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my ed informed me today she would like to see me do something with my assisted residents that are going out front after lunch before the afternoon activities. i keep our residents pretty busy and some of them have been going out front sitting in rockers to relax. i do indoor programs at that time for other residents "nail time,pool games,card games"somedays it just seems like they want to not be bothered and sit with each other maybe for an hour 1:00-2:00...I almost feel bad that I have to go and start an activity during that time...I have ask them what they would like and of course you know the response No ideas....I then came up with trivia,jokes,stories and serve cold drinks.... any other ideas would be great....please help anything creative? thanks lulu

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Ahh, the infamous "Lobby Lizards" (of course, we don't call them this) rears its ugly head again. For some reason, Administrators dislike the folks who sit out front. I just got back from a conference where this topic came up several times with the administrators. One facility went so far as to remove all furniture from thier lobby. Of course, the residents didn't let this stop them-- they brought the patio furniture inside. These "lobby lizards" have a bad reputation of being nasty by making comments when people or other residents walk by that are not always polite. They also have the reputation of being trouble because they annoy the staff and bug them.

 

I, however, don't see them this way. I like having the lobby full of people. It makes it seem "alive". What we have done is set up a desk right in front of the entrance and use our lobby lizards as volunteers. They make sure volunteers sign in and guide them where to go or who to see.

 

We also put our jewelry showcase in the lobby. The showcase is our big fundraiser for the Residents' Council. The lobby lizards volunteer and run the showcase. They sell the items to other residents and guests. Other residents come down to socialize with the volunteers.

 

We put a table in the lobby and set out a puzzle for residents to work on while they are hanging out. The puzzle is changed as soon as it is completed.

 

We also use them to sell tickets to other residents-- signing them up for dinner, trips, housekeeping or whatever program we have that I need a sign up for. They sit at the front desk where visitors sign in.

 

If I am waiting for entertainers, I usually have the lobby lizards watch out for them and open the door.

Good Luck!

 

 

 

my ed informed me today she would like to see me do something with my assisted residents that are going out front after lunch before the afternoon activities. i keep our residents pretty busy and some of them have been going out front sitting in rockers to relax. i do indoor programs at that time for other residents "nail time,pool games,card games"somedays it just seems like they want to not be bothered and sit with each other maybe for an hour 1:00-2:00...I almost feel bad that I have to go and start an activity during that time...I have ask them what they would like and of course you know the response No ideas....I then came up with trivia,jokes,stories and serve cold drinks.... any other ideas would be great....please help anything creative? thanks lulu
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All of my residents who sit out front or in the lobby do not want to do anything else. We put a game table and a puzzle table and they stay busy doing those things or watching tv while in the lobby. Those who sit outside after lunch have done so for years, since way before they were part of our community. I have care planned that they prefer to sit and enjoy the sun. This stopped the pressure from admin. to "do" something with them. I also think that having residents in these areas helps the place look more like a "home".

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my ed informed me today she would like to see me do something with my assisted residents that are going out front after lunch before the afternoon activities. i keep our residents pretty busy and some of them have been going out front sitting in rockers to relax. i do indoor programs at that time for other residents "nail time,pool games,card games"somedays it just seems like they want to not be bothered and sit with each other maybe for an hour 1:00-2:00...I almost feel bad that I have to go and start an activity during that time...I have ask them what they would like and of course you know the response No ideas....I then came up with trivia,jokes,stories and serve cold drinks.... any other ideas would be great....please help anything creative? thanks lulu

You can get little old games like the one that they have on the table at Cracker Barrel and set out on the tables outside. Try to start a walking group if the residents are able to do so. I have found a activity that my residents truly love men and women. Try having a gardening party. My residents had a ball. We got pots and flowers and sit outside in the courtyard and planted flowers. Make it a game and tell them who keeps their plant watered and kept up that they will get a prize. And if all of them do it, then they all get a prize. It is quite fun actually. We are having a good time with it. Have a children's church or a church come out and have worship time with the reisdents that like to sit out in the rockers. Play old country music and make let one resident pick out the music of his or her choice. Really you can't force them to do anything. I do not know where you are from but here I went to an in-service and the speaker said that you can not force them to do anything that they do not want to do. If it is their choice to sit in the rockers and look at the cars go by then that is their choice. Just document well. Also have melon ball parties with them. Get different kinds of melons and scoop them into little balls and serve them with little toothpicks. If I come up any more ideas I'll let you know. Let me think for awhile.

