Team Building Activities in the Healthcare Field

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eHow

For professionals in the health care industry, a few team-building activities can help create quality conversations between patients and professionals, while also improving work relationships among team members. Typical results usually include stronger communication and motivated employees. That usually leads to happier and safer patients and colleagues.
Icebreaker
Divide the group into teams of three or four people. Give each person a pencil and four 3-by-5 pieces of paper. Have each group member write his name on one of the papers. Then have each person write three words that describes himself on the other three pieces of paper. Have one word per piece of paper. Gather all the papers and mix them up.
Now ask the teams to change places so they are working with another group's papers. The job for each team is to assemble the descriptive words in sets of three underneath the appropriate person's name.
Have each team review their answers with the entire group. Have the members of the original teams decide how many matches are correct. The winning team is the one that has the most correct matches. This exercise helps participants learn about each other and builds team unity.
Project Planning
This activity is an easy introduction to project planning, and increases attentiveness to structure and scheduling. The exercise is for any size group. Start by dividing the group into pairs. The task is to make a simple plan for having a staff party.
Start by introducing participants to tools they need to plan a project: brainstorming initial concepts and ideas, gathering and identifying all elements -- especially causal and hidden factors, timelines, identifying problems, finding solutions and sharing your results with others.
First have each pair go through each step. They should write down their results for each item as they discuss them. When they are finished, have all the pairs compare what they have written. Designate an individual to write down the final plans for planning this party. You can use a simple plan more appropriate to the group if you so choose.
Nonverbal Communication
This activity for health care workers can be played with one group or....read all about Team Building Activities in the Healthcare Field

Activity Director Certification Requirements

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Activity directors and their staff provide residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult daycare centers and alike with meaningful activities. Federal law mandates that directors must be certified. The National Council of Certified Activity Professionals (NCCAP) is recognized by Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as an organization that certifies activity professionals who work specifically with the elderly. NCCAP certification assures administrators of nursing homes and surveyors from CMS that a director has met the professional standards. There are several different ways to achieve certification.
Option 1
A bachelor's degree (must include English and other specific courses that are explained at the NCCAP website) is the educational criteria necessary for the option 1 track. In addition, you must have 4,000 hours of activity experience (may be as an assistant or provisional director) within the past five years. Besides this, you must have 30 hours of continuing education. The continuing education must include workshops, seminars, and in-services about human development, aging, spirituality, sociology, leadership, psychology leisure activities, computer use, regulations and a wide variety of other topics that relate to nursing homes, aging and activities. You must take the Modular Education Program for Activity Professionals (MEPAP).This can be done online or in person at a cost of about $1,200.
Option 2
To qualify as an ADC with the second option, you must...read all of Activity Director Certification Requirements

Leaf Wreath- An Easy Dementia Activity(part 2)

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In the lower center of the wreath, write, "I am thankful for," and then let the client write or draw what he is thankful for.
Put the client's name on the wreath (or let him sign it).

For variations on this wreath: instead of using cut out leaves, use leaves from outdoor trees, silk leaves or torn-up scraps of paper.

Wreath of leaves- an easy to do fall craft for those with dementia

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Wreath of leaves- an easy to do fall craft for those with dementia

Supplies needed:

A plain white paper plate
Construction paper (orange, red, yellow, brown, and other earth tones)
Crayons or markers
Scissors
Glue or a glue stick

Cut a half circle out of the center of a plain paper plate. This will hold the leaves.

Cut out a lot of leaves from construction paper. Draw the leaf veins if you wish. If you'd like, use leaves gathered from outdoors.

Leaf templates and other fall ideas

Glue the leaves all around the rim of the paper plate.

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Bonus: From Adorable Photographs of Our Baby- A Colorful Activity

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Look at the baby photo to the right

Here is an exerpt from the book Adorable Photographs of Our Baby- a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Our baby likes to look at bright, colorful toys when he wakes up.
Where is the baby?
If prompting is needed, say something like:
I think he is in his crib. Do you see him there?

