Trouble Areas

[spartans 0]

Find out what the female resident is interested in. If you have to do research to begin a conversation about it, it will be worth it.

i have found out that family, and old hobbies bring up conversation and a smile. Ask family for ideas, read her cchart or ask a staff member that she enjoys.

Good Luck, smile at her

[spartans 0]

One of my tough spots is care plans.

 

Seeing bed bound resident is also hard. If I have items for them to do in room, they are not given supplies or tape recorder turned on for talking books.

Spartans

[ckimbal1 0]

8-) I don't know about you guys, but for me the hardest thing is bed bound or 1:1 visits. If 1:1 visits were genuinely "bed bound" that wouldn't be my problem...it is having so many 1:1 visits due to the fact that staff either will not consistantly get residents up, or they get them up to a recliner or the like within their room which just reinforces isolation.

I have tried different groups to help with this problem and I found that it did not help....it is as if they (CNA's) resent being asked to have residents up for specialized groups. I always try to be polite and friendly - anyone have any ideas on this? How 'bout you BigChris? You are so informative at our state convention.

We have the same probelm at my facility. They may get the resdient up for an activity, but they put them in their chair or leave them in their room. This is actually a big problem for us and we can't figure out hwo to fix it. Things would be much easier if the whole facility worked together, but this isn't always the case. Do you have any suggestions on getting helping hands?

[purplesky 0]

I have various trouble areas. Time is always a factor in my job, I always want to do something differnt and more activities or spend 1:1 time with the residents. It just seems I never have enough time. Finding original men's activities, where do you get them. I can look online, but the ideas don't always work and there aren't very many ideas. There are so many I can't keep track of them.

[shannonw 0]

It seems like there is always an area that we have trouble with (questions) and can't seem to get any answers to.

1. Ex: I remember that when I started out my area was Care Plans. I just could not understand them and was unable to get the answer that I understood.

So is there a trouble area for you, that we all share and just don't realize it?

2. I did buy books on CP's but none of them seem to help me. I also bought books on In-room activities. I would love a book on Policy & Procedures.

3. My "Bible" is the MDS book, & I like the ones that help me with the required paperwork we have to do.

This is just a sample of how to answer te poll questions.

 

 

 

My trouble area is Men's Activities for my dementia residents. It is difficult for them to do alot of the Men's group activities that my higher fuctiong residents participate in. Does anyone know of a dementia safe tool-kit of some kind?

[LisaRee 0]

I have various trouble areas. Time is always a factor in my job, I always want to do something differnt and more activities or spend 1:1 time with the residents. It just seems I never have enough time. Finding original men's activities, where do you get them. I can look online, but the ideas don't always work and there aren't very many ideas. There are so many I can't keep track of them.

 

 

I know what you mean about having all sorts of troubles in all sorts of areas. I read above that someone had problems with CNAs not bringing residents down. My problem is that our CNAs bring down EVERYBODY to almost EVERY activity. Don't get me wrong, I know these people need the interaction, but bringing a resident who is tube fed to a social event where food is served is downright wrong! They just don't seem to understand and throw that, "It's their right to be here" at me. Well, bull! I find alot of staff, including nurses, have no idea what residents rights are about. We provide a variety of activities for both high and low functioning residents, as well as try our best to keep alot of our activities individualized.

Another troubled area I have is always butting heads with nurses when it comes to dietary. I understand that we have our cardiac, diabetic, etc diets for a reason. If a resident is diabetic and asks for a piece of regular cake isn't it their right to have it if they are aware of their condition and can make that decision for themselves? Sometimes I feel like it's a never ending battle in several areas. grrrrr!

[Bobbielynn 0]

Do you have men only outings?? Like to a car museum, baseball game (can be college or minor league), lunch or breakfast outings. You are right. We offer lots of male oriented activites but they never want to participate. We did go to a AAA baseball game(my fav.) only 3 residents wanted to go. I tried to get some ladies to go also, to try to entice the men, but to no avail. I also find this depression era bunch very conservative dollar wise so I try to find something that is free or low cost. That is always the first thing I am asked" Do we have to pay?".

Good luck.

Bobbie

[tonyv 0]

Good Evening All:

This is my first time ever, so please bear with me!!!

I have noticed that Men's Activities and other things involving male residents seem to be an issue.

Being a man and working in an Activity Department at a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center definitely gives me a "one up"; however, I want to share some important things we all should remember - male or female:

1). Remember what the resident enjoys. Most men like to talk and eat. There really is no difference with a long term care setting. I am responsible for all the Men's Activities at my facility and all men's activities have a time for talk and a time for eating. Trust me - it works!

2). Men enjoy sharing their expertise about subjects and hobbies of interest. Work with your grounds/maintenance department...simple tasks that residents can enjoy doing works wonders for the male ego. Remember safety and simplicity!

3). Men, not exclusively, enjoy learning and talking about history and historical happenings & events. We have a "Highlights In History" session as part of our activity calendar. Who do you think comes to this activity - fourteen (14) men! They love reminiscing about history and how it relates to today!

