Whats Main Thing To Learn

[ellenlovesjoey 0]

hi everybody im in an activity director class both teachers are excellent but i 'm just wondering what is the main thing i should be learning. at times it seems so overwheliming thanks ahead of time for all your help

[Guest Tinki]

Hi,

 

I teach the courses for Texas and I can tell you what I teach

 

Activity Programming - types and the therapeutic aspects of each

Activity Ideas

Activity Assessments

Resident Assessment/Evaluations

Activity Analysis

Types of Long Term Care Facilties

Diseases affecting the Ederly

Organizations and Regulations

Charting/Care Plans/Documentation

Alzheimer's Dementia

Resident Council/Volunteer Programs

Quality Assurance

Aging/Death

Calendar/Newsletters

Activity Ideas, Ideas, Ideas

etc...

 

Karen :-)

[ellenlovesjoey 0]

thank-you for your responce. i was wondering though should i contrate mostly on documentation? also how do you keep all that charting straight?

[Pennie 26]

Hey,

As far as the courses go they able probably broken up by the instructors as to how they want you to learn. So follow their outline as I am sure you are doing.

If you are working and wanting to know what you should start on there, well the best palce is to beging by getting to know you're res. Listen to them on what their backgrounds are, act. they enjoy and/or enjoyed prior to being admitted.

Follow this by looking at the calendar(s). Look into the act. planned learn about them and see what is working and what is not. the ones not woking ask why, decide if they should be fixed/changed or replaced by another act.

This is a good starting place.

The paperwork is usually held towards the end of your courses, but you are still required to go to care plans and all of the other meetings. This is like entering a different world :-o People using words, terms and forms things that leave you in a state of confussion. Don't worry to much about this you will understand all of this in time, I promise. But these meetings help you learn about the res. and how your facility works. The people on your CP team have a system down and will teach you how to understand it.

They will help you learn that when a new res. comes into the facility that you have to use a new admission form on them and that you must have it completed by a certain date. The best way to fill the form out is first read the form, use your MDS book to help understand the areas you are unsure of.

Then interview the res., family members, other staff members that work with that res. on a daily basis (CNA) also observe the res. Then be sure to read the res. chart, you will find lots of info. on him/her in there. Be sure to look at the admission notes/area lots of history in there. As far as a system in your dept. for the paperwork well we all of our own. You can ask 100 AD's and get 100 different answers. So ask us, then take from ours what you think will work for you and ad to it adapt it to fit your needs. This will take a while for you. You will improve it over time until you finally get one that works. But I have been in this field for over 20 years and I'm always learning new ways to improve my system. This is the improtance of networking with others and how this website will become a graet resource for you.

I know that if you are brand new to this field it can be over whelming at first, ;-) but in time it comes together. Just hand in there and know that we all are here for you. welcome P :-D

[ellenlovesjoey 0]

thank-you for your support. only three weeks left of class. our final class project too. helppppppppppppp. i'm having the class (about 6) of them make collages. they'll put there picture then cut out pictures of things they like or memories out of magazines. this will be done on a poster board. i feel this way i'll get to know them and there name without them feeling overly whelmed by questions plus i'll learn there likes etc. i feel this project will be good for all, cognitive can cut and help others as well as myself helping. others less cognitive can glue. hopefully it goes well. will see oh yeah im acting as activity director and there acting like patients.

[Guest Guest]

Good luck with your project! Just a thought when I do collage work with residents I don't limit myself to just pictures. I have other tactile items to add to the collage; such as colored rice, glitter, leaves and other nature items. Really the list is endless and using these items adds another tactile component to the project. Have Fun!

[Wilkesrose 0]

:-) Hello! I started the Activity Director course in December, was hired by a facility at the end of January, started work on February 7, finished the class in May. And I gotta tell ya-----I am overwhelmed. Don't get me wrong---I love my job and I am having a blast nearly every day! But, geeze, the paperwork alone could cause gastric responses! LOL There are mountains of tasks: planning, implementing, charting, purchasing, decorating, knowing who is diabetic and who is not, knowing ALL about the resident and their families, cleaning, cooking, gardening, networking, monthly calendars, fund raisers, holiday dinners, religious services, games, meetings, regulations, guidelines, laws, resident council dinners--------the list is endless. Oh, and did I mention the BUDGET???? And along with all your other required duties, you must have a loving heart, helping hands, and a listening ear. You must be alert to symptoms of illness, and you should have at least a rudimentary knowledge of medications and diseases. Activity Directors have the most contact with the residents: we spend several hours a day with them, while nursing/CNA/PCA/ therapy dept. etc. staff spends a few minutes several times a day. Activities ain't for sissies! LOL But, of all the things I've done in my life, I love activities the best. I'm not trying to terrify you :-D I'm just sharing my experience. I know that in a year or two, I will be more comfortable with my tasks and chosen career. And it really does have the greatest rewards. Good luck to you, hang in there, and your collage idea sounds great!