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Alzheimer's Activities I try to incorporate themes throughout the day! Wednesday's Pet Edition educational newsletter - Animal Craft - Animal Cookies - Animal Sequencing using colored rubber animals that you can stack. I to would love to see your calendars. Good Luck! Jenny Livingston Activity Coordinator jll@usa.com

HOT! I live in California Things this time of year start getting HOT! HOT! HOT! ! I am now trying to come up with ways to beat the heat! We will start With a Christmas in July. Move on to the Penguin Races. Have a contest who can make frozen pudding the fastest. I was also think of doing something with the Ice Age. Ice Age the movie with Virgin Mint Julius or Virgin Strawberry Decries. Maybe turn the courtyard or a room into a Winter Wonderland. It has to be a room because I use the Courtyard for the shipwreck social and Movie Event. What would you do to Chill Out and Beat The Heat? Thanks, Jenny Livingston Activity Coordinator jll@usa.com

Have you tried to using a Gurdy Ball (good sensory balls various shapes and sizes) or a waited beach ball? Punching balloons are always great for a laugh I also use them to play Sporting Trivia Played to various kinds of music. I give our Guest a chance to choose the music and sometimes we will incorporate it into a sing-a-long. We pause the DVD and try to finish the song. Good Luck! Jenny Livingston Activity Coordinator jll@usa.com

I am currently planning a Summer Olympic event using the Wii along with our other regular events. We are adding Wii Bowling to the compaction schedule as well as Olympic tennis. How would you use the Wii for Summer Games? Thank you, Jenny Livingston Activity Coordinator jll@usa.com

Things always change we just need to grow with them each facility has its own needs you need to survey your guest and see what they are interested in doing. It is after all centered on their wants and needs. Art and Craft is wonderful especially if you can do a craft cart you can get great response with how to draw events. Good Luck! Jenny Livingston Activity Coordinator jll@usa.com

NEW TRUBLES AT WORK It is very sad when your administrator just doesn't get what activities means to people. At my facility one on ones are being canceled. I am going to be going to a swing shift which is fine with me except I'm told it is for only one group. The fall risk group. My heart is breaking at all the ones left alone during the day. Any suggestions? Jenny Livingston Activity Coordinator jll@usa.com

Here are a few ideas the last two are my fav. 1. Recreation where the fun is at! 2. Recreation - productive 3. Recreation specialist for special people 4. Recreation Raising spirits 5. Recreation brings quality to life 6. Essential Recreation Have you tried a Facility wide contest to see if one of your guest, families or staff can come up with something they think descries your dept. You can have a reception where the winner gets named and gets the honor of passing out the shirts. The opportunity to turn this in to several events / activities is very real. Jenny Livingston Activity Coordinator jll@usa.com

Your right who has not made a goof or two, however sometimes we can use these goofs to our favor. My facility is obsessed with spelling and grammar. I have dyslexia a learning disability, to bad for them. A goof on the smaller things like calendars and newsletters can be turned into an Activity for the higher function client. Just today I placed instructions on the Game Room T.V. and Universal Remote at the station asking the staff "Can you find all the Boo-Boo's?" I know they will read it if not for the words Boo-Boo than just to see who can find the most mistakes. Oh my! Now they can use the T.V. when I am not there. Ha! The correct one is hanging right next to the T.V. on the cabinet not that I'd tell them that...Yet. Sometimes A client helped me make the master answer sheet. The client also can hold on to the answer sheet so that they can provide the staff or other guest helpful hints or tell them when they are way off. This gives them a scene of success. Retired lawyers, professors, teachers and more tare my work apart and they love doing it. The whole time they are using so many skills that are just sitting there begging to be set free. At first because I am a perfectionist I thought I would die. With and open heart I started noticing how much some of them just wanted to help. Sure there are some who just want to point out the mistakes but look what they are having to use to make it. Now I understand God did not see fit to honour me with the ability to spell with ease. Instead he graced me with others in my life who want to fix anything not in the write spot or not used in just the right way. Don't get me wrong I wish with all my heart that I could spell, and I know I will always learn because I am open to it: I also see what a mistake here or there can do for others. My version of Pass the Hat and Sing. You just need to have some music (just in case someone cannot think of a song on their own) a cheap straw hat that you can throw, and a few people. I have them toss the hat around while someone sings. Where the song ends and the hat lands tells us who will go next. It really encourages the tossing especially if you do not want to be the one who gets that hat. We decorated the hat during Art Cart. We had three activities in one. 1) Active Game 2) Music 3) Craft Three Little hats and One Big Hat Note: 1)The little hats are backup singers / dancers Jenny Livingston Activity Coordinator jll@usa.com