I hope I've helped and shared some useful things for all.

Respectfully,

tonyv

[neometh187 0]

:hammer: My trouble area would definatly be the daily activity log. Who participated in what. The company we are with require us to use a certain form. The only problem is, The form stinks!! It has all these items on it. But most of them are not applicable with my residents. There is absolutely no way to Personalize it. So half the time, it looks like they are not doing much. if anything at all. I tried a different form one time, and got in trouble because it wasn't a "company approved" form. I have also tried to explain this to company people. Do they care? no, they want the approved form and everything else be.. well you know. Sometimes I feel like I'm slamming into a brick wall. (of course that could very well be what their heads are made of!) :-D Any ideas would be soo greatly appreciated.

[neometh187 0]

I had this problem when the Surveyors came to our facility. I had to amend our regular COMPANY Forms!

 

What I did was find an Activity Notes Form, or you can make one on a spreadsheet. All you need to do is make Columns that are labeled: DATE and then NOTES. Obviously, the Date is small section and the Notes are the majority section to the left.

 

All you need to do is describe how the resident participated in the activity. It requires more than the responses that are on the COMPANY Forms. Use your own personal thoughts, reactions, observations. This should reflect the Care-Plan intentions or goals, but not necessarily.

 

Any type of documentation that you use the describes the emotional, psychological, or physiological reactions of residences participation in activities are not only beneficial to the residents, but are documentation.

 

REMEMBER: : If you did not doucment it, it did not happen!"

 

-TOM A.K.A Neometh187

 

 

 

:hammer: My trouble area would definatly be the daily activity log. Who participated in what. The company we are with require us to use a certain form. The only problem is, The form stinks!! It has all these items on it. But most of them are not applicable with my residents. There is absolutely no way to Personalize it. So half the time, it looks like they are not doing much. if anything at all. I tried a different form one time, and got in trouble because it wasn't a "company approved" form. I have also tried to explain this to company people. Do they care? no, they want the approved form and everything else be.. well you know. Sometimes I feel like I'm slamming into a brick wall. (of course that could very well be what their heads are made of!) :-D Any ideas would be soo greatly appreciated.

[Jeanine 0]

:hammer: My trouble area would definatly be the daily activity log. Who participated in what. The company we are with require us to use a certain form. The only problem is, The form stinks!! It has all these items on it. But most of them are not applicable with my residents. There is absolutely no way to Personalize it. So half the time, it looks like they are not doing much. if anything at all. I tried a different form one time, and got in trouble because it wasn't a "company approved" form. I have also tried to explain this to company people. Do they care? no, they want the approved form and everything else be.. well you know. Sometimes I feel like I'm slamming into a brick wall. (of course that could very well be what their heads are made of!) :-D Any ideas would be soo greatly appreciated.

[Jeanine 0]

I have only been an AD for 2 years and have tried a variety of activity logs. The one that works best for me is this: I have an 8.5x11" copy of my monthly activity calendar for each resident. After each activity, I highlight the activity attended. On the reverse side is a "note" page which I jot down anything out of the ordinary, such as "Mary really enjoyed participating in the balloon toss today and was more alert and receptive throughout the activity." I keep 3 months of these calendars with my copy of the resident care plan so when we have our quarterly meeting, I can look and see if the resident is acheiving the goals for attendance we have set. I can also read the notes for the month and see if there is a pattern of behavior s uch as "Jan became aggitated and unable to be redirected around 11am". I have not had a problem with the surveyors using this method and for me, It is a great way to see exactly who participates in which type of activities and when care plan goals are not being met. Hope this helps. anyone please let me know if your surveyors have had a problem with this type of log. Jeanine

[looking4fun 0]

I have trouble enjoying time with talkative residents who show up at my office during non-activity times. They will spend hours talking if I let them. Bottom line: Residents are the priority. Reality: I have to have time to plan, schedule, organize. Any suggestions?

[looking4fun 0]

While most residents are very appreciative and kind, some are very demanding and critical (One woman can walk fine but demands help getting on the bus at the same time I am getting a 93-year-old wheel-chair-bound woman onto the bus ramp and out of the rain. She also yelled at me for missing a spot on her nail during a manicure.) I feel guilty for standing up to her because she has had a lot of loss in her life. Any suggestions?

[yunakitty 2]

Ooh, that's some pretty touchy stuff. I'm dealing with a difficult resident right now too. I try to redirect her attention onto helping other residents. Doesn't always work, and sometimes she just annoys them as much as she annoys me . Still, it's worth a try. Also, consider shutting and locking your office when you have planning to do, if possible. I personally do not have a lock on my office door (there is a mechanical room that can only be accessed from my office, great planning there!) but I still shut the door when I have work to do. Keeps the visitors down a lot as they assume I'm out. People sometimes still turn the knob and come in, and then I'm out of luck. Though my unwelcome visitors are mostly staff wanting to chat. I do have residents come down the hall looking for me, but very infrequently, and you can always not answer when they knock. Hope that helps.