What time do you think this baby wakes up in the morning?
If prompting is needed, say something like:
I think he wakes up at 6am. What do you think?
Have a discussion about the best time to get up. Also, talk about why babies get up so early.
Then ask: What time do you wake up in the morning?

What is the baby doing?
If prompting is needed, say something like:
I think he is looking at his toys. What do you think?

Let’s name some toys.
If prompting is needed, say something like:
Is a truck a toy? There are many toys that could be named.
You can have a discussion about which toys are for boys, girls, or both.
You could have some pictures of toys or even have toys for group members to see and touch.

What color toys do you see?
If prompting is needed, say something like:
I see a red toy. Do you? What other color toys do you see?

Color ideas--Let’s name some colors.
Let’s name some things that are usually blue (or any color). Continue as long as the interest lasts. Remember: give help as needed which may include giving a choice of two.
What is your favorite color?
What colors do you think [another participant who is shy or non-verbal] likes? I think[another participant]likes red because (s)he is wearing a red shirt today.

What happens if we mix two colors, like yellow and blue(or any combination of colors)? Mix colors as long as there is interest and time.
Let’s find out! [Leader should have paints and paper on hand and provide a demonstration or directions for the activity.]

Do you think this baby is having fun?
How can you tell? If prompting is needed, say something like:
I can tell because he is smiling. What do you think?
What does his smile tell you? If prompting is needed, say something like:
It tells me he is happy. What do you think?
What are some things that make you smile?

Other smile ideas-Have a smile off. See who can smile the longest. Sing songs about smiles. Read or make up a poem about smiles. Talk about other emotions and facial expressions. Remember, those with memory impairments can relate well to emotions. Draw faces with smiles or other facial expressions.

Alzheimersideas for more ideas

Tree Names

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Here are some commontree names you can use with activity ideas fron Current Activities in Geriatric Care

American Arborvitae
American Beech
American Elm
American Yellowwood
Amur Maple
Ann Magnolia
Aristocrat Flowering Pear
Austrian Pine
Autumn Blaze Red Maple
Autumn Flame Red Maple
Autumn Olive
Autumn Purple Ash
Bald Cypress
Bitternut Hickory
Black Cherry
Black Gum
Black Hills Spruce
Black Locust
Black Oak
Black Walnut
Black Willow
Bloodgood London Planetree
Blue Spruce
Box elder
Bradford Flowering Pear
Bur Oak
Butterfly Bush
Canada Red Cherry
Cedar Elm
Chanticleer Flowering Pear
Cherokee Chief Red
Flowering Dogwood
Cherokee Princess White
Flowering Dogwood
Cherokee Sweetgum Tree
Cherry Bark Oak
Chestnut Oak
Chickasaw Plum
Chinese Chestnut
Chinese Elm
Chinese Pistache
Chinkapin Oak
Cimarron Ash
Cleveland Select Flowering Pear
Colorado Blue Spruce
Columnar English Oak
Common Purple Lilac
Contorted Willow
Dawn Redwood
Dura-Heat River Birch
Dwarf Red Buckeye
Eastern Red Cedar
Eastern Red Oak
Eastern Redbud
Eastern White Pine
European Horse Chestnut
Forest Pansy
Fragrant Honeysuckle
Fraser Fir
Fringe Tree
Gobbler Sawtooth Oak
Golden Chain Tree
Golden Raintree
Green Ash
Hackberry
Hardy Pecan
Heritage River Birch
Hybrid Willow
Ironwood Tree
Ivory Silk Lilac Tree
Jane Magnolia
Kentucky Coffee Tree
Kousa Dogwood
Kwanzan Flowering Cherry
Lacebark Elm
Loblolly Pine
Lombardy Poplar
Maidenhair
Mayhaw
Mimosa Tree
Mockernut Hickery Native Plum
Northern Catalpa
Northern Red Oak
Norway Spruce
Nuttail Oak
October Glory Red Maple
Ohio Buckeye
Okame Flowering Cherry
Oklahoma Redbud
Osage Orange
Overcup Oak
Patmore Ash
Paw Paw
Persimmon
Pignut Hickory
Pin Oak
Pink Flowering Dogwood
Pond Cypress
Ponderosa Pine
Poplar Hybrid
Post Oak
Prairiefire Crabapple
Red Bud
Red Cedar
Red Maple
Red Sunset Red Maple
Redspire Flowering Pear
River Birch
Russian Olive
Sargent Crabapple
Sassafras Tree
Sawtooth Oak
Scarlet Oak
Scotch Pine
Serviceberry
Shademaster Honey Locust
Shagbark Hickory
Shellbark Hickory
Shumard Oak
Siberian Elm
Silver Maple
Silverbells
Siouxland Cottonless Cottonwood
Snow Goose Flowering Cherry
Sourgum
Sourwood
Southern Crabapple
Southern Red Oak
Sugar Maple
Sugarberry
Sunburst Golden Honey Locust
Swamp Chestnut
Swamp Oak
Sweet Gum
Sweetbay or Swamp Magnolia
Sycamore
Texana Nuttail Oak
Texas Whitebud
Thornless Honeylocust
Tulip Poplar
Tulip Tree
Tupelo
Virginia Pine
Washington Hawthorne
Water Oak
Weeping Higan Cherry
Weeping Willow
White Ash
White Flowering Dogwood
White Oak
White Pine
White Walnut
Whitebud
Willow Oak
Yellow Buckeye
Yoshino Cherry
Zumi Crabtree

