Activity Directors - Facility Programming, Experiences that Speak to the Individual Resident - National Certification APNCC.org - July 4th Extended Enroll ends today.

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Facility Programming The original concepts of senior wellness have evolved over the years to incorporate multiple layers and realms of person centered practices that significantly contribute to senior life and wellness. Today’s programs recognize the importance of engagement and accompanying pleasurable experiences that speak to the individual resident. Efforts to support these visions and to further refine facility programming have further clarified the pathway to deliver meaningful life experiences for our senior population. Regulatory Mandated Programs As a professional in this industry, your facility programming will be led by pre-established guidelines that are intended to regulate and standardize specific standards of care. These regulations are known as OBRA’87 Interpretive Guidelines. Regulations and guidelines particularly in the Healthcare industry are geared to ensure resident wellness and life enrichment. The following facility programming are required and included in these guidelines. Adaptations/Special Needs: Such programs are intended to ensure that adaptive equipment and/or techniques are offered according to the individual’s specific needs. This could be in the form of adaptive devices, special seating arrangements, visual cues, and/or interpreter services. Community Based: Programs that help residents connect to the surrounding community. Equally important is to provide the opposite opportunities for members from local organizations and groups to come to the facility. Examples: Outings into the local community – library, lectures halls, restaurants, fairs, stores (shopping). Intergenerational Programs: Programs that offer visits from groups of all ages. Examples: Scouts visits, children’s choirs, high school concerts, etc. Male-Oriented Programs: Programs designed to address the specific needs and interests of the male population within the facility. Examples: technical related themes, labor focused such as sales, garden, farmlands, barbershop singing groups, choirs, sporting events and discussion groups to support camaraderie and breaking down roadblocks that create hesitations that may limit male gender participation. NOTE: It is commonly known that females have historically outnumbered males in resident living facilities – let us be sure to provide interest-based programs for ALL genders. Stimulation Programs: These programs are designed with the goal of offering input stimulation to one or more of the senses. Examples: music, tactile experiences such as pet visits, and multisensory related themes that incorporate touching, tasting, smelling, seeing, and hearing. Physical Health: Programs that promote physical well-being should always be made available to every resident.  Examples: structured exercise classes, movement to music, reinforcement of therapy goals, wheelchair skills, breathing exercises, walking and relaxation therapy. Note: Always obtain physical therapy/nursing oversight to ensure range of motion limitations and therapeutic goals continue to be reinforced through your facility programming. Cognitive Health: These programs provide intellectual stimulation to maintain and enhance awareness and cognition. Programs will need to be diversified, offering layered focus to target all levels and cognitive abilities. Examples: current events, discussion groups, problem solving scenarios, life management skills, trivia, reminiscing, reality awareness, stress management and orientation. Emotional Health: Programs that promote a sense of self cannot be overstated. These programs are particularly amongst the top-level tiers that greatly support the individual resident and his/her individuality. These programs offer opportunities for residents to discuss emotional concerns and needs in a supportive environment. Examples: socialization groups, clubs, resident council. Self-Respect: Programs that support the residents’ individual views and beliefs. These programs promote respect in content and participation and at all levels of individual needs and abilities. Examples: cultural programs that introduce different customs and beliefs, programs supporting the individual’s life experiences, previous lifestyles, and accomplishments. Resident Council is a great example. Task Segmentation: Particularly instrumental for residents that need to have tasks broken down into subtasks to successfully remain engaged in the program. You will find this skill set useful when working with residents diagnosed with dementia. Examples: step by step/task breakdown led art projects. Seasonal/Special Events: These programs support normalization concepts and celebrate previous lifestyles celebrations. Seasonal program themes acknowledge special events and reinforce the significance of these celebratory events in the resident’s past. Examples: birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, religious occasions, voting themes and elections, also inclusive of national, state, community and facility focused events. Solace Programs: These programs are offered to resident who are critically ill, dealing with pain, have limited endurance, and are spending most of the time in bed or in their rooms. Examples: relaxation CDs, pain management CDs, slides and videos, being read to, pet visit, memory book writing, creative and expressive opportunities. Indoor/Outdoor: Programs offered (weather permitting) outdoors or indoors that grow the boundaries of the facility walls exponentially. Examples: picnics, barbecues, outdoor walks, outings, safe and secure outdoor pleasures like simply sitting in the garden bird watching. Cultural: Programs identify and honor all cultures and bring the essence of cultural diversity as a personal growth experience to facility residents. Examples: outing to museums, art appreciation, art lead classes, facility events that celebrate different cultures and traditions. Religious: Programs recognizing and respecting the religious identities of facility residents. Examples: presentations, services, themed decorations and theme specific educational. Temperature Checks/Status Temperature checks in this context does not apply to COVID-19 rather it is in reference to “status” of something, what condition it is in, where it is, or how much progress it has made. Status doesn't only apply to the state of flights, projects, and traffic jams — it also can be used to refer to a person's social and emotional well-being. Make it your mission as the industry professional to know the population you serve and ensure regular “temperature checks” to confirm that you are on the right path to help deliver enriching quality of life programs to your resident. Have a topic request or question for Celeste? Send them over to celestechase@activitydirector.org

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