[looking4fun 0]

Ooh, that's some pretty touchy stuff. I'm dealing with a difficult resident right now too. I try to redirect her attention onto helping other residents. Doesn't always work, and sometimes she just annoys them as much as she annoys me . Still, it's worth a try. Also, consider shutting and locking your office when you have planning to do, if possible. I personally do not have a lock on my office door (there is a mechanical room that can only be accessed from my office, great planning there!) but I still shut the door when I have work to do. Keeps the visitors down a lot as they assume I'm out. People sometimes still turn the knob and come in, and then I'm out of luck. Though my unwelcome visitors are mostly staff wanting to chat. I do have residents come down the hall looking for me, but very infrequently, and you can always not answer when they knock. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the advice. Nice to be able to tell someone and have someone listen. Much appreciated!!

[shannonw 0]

Have you considered placing a sign on your door that says "planning" or "conference please do not disturb" Obviously residents are the priority but if planning and scheduling can't get done then ALL the residents suffer. I have had to close my door and put a sign on it that says "planning the next great activity" not just for the residents but for myself so I could fight the compulsion to talk to them all.

[vickie81092 0]

I have trouble enjoying time with talkative residents who show up at my office during non-activity times. They will spend hours talking if I let them. Bottom line: Residents are the priority. Reality: I have to have time to plan, schedule, organize. Any suggestions?

 

I completely understand! If I am planning my calender I ask that certain resident to help me think of new and fun things to do. You would be surprised that once they learn that you are busy they will leave. They don't want to have to work for the most part. I have a few that will help me and I get some great ideas from them. When it comes to care planing or things that the resident cant be involved in I just be honest with them and tell them I need to get some paperwork done and when I finish I will come and have a cup of coffee with them. They are a very understanding generation. Hope this helps you out some.

 

Vickie

[jmorris13 0]

Men's activities are a challenge for me. We just have a couple of single men and the rest are married and do most everything with their wives. Any suggestions?

[ZuckerA 0]

Hi all! My name is Amanda. I have been an Activity Director in the Las Vegas area for 1 year now. Here is my dilema. I have a couple of residents with physical impairments who enjoy being a part of activities like arts and crafts, bingo, etc. When I am hosting the activity, I usually will help them by guiding their hands and their actions (they have cognitive impairments too). Usually with that high amount of assistance they will perform and participate in the activity as well. The reason why I choose to do it in a small group activity is because they thrive from the socialization and truly enjoy these activities. I walked in one day to find my assistant doing their craft activity for them while they watched (there were only 2 people at this time, so no large group). She does such things in bingo, and other hands on activities. She had trouble understanding why we should take 5 or 10 minutes out of our time to help those with physical and cognitive loss. We do one on one's with them, but if they want to also partake in craft activities and such, who am I to deny them? I would like to educate her, does anyone have any kind of federally mandated literature that would help my inservice with her?

[jennb54 0]

My problem area that I could defintely use help are planning men's activities. I currently have only two, but do not feel we do very much for their individual activity needs. One is a loner, never married, and both are military men. Would like to have more things that interest them and engage them more often.

 

Bennie

[browndeborahlp 0]

It seems like there is always an area that we have trouble with (questions) and can't seem to get any answers to.

1. Ex: I remember that when I started out my area was Care Plans. I just could not understand them and was unable to get the answer that I understood.

So is there a trouble area for you, that we all share and just don't realize it?

2. I did buy books on CP's but none of them seem to help me. I also bought books on In-room activities. I would love a book on Policy & Procedures.

3. My "Bible" is the MDS book, & I like the ones that help me with the required paperwork we have to do.

This is just a sample of how to answer te poll questions.

can you tell me where to order a book specific for careplans regarding activities and also a MDS book

[Pennie 26]

Hi

You can buy the MDS book from HCPro.com for $49 but check with your admin usually they provide every department head with their own MDS book. If not maybe you can ask them to purchase one for every department, especially the Care Plan Team.

We have a strore that sells a variety of books & I beleive you can find some on Care Plans ones on it-- here is the link:

http://www.activitydirector.net/shop/index...at&catId=11

We have on our members site Care Plan Assistance which has hundreds of pre-written CP's that you can use & edit to fit as needed check the site out activitydirector.com

Happy Thanksgiving

Pennie

 

 

 

can you tell me where to order a book specific for careplans regarding activities and also a MDS book

[karmada 0]

It seems like there is always an area that we have trouble with (questions) and can't seem to get any answers to.

1. Ex: I remember that when I started out my area was Care Plans. I just could not understand them and was unable to get the answer that I understood.

So is there a trouble area for you, that we all share and just don't realize it?

2. I did buy books on CP's but none of them seem to help me. I also bought books on In-room activities. I would love a book on Policy & Procedures.

3. My "Bible" is the MDS book, & I like the ones that help me with the required paperwork we have to do.

This is just a sample of how to answer te poll questions.

 

 

Mine would also be CarePlans...I keep second guessing myself on the goals...I really need more input on that!

[Fablous 0]

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