Sensational ideas for those with dementia and other nursing home residents(Part 5)

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

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USA Today

Taste
Lucky us: The brain recognizes five different taste sensations -- sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and savory -- all located on the 10,000 taste buds scattered on the back, front, and sides of the tongue, and on the palate. Women naturally have a more-developed sense of taste than men (on so many levels). As we age, though, our taste buds experience wear and tear. "We also produce less saliva, which makes it difficult for the brain to recognize taste," Doty says. Fortunately taste cells regenerate about every 10 days. And you can help.
Get intense. Try tasting flavors such as horseradish and dark chocolate, which have more intensely irritant components to them. They may stimulate your taste receptors more quickly. The bitter taste of dark chocolate provides a more powerful flavor burst than white chocolate, and it's healthier for you, too.
Mix it up. Variety is the spice of life. Add curry, rosemary, or cinnamon to your dishes. Taste-test an assortment of apples. Or try combining flavors. In a salad with fruit and nuts, you'll sense sweet, salty, and bitter. If you add a dressing that's got a little kick, you can also get a bit of savory.
Slow down. Chew slowly to enjoy taste. Eating leisurely gives the molecules in any food greater exposure to your olfactory nerves, which increases the intensity and pleasure. And keep your mouth moist, too: Saliva gets those molecules to your taste buds. A stick of gum or a bottle of water will get the juices flowing.
Lighten up. What you consider sweet or salty enough is not hardwired. If you drench your French fries with salt or add 2 heaping tablespoons of sugar to your espresso, cut back. With patience, you can savor the taste of food without overdoing it.

I hope you enjoyed this series

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Sensational ideas for those with dementia and other nursing home residents(Part 4)

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

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USA Today

Smell
Thanks to nimble noses, babies know the scent of their mothers at birth, food tastes a lot better, and the mere act of sniffing men's sweat relaxes us (and may make us more fertile). Our sense of smell also keeps us safe from everything from fire (is that smoke I smell?) to spoiled food (sour milk -- eww).
Smell also plays a key role in mood and memory. Just getting a whiff of Granny's chicken soup or a steaming cup of hot chocolate can immediately evoke an emotion or an image from our past. That's because, more than any other sense, the sense of smell is irrational.
"A smell affects us emotionally," says Alan Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. "When we detect an odor in the air, we decide if we like it before we even identify it. You can be going about your day one moment, and the next moment, be on the verge of tears -- all because of a fragrance."
When your sense of smell is at its peak, you have about 10 million olfactory receptors, and your nose and brain can distinguish among 10,000 to 30,000 smells. But as we age, "we experience loss of sensitivity and deterioration in our receptors, which are responsible for getting messages to the brain to process smell," says Richard Doty, Ph.D., director of the Smell and Taste Center at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. But a little practice can improve your sense of smell.
Sniff a pick-me-up. When the clock strikes 4, and you start to wane, take a nice whiff of peppermint candy. Scents such as peppermint and cinnamon increase the brain waves in the front of your head, which helps keep you awake and alert. Lemon or eucalyptus in your morning shower gives you the same kind of fragrant wake-up call.
Be different. "By bombarding your nose with a series of different scents for a few minutes each day, you can create new receptors," Hirsch says. Why not try this with wine? Open a few varietals of vino, and breathe deeply. Try to detect the various notes, from sweet to strong. Soothe with scent. Before heading off to bed, relax with scented candles, bubbles, or aromatherapy oils. Try lavender or chamomile in the bath or shower, where the warm water and humidity will increase the volatility of a scent; both herbs inhibit the area of the brain that keeps you awake.
Stop smoking. Cigarette smoke kills off those essential olfactory receptors, whether you're the one smoking or not. Since indoor smoking was banned, there's been a resurgence in our sense of smell.

