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Just started a new yahoo group for activity ideas. Please join and share your creative ideas. I love to browse the different activity director boards such as this great one here. It really helps when planning your activities. The new group address is: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/activityideas/

Here is another Idea for Small Groups or Room Visits. Please post your ideas too. I like to print out the ideas and keep them in sheet protectors that are held in a 3 ring binder. This way I have everything that I need at my fingertips. It saves me so much time. I use my activity cart and have it stocked with many supplies. I also want for my cart to attract attention and look good. This kind of advertises my programming for me. I use my cart for all small groups and for all room visits. I have found that I can tailor almost any small group activity into a room visit activity. ANTIQUE SPOTLIGHT / SHOW & TELL Supplies needed: Antique Item/s Have one or more antiques to talk about during this activity. You will find that even with only one antique, you will easily carry on a good conversation. One question leads to another and another. You can always bring another antique for back up if the conversation gets slow. Also, if you do not know much about how something was used, it is wise to look it up online to get plenty of information in case you are the only person that wants to talk on that particular day. Antique examples: Have an old washboard. Talk about how it was used. Did they was everyday or just once a week? Did it get the clothes clean? What type of soap did they use? Bring an old coffee grinder. Talk about the uses. Where did people buy their coffee? What about during the depression? Was it ever hard to get coffee? Why? Do they remember the first time that they tried coffee as a child? What was that like? Show old aprons. Display the different patterns. When did women use aprons? Was there a difference in the type of aprons that they wore? Did it really help to protect their clothes? Did they make their own aprons or buy them? Butter molds. Did their mother make butter from fresh cream? Do they miss homemade butter? Did they have their own cow or purchase the cream to make butter? Old black telephone. Feel how heavy the phone is compared to newer models. Do they remember the party lines? Do they remember their first telephone number? This activity will stir some memories. You never know where you will end up with these reminiscing conversations. Listen to the resident. You will find many more questions to ask by using your resident as your guide.

WHAT DO THESE ITEMS HAVE IN COMMON? (Small Groups or Room Visits) Supplies Needed: White board with marker Write down one of the following groups of words (minus the bold print answer) on the white board and let the resident tell you what the items listed have in common. Maxwell House, MJB, Hills Brothers, Folgers – COFFEES United, American, Delta, Northwest – AIRLINES Jack Daniels, Coors, Vodka, Brandy – LIQUOR Tide, Cheer, Era, Wisk, Surf – LAUNDRY SOAP Coke, Pepsi, A & W, 7-UP, RC – SODAS Pencils, Books, an Apple, Chalk, Desk – ITEMS IN A CLASSROOM Hilton, Holiday Inn, Best Western, Sheraton – HOTELS/MOTELS Avon, Mary Kay, Maybelline, Cover Girl, L'Oreal – MAKEUP Crest, Aim, Colgate, Pepsodent, Aqua Fresh – TOOTHPASTE Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Cheerios, Special K – CEREALS Chevy, Doge, Cadillac, Ford, Toyota, Kia – TYPES OF CARS Wendy's, White Castle, Sonic, Jack in the Box – FAST FOOD PLACES Ace, Queen, King, Spade, Hearts – CARDS Print this list off and put on your Stocked Activity Cart. It will be available when you need it. Do you have any ideas? Please post them too. This helps us all... and also makes us think of other things... brainstorming sessions work great for all of us creative AD's.

Fruits & Vegetable Felt Sets are something that I have been using for years. They come printed on a thick piece of felt and you cut them out with scissors. I store mine in a large plastic zip-lock bag and they look great even after almost daily use for over 3 years! They are true to life fruit & vegetable size felts. Bright, brilliant colors. These are a great addition to your dementia group programs. A savings idea is to make your own felt board. Use felt or flannel to cover thick cardboard. Glue down the felt or flannel onto cardboard using hot glue gun. I made mine small enough to hold in one hand while the other hand is placing the felts onto the board. I also wanted it to fit onto my stocked activity cart. I use the felts in my small groups and in my room visits. They are used to promote discussions. Here are some examples: Ask what is put into a fruit salad. Ask what is put into vegetable soup.Ask what we should plant in our garden.Ask what we should cook for dinner. When resident gives and answer, place the fruit or vegetable felt onto the felt board. This has been a huge success in my facility! They run $8 per set. www.activitydirectorproducts.com Let me know if you think of any other uses.

Hello to all my fellow activity directors. I will be starting a new position in an Adult Day Care setting. It is small and will never have more than 16 clients at a time. My experience has always been in the long-term care (nursing home) setting. How will I spend my day/time at the Adult Day Care center compared to the Nursing Home? I am a bit concerned that I will be bored with so few clients. Is there a lot of paperwork? Care Plans? Is there a place that I can find out what is expected from the state? Will there be an intense "survey" process like in ltc? Thanks for all the support and information. This is a fun new adventure. I just want to be prepared. By the way... I live in Missouri.