Jump to content

Im New And Discouraged


kimberly

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone. I am new here and new to the activity world as well. I am getting a little discouraged so I thought i would come to you here for help. I have been an activity coordinator at a 125 room independent/assisted living community in Southern California. I am really liking the job and feel I am doing a great job so far. I have planned several outings that the residents really enjoyed and I am just starting to get to know the residents on a more personal level. However, yesterday was National Senior Health and Fitness Day, and I planned a whole day of speakers, lectures, and fun for everyone. I feel it went over great! But I hear from some other employees that "some" of the residents were complaining that the raffle was fixed, the speakes were just here to try to sell them their goods (they werent!!) etc. The negativity is just rampant here. I am starting to re-think my career choice. I know I shouldn't take this personally, but it hurts my feelings when I work so hard for them to make a fun day and they just complain about everything. Is this the way it is everywhere? Thanks for your help!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Hi Kimberly,

I have been in your shoes more times than I care to admit,being in this field for over 20 years,let me tell you there is alot of complaining and grumbling from your residents,ALWAYS!!!!! The thing that you need to focus on is the residents that WANT to come to your acts. and that enjoy your acts! There will always be people( not just the seniors,either!) that just LOVE TO COMPLAIN!!!! Dont listen to the rest!!! Be proud of what you are offering and dont give any time or effort to these people!!!

I am now on a break from the being an Activity Director because I needed a break!

I too was burnt out!!! I am now raising my two year old dtr.( and four boys) and running a daycare out of my home, but I do miss being an Activity Director for seniors and will go back in a few years when my dtr. goes back to school. Until then I am trying to stay active online with my websites and helping new directors like yourself.

Feel free to email me personally at: crazee_g2004@yahoo.com if you want to chat or need help with anything.The ladies and gents on this board are GREAT and always try to help each other....

feel free to join my activity chat group at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ActivityChat/

Have fun!!! gina :lol: :lol: :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Don't take these things personally. As Gina states above you will ALWAYS have folks (staff, residents, family) who are not satisfied. My motto about special events is... It is not a success unless someone complains. I have been an AD for 13 years and if I had a nickel, no a penny for every time that someone offers me some "feedback" after an event that I planned and sweated and cried over I would be able to retire to the Bahamas. Don't let it get you down. And... it sounds like the event was great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Hi, I'm fairly new to the field myself, I've been at my facility for almost three months. Like you, I love the job and like you, I took the residents complaints to heart and very personally at first, but my skin has gotten alot thicker in three months time. My residents swear that "I" control who wins at Bingo.. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Guest tigger

Hi Kimberly, I think everyone on this site has been in your shoes. I work in long term care in Oregon. Talk about complaints :roll: I here so many everyday, and I think unless I did activities non stop the whole 9 hours I am at work I will always have residents that just like to complain. I sometimes wounder if they get out of bed in the morning just to complain. And then I here 1 thank you from a sweet little lady who had fun. Thats what will keep you doing this job, if the jobs for you. My residents think that my job is to keep them intertained all day. ha,, ha,, Like we dont have any paper work or meetings or 1-1`s or breaks. I dont have any volunteers or asst. so its just me. I also wounder if the ones that complain are the ones that liked the activity the best, they just dont want to admit it. Dont let it get you down yet, Go with it, listen to then, have fun and enjoy yourself. If you dont you will burn out. This site is great for me so just keep coming back here,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I guess I am blessed--my facility doesn't have that negativity. I work in an IL/AL facility too--and here are a couple things I have learned:

 

1) The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Remember that just because "some residents" said it, it could just be one person who was having a bad day or bummed because they didn't get the raffle.

 

2) If you are new, you still don't know which staff people you can trust. Maybe the staff person is just blowing something up or just wants to see how far they can push you. Maybe they loved the last person and are taking it out on you.

 

3) For the most part, if you try hard, do it with a smile, and stay positive, so will everyone else. Remember, your attitude affects everyone else. The happier you are with an activity, and the more fun you have, the better it will go for eveyone else. So, have fun, forget the glitches--they always happen and there is nothing that can prevent that.

 

4) There will always be someone trying to ruin your day or make you feel badly about yourself. They only win if you let them. When you are enthusiastic and cheerful some people see it as fake and try to change it. Don't let them!

