new AD w/questions

[ndavisrankine 0]

Hi Everyone,

I am a new AD trying to build a good activity program for my residents in a facilty of about 159 residents. I have some questions regarding getting the program up and running. The activity staff really consist of two people myself and another and at times we get help from another staff member if one of us should be out. Well from my observation since i have been there which is less than two weeks, I notice that almost all the time the programs starts later than the time posted on the calendar, or the program is not carried out due to some cconflict with something else. Most of the time the residents on some of the units are not ready for the program they are in bed or just not dressed appropriately. Can anyone give me some advise on what to do to get the activity program up and ready for my residents. Please give me some advice about different types of program that i may implement for my lower functioning residents. The ones that I have tried I still dont seem to get a good turn out. Thanks all.

Nads

[Ella 0]

In regards to your program question, I need a bit more information. You state that at times your program is in conflict with something else. What specifically is the conflict? What time does your program start? Also for your lower functioning residents, what type of program/activities are you currently trying? Please give me/us a little more information so that I/we are not giving you information you are already trying. (Will be waiting for your response!)

[bgjuls18 0]

Well you might want to start by getting the nursing staff involved and getting permission to be at their staff meeting to encourage them to help get the residents up ready and to activities. Let the staff know that if they are getting the residents off of their halls its less work for them. they will not have to answer call lights, take people to the bathroom, or have falls. we pass out a daily paper every day to each resident that has the activities for the day and the menu for the day. the aides utilize this to ask the residents what they want to do for the day and what they want to eat. i have also seen families use this with their loved ones if they have a mild case of dementia. to help with not getting the activity done ask in resident council if the current activities are even what the residents want. go through the participation sheets to see what activities have alot of interest and which ones dont. for lower function we do alot of reminesce, sensory, 1:1, but most of our lower function still want to be with everyone else, they do more observing and more 1:1 with the activity for help. hope this gets you a good start. julia

[ramzy 0]

Well you might want to start by getting the nursing staff involved and getting permission to be at their staff meeting to encourage them to help get the residents up ready and to activities. Let the staff know that if they are getting the residents off of their halls its less work for them. they will not have to answer call lights, take people to the bathroom, or have falls. we pass out a daily paper every day to each resident that has the activities for the day and the menu for the day. the aides utilize this to ask the residents what they want to do for the day and what they want to eat. i have also seen families use this with their loved ones if they have a mild case of dementia. to help with not getting the activity done ask in resident council if the current activities are even what the residents want. go through the participation sheets to see what activities have alot of interest and which ones dont. for lower function we do alot of reminesce, sensory, 1:1, but most of our lower function still want to be with everyone else, they do more observing and more 1:1 with the activity for help. hope this gets you a good start. julia

You may want to meet with the nursing staff about getting the residents up and off the units. Observe the residents and to see who would like to come to the early activities and give a list of these residents to the nursing staff on each unit, prehaps this will motivate the staff to get those people up and ready first. This worked for us. The lower functioning residents may be passive participates in activities but still enjoy the social interaction.

[kmp0065 0]

I agree with talking to the nursing staff to help get people prepared for the activity. In my facility, I make an announcement about 10-15 minutes before my activity is set to begin so the residents can ask for assistance to come to my activity if necessary. I also think that the reminisce activities are great for lower functioning residents. Another way I have been able to reach my lower functioning residents is by having a Current Events and Coffee Social several mornings a week. We read the newspaper and discuss events going on in the world today. This is a way that I have been able to have residents at all functional levels participate in an activity together. I also do manicures as an activity, which is suitable for anyone.