Gentlemen's Group Pop n' Popcorn with sports of their choice Pizza N' Non Alcoholic Beer with movie of their choice Cold Non Alcoholic Beer outside in the courtyard with pretzels Outing: Drive to the park stop at fast food joint for milkshakes bring lunch. Starbucks Coffee and treat in courtyard, park, with special newspapers not normally available. I have done can you name this part trivia 1-1 and newsletters on toy trains, planes, cars ect. I ask them what they want and if it's possible I will try to make it happen. Jenny Livingston jll@usa.com

Have you tried to make Jell-O? Water and a bottle to shake it in. Dollar Tree has containers with lids. You can have a group shake up their own instant juice or cocktail. Good fun and affordable. I buy the sugar free drink mixes at Target or Wal-Mart. After juice is mixed add soda and ice for cocktails. Don't forget the music swingers and singers or golden oldies. Will help you keep everyone hydrated as well. Enjoy! Jenny Livingston jll@usa.com

Look at Room Visits Cart Pitchers for my Cart Ideas. Room to Room Socials work as well Coffee Cart this is Cup of Joe The Go, Tea Trolley, Ice Cream, Ice Cream Sandwich, Root Beer Floats, Peaches N' Cream and my own very own Mixed Drinks. So much fun and gets everyone involved. Especially wonderful on the weekends it lessens the stress on our clients as they will not have to worry about entertaining their visitors. It will also help. I include trivia and inspirational quotes. Copy sheets and cut them into strips they can be used like fortune cookie great fun for all and provides a conversation starter. Hope you and your guest have lots of fun. Good Luck Jenny Livingston jll@usa.com

My carts are ever evolving and changing to fit the needs of our current cliental. Most of the people who come in to my facility are self-directed. These individuals are able to choose where they want to be and when. They come with laptops and iPods and many other fun items that provide entertainment. I asked for and got WI-FI and three laptops. Most do not want to go to Activities some events yes, But not Activities. I have set up different carts like Craft Cart, Sensory Cart, How to Draw, Games Puzzles, all one on one or 1-2. Depending who is in the room and wants to take part. I'm in the process of putting everything in easy to use buckets. The buckets I am putting together can be used one on one or in a group setting so that I'm ready for anything. I take the calendar around and have them help me come up with what will be offered in the month ahead. Some of our cliental have found what they want to learn to draw, others games and neat things they want to learn about. My focus is on what they want. What they need to make their stay less stressful and more productive. In the summer I offer outdoor group activities treats and drinks with a wonderful service cart. Each table is its own social group you have to respect these groups and ask can so and so sit with you. I found during any activity a smile and cheerful disputation gets the most positive response. I put a lot of heart into everything I do. Good Luck! Jenny Livingston jll@usa.com

In my facility I hate mail because there is always someone different all the time doing it. This means that I get mail for people whom have not been here for years. Or have never been there to begin with. Do you know how long it takes to put return to sender and cross everything. The one thing I did get that has helped is one of those A-Z organizer it is a flat one peace office collator with both the alphabetical and numbers. I put everything in there and just deliver on station at a time this has been a great time saving method. Good Luck! Jenny Livingston jll@usa.com

To: Sgegner From: Jenny Livingston - jll@usa.com Re: Have you added a prop box? A prop box works like a thresher chest if you have items you can rotate. You can even give this honor to one of your clients. 1. Sauce pan 2. A Hat 3. A plastic bottle 4. Fake Flowers 5. Scarf 6. Shawl 7. Very small blanket 8. Extra large pencil (easy to see) Be creative. Have you asked what would you like to see in a prop box? (I like things that can be easily kept clean!) Your clients could have some great ideas. Crafters may want to try to make some simple ones to add to the box. Holidays add a few themed props. To: Dinandez I love the cards. They look like fun, I think I'll change mine up.

Rainy Day Blues By Jenny Livingston Rain Day can make play a little challenging however you can make it fun using the like Weather Bingo cards you can use words across the top like C L O U D. You can also use just pitcher’s you can only cover one weather for each day, so if it’s sunny cover one sun next day it rains cover the rain. I used a twister for the free space. As I live in California and That is unlikely weather. You can post it on a board in the facility and each of your clients can have a card in their room. Make the rules and post them right on the same board. This is a wonderful opportunity to orientate our guest to time and place. Have you tried a reflection group? Mediate / stretch to the sounds of rain. “Close your eyes and feel the warm rain beating down on your head. Relax your head let it fall to your chest. Feel the warm gentle rain on the back of your neck. Slowly lift your face to the sky feel the refreshing spray on your face. Slowly move it down the body … Feel the warm rain hit your shoulders slowly roll them forward in small circles.” No electricity no problem none need and this can be used at bedside & groups. Keep the voice study and mellow. Finish with a refreshing beverage. And there is so much more you can do. jll@usa.com