 

Just keep at it. At some point there will be criticism. Take it and learn from it. I bet 99.9% of your residents loved your activity. Feed on that--NOT the negative! If there is negative, take it and find someway to make it positive. You are doing great--keep that in mind.

 

Blessings--LB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Hi everyone, I just wanted to say thank you so much for your encouragement! You all made me feel so much better. I am still adjusting at my job and getting to know everyone so it kind of shakes me up when I hear complaints. I was warned by my supervisor that I will never please everyone. And like you said, I need to focus on the handful of residents that really do appreciate what I have done. Those are the ones that I do this for. It makes my day when a resident stops me to tell me how much fun they had at an activity. Working with the elderly has been my dream and I have directed my education in that direction as well. This is my first job working with the elderly and I guess I felt some kind of a let down or reality check of some kind with all the negativity. Like mbkemp had stated in her reply, I also get accused of rigging the bingo games. Come on now! I just hope I can settle in and get adjusted because I really do like what I am doing!

 

Thank you all again. I am glad I found this site!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
  • 1 year later...

Kimberly, you will never please all of your residents. Complaining is common. My residents tell me how great everything is and how good i am to them then, when state shows up for survey, they stab me in the back. You can never do enough for them. But, take heart, there are some that are thankful for you and appreciate you and all that you do....it is a "good for the soul" job. Like everything in life it has it's up's and down's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

While I was reading the posts, I started laughing about the rigging bingo problem. Not that it is funny, but I can relate.

 

A few years ago in my facility, my residents were complaining (imagine that!:rolleyes:) that other players were cheating in bingo. I do not attend bingo-ever! (Yes, I know I am blessed) So, this was a major concern to me. I took the complaints seriously, had a talk with the offending 90 yr old resident who swore up and down she didn't cheat. It was just luck that she won every week.

 

I then scratched my head and went to find an expert. I went to the local VFW post who holds major bingo games and talked to the main guy. He promised me that the ladies were not cheating and it was impossible to cheat the way they were playing.

 

He did tell me that there are certain numbers that come up more frequently than others-- there are books and websites that prove this (this is one way the lottery makes it's money) and people who "save" their bingo cards to reuse every week because they have certain numbers tend to win more, but in no way was it cheating.

 

I listened and wrote down everything he said, then went back to my facility where I called a meeting with the bingo players. I told them what he said and gave them an option.

1. They can no longer save their cards by marking them-- the cards will be handed out to them randomly

or

2. They can quit complaining about cheaters, because it isn't happening.

 

They chose Number 2! I haven't heard another word out of them about it in probably 3 years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
  • 2 weeks later...
Hi everyone. I am new here and new to the activity world as well. I am getting a little discouraged so I thought i would come to you here for help. I have been an activity coordinator at a 125 room independent/assisted living community in Southern California. I am really liking the job and feel I am doing a great job so far. I have planned several outings that the residents really enjoyed and I am just starting to get to know the residents on a more personal level. However, yesterday was National Senior Health and Fitness Day, and I planned a whole day of speakers, lectures, and fun for everyone. I feel it went over great! But I hear from some other employees that "some" of the residents were complaining that the raffle was fixed, the speakes were just here to try to sell them their goods (they werent!!) etc. The negativity is just rampant here. I am starting to re-think my career choice. I know I shouldn't take this personally, but it hurts my feelings when I work so hard for them to make a fun day and they just complain about everything. Is this the way it is everywhere? Thanks for your help!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Robin,

You did a GREAT job. You planned a "NEW" event for your seniors and they enjoyed themselves. Believe me, if I got discouraged every time something "bombed" then I would be flipping burgers......thats why we do what we do and creating new and different programs is the highlight of our jobs. There will always be people who complain, it's their nature. And there is nothing that can be done about that becasue they are happy when they complain. Don't let it get to you. Continue to do GREAT programs and continue to plan events that the majority of people are interested in. Its through trying new events and programs that we grow and become fantastic activity professionals. Don't try to outdo yourself, do programs that are of interest to your seniors and enjoy the complainers....they will always be there. Too bad that they can't enjoy other peoples work, but they certainly enjoy complaining. Hope that thsi helps

Kate

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
  • Create New...