just purchased some 8 note handbells for our Residents to start a bell choir. I need some Christmas songs with the notes. We are going to start practicing for a "concert" that we will perform at our Christmas party. If anyone has any music or tips on how to get started I would appreciate it. Thanks Cindy!

What is the pay?

How many evening activities do you offer in long term care? Does the state have a reg that says you have to do a certain amount of activities at night?

I wouldn't do it. You know it will become the norm. I would do the best I could with what I have. Years ago that's how activities were funded. You must have an old school administrator.

Who is responsible for voting in your facility? Social Services or Activities?

Nine years experience.

Hi Lauren. I've been an Activity Director for 9 years in my facility. I used to use my own money or my credit card and get reimbursed all the time until my husband's work slowed down and I couldn't afford to any more. At that time if the facility didn't have the cash the Activity didn't happen. When I told my administrator I couldn't & wouldn't do it anymore suddenly there was enough petty cash to make things happen. I also had my office manager set up accounts with Oriental Trading & S&S Worldwide. You can get most of your supplies through them and they will bill your cooporate office. Good luck to you and I hope things work out for you. Cindy

I think I'm going to have a Casino Night Party. Black jack, poker, slot machines, finger foods & sparkling grape juice In the champagne look bottles with plastic champagne glasses. I had a staff member donate a slot machine and someone else is bringing one up for us to use.

Does anyone make welcome baskets for new Residents? I'm looking for some new ideas.I'm putting word search books,coupons for shampoo & sets or hair cuts, toiletries. Im looking for something different & fun. Any ideas? Thanks Cindy

I disagree only because there is 1 of me and maybe 10 therapist in the building. When a resident is released they are sent a scorecard to fill out, asking about the stay in the facility. One of the questions is how enjoyable was the leisure time while they were here. If they are not included in parties, bingo,entertainment etc., and they would like to attend my scores go down. Just because they are here for a short term stay doesn't mean they don't have rights. . we are

We are carring a heavy load of medi-care Residents. Our therapy dept. are walking all over Resident Rights. They take them out of Activities that they are enjoying to take them to therapy, and do not care if they say they want to stay. I have a short time resident that was told that if they had to look for her she would not have therapy. She started refusing to leave her room so she would not miss therapy. I have always been told that therapist are supposed to work around the residents schedule. I have been to my administrator, and he has spoken to the head of therapy several times. It hasn't helped. I've been here for 8 years and haven't had this problem. Any suggestions?

Have the staff get them up in a geri-chair and take them to music events.

Has anyone been through your survey since the MDS has changed? Have you adjusted your care plans to match the MDS?

I was told by my New Administrator not to do anything for Nursing home Week. In the past I have done something special for every day of the week,ending with a party for Residents & Staff. He says we really don't need to remind the Residents that they are in a Nursing home all of the time. He wants me to spend the money for Mother's day instead.

I have some very upset Residents. Some of them mark the days off every day.

I was told by my Administrator to take all calendars down in Residents Rooms. I've been here for 8 years and was under the understanding that it was a state reg to have these posted in the rooms. Does anyone have any information on this?

Angie where are you at in Houston? I would love to have them but don't do to well driving in Houston. I'm in Cleveland and we are about 30 miles north of Houston. If you are in an area that I know I may come and get them. Sorry I just have a little phobia about getting lost. Thanks, Cindy

Your best bet would probably be to get in touch with the Church's in your community. Ask for one of them to sponser a monthly birthday party for your Resident's. You could ask another one to help with Art's & Craft's. Another may help with bingo prizes.Is there a VFW in your community? Ours comes in once a week and serve's ice cream cones to the Resident's.Maybe you have some family members that would like to help. I have several church groups that come in and entertain by playing gospel music. The staff is very good about bringing in movies for me to show & then return. Good luck, and realize you are not alone. Most of us have a budget, but a lot of us have very small budgets.

Any ideas for halloween that doesn't cost much? It seems like everytime I have a party "there is no petty cash" I am tired of financing parties and having to wait to be reimbursed. That's ok if you have lots of money, but work has slowed down for my hubbie and I don't make that much money. I live in a small town and retailers are tired of people wanting handouts. Everbody wants a big show but they want it for free. Sorry I just needed to vent.

Hey Pennie, We had 6 surveyors. They were all over the place, asked a lot of questions of the staff. The most asked was how to spot a resident that is being abused. They met with the residents. Two of our biggest complainers dominated the meeting with complaints. (some of our more pleasant Residents came to me after the meeting and told me those two would not be happy if you hanged them with a new rope) As for Activities, they were looking at in-room visits pretty hard and I was a little concerned, but they said everything was good. I am a firm believer that happy, clean, well groomed Residents will get you through most surveys without a problem. This is my 8th survey in this building and am deficiency free to this point. (knock on wood!) Oh yeah I'm in Texas.

The State just exited the building. We had no deficiency's! What a relief!

We had an ARD date set for 10/2. On 10/12 were told ARD date had changed to 10/10, with a note "Please eval to get MDS completed." Is this legal? We (social worker and myself) were under the impression that you had to complete the interview before the ARD date.

I have a couple of alzheimer residents that are looking for something to do with thier hands. We used to have a secure unit and had several lap buddies that had ties,zippers, buttons etc... Does anyone know where I can order some of these? Thanks, Cindy

Kimmarie, I've been through traing from nursing at our cooperate office. What I'm looking for is a traing course from an Activity and Social Services point of view. Nursing has a way of training you to benifit nursing and could care less about my Activity Program. For example: We were told to have our Administrator buy a pair of amplified headphones for about 35.00 dollars to use during the interview process, and we would only need one pair. My Social Worker and myself believe if the Resident can hear & communicate with these headphnes, the facility had better provide them for every day communication. But that's not Nursings problem, it's our problem.

I just went through a training course for Activities & social Services. We were told that all disciplins will have to do the resident interview with every resident for EVERY MDS. This includes an admission MDS, a medi-care 5day, 14 day, 30 day, 60 day, quarterly, annual, and sig change. If a resident goes out to the hospital on the 6th day of admission this starts over. We have 90 residents at this time, with 25 medicare. I'm the only Activity Director here. Does anyone else have any information on this? That's a lot of MDS's. When will there be time for Activities, One on One visits, and the documentation that already has to be done to satisfy the state surveyor's? So much for planning big parties. Anyone heard anything like this in thier training? (By the way we had 29 MDS's this week in my building. That's a lot of resident interviews in one week.)