Christy J :)

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You can get little old games like the one that they have on the table at Cracker Barrel and set out on the tables outside. Try to start a walking group if the residents are able to do so. I have found a activity that my residents truly love men and women. Try having a gardening party. My residents had a ball. We got pots and flowers and sit outside in the courtyard and planted flowers. Make it a game and tell them who keeps their plant watered and kept up that they will get a prize. And if all of them do it, then they all get a prize. It is quite fun actually. We are having a good time with it. Have a children's church or a church come out and have worship time with the reisdents that like to sit out in the rockers. Play old country music and make let one resident pick out the music of his or her choice. Really you can't force them to do anything. I do not know where you are from but here I went to an in-service and the speaker said that you can not force them to do anything that they do not want to do. If it is their choice to sit in the rockers and look at the cars go by then that is their choice. Just document well. Also have melon ball parties with them. Get different kinds of melons and scoop them into little balls and serve them with little toothpicks. If I come up any more ideas I'll let you know. Let me think for awhile.

Christy J ;)

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You can get little old games like the one that they have on the table at Cracker Barrel and set out on the tables outside. Try to start a walking group if the residents are able to do so. I have found a activity that my residents truly love men and women. Try having a gardening party. My residents had a ball. We got pots and flowers and sit outside in the courtyard and planted flowers. Make it a game and tell them who keeps their plant watered and kept up that they will get a prize. And if all of them do it, then they all get a prize. It is quite fun actually. We are having a good time with it. Have a children's church or a church come out and have worship time with the reisdents that like to sit out in the rockers. Play old country music and make let one resident pick out the music of his or her choice. Really you can't force them to do anything. I do not know where you are from but here I went to an in-service and the speaker said that you can not force them to do anything that they do not want to do. If it is their choice to sit in the rockers and look at the cars go by then that is their choice. Just document well. Also have melon ball parties with them. Get different kinds of melons and scoop them into little balls and serve them with little toothpicks. If I come up any more ideas I'll let you know. Let me think for awhile.

Christy J ;)

 

Thanks for the ideas I will try them and see how things go....we do not care plan as we are assisted living community... this is where and only where I miss care Planning... hee heee... I will however write progress note on these residents...thanks for the idea...I love the melon balls and the walking club... maybe they will do this....also I will try and put into place a welcome group with these residents.... funny that you said plants we had just got two big plants donated and we planted them the other day out front fot them to view and a few of my outside residents have been taking care of them as well as the other outdoor plants...they even told me so when I came in this morning... they we're very excited about this... we had also started a indoor garden in our activity room that residents have been keeping an eye on and letting the residents that had said it wouldn't work know how well it is going....Its becoming a little bit of a joke how they cut up about it to each other....an ideas about indoor gardening would be helpful as I do not want this to fall of to the side lines...that would give the doughters a reason to dought....thanks for everything....this sight has been very helpful...I have learned much.... but only just reply to this...thanks lulu

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my ed informed me today she would like to see me do something with my assisted residents that are going out front after lunch before the afternoon activities. i keep our residents pretty busy and some of them have been going out front sitting in rockers to relax. i do indoor programs at that time for other residents "nail time,pool games,card games"somedays it just seems like they want to not be bothered and sit with each other maybe for an hour 1:00-2:00...I almost feel bad that I have to go and start an activity during that time...I have ask them what they would like and of course you know the response No ideas....I then came up with trivia,jokes,stories and serve cold drinks.... any other ideas would be great....please help anything creative? thanks lulu
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Hi, I'm new on this site. But I wanted to tell you that my residents love shooting water guns at each other sometimes even staff coming or going. We have had a full blow water gun fight among residents and staff. Fun, Fun, Fun. Good Luck.

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