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Sensational ideas for those with dementia and other nursing home residents(Part 2)

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

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USA Today

Touch
Cashmere socks tickling your toes. A child's arms around your neck. A snowflake on your tongue. "The sensation of touch affects every part of our bodies," says Steven Hsiao, Ph.D., associate neuroscience professor at Johns Hopkins University. Without it, we'd have a lot less fun (hot-stone massage) and be a lot less safe (hot pan!).
Women, who typically have thinner skin than men, are lucky enough to have stronger touch sensations. But we all lose our sense of touch as we age, about 1 percent a year beginning in our 20s, Hsiao says. The good news is that the outmost layer of the epidermis is renewed continuously, and there are lots of pleasurable ways to rev up those touch receptors.
Keep it soft. The rougher your skin, the more difficult it is to sense touch. So slather on a rich cream or lotion to keep your nerve endings moist and firing.
Pat your own bunny. The areas in your brain involved in touch enlarge when exposed to new sensations. To stimulate them, try choosing your clothes by feel. You'll notice the nap of a pair of corduroys, those nubby socks, your favorite silk shirt. Celebrate the textures of the foods, too: An avocado's rough skin, silky tofu, the stickiness of a licorice string.
Get skin-to-skin. Studies show that holding hands with a partner relaxes a woman. So, too, can any kind of skin-to-skin contact such as massage, acupressure, even a lunchtime pedicure or manicure.

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Sensational ideas for those with dementia and other nursing home residents

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia brain boosting activities

Get your subscription to Activity Director Today's e magazine

USA Today

The truth is, when it comes to our senses, we have no sense. We bolt our food, blast our iPods, freeze our feet, have to be reminded to breathe, and generally can't see the forest for the trees. Add environmental and age-related factors, and it's no wonder that "differentiating and distinguishing sounds, sights, flavors, tastes, and touches becomes more challenging every day," says Robert Butler, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of the International Longevity Center-USA. It's time to change all that with our sense-stimulating tricks and treats. Here's how to celebrate your senses -- and be healthier for it.
Sound
A friend laughing. Water lapping against the shore. The mellifluous harp notes in perfect sync with your sister's steps down the aisle. You can hear all those lovely sounds (and the less-pleasant -- but helpful -- screech of a car tire or rumble of thunder) thanks to a bunch of little hair cells in your inner ear. Each ear has about 15,000 of them, and they're responsible for transmitting sounds to your brain to be processed. But thanks to age and exposure to loud noise (yes, we're talking to you, the person whose iPod is so loud we can hear it from here), you're losing your (ear) hair. And that could be the precursor to hearing loss.
"As we get older, those disappearing hair cells affect our ability to distinguish high-pitched sounds, including consonants such as s, t, and f," says Marjorie R. Leek, Ph.D., of the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research in Portland, Oregon. In fact, about 30 percent of baby boomers have already suffered hearing loss. But you don't have to be one of them. Here's how.
Train your ears. You can exercise and stimulate your hearing by listening to different kinds of music. Add jazz or blues to your classical repertoire. Concentrate on what you're hearing and try to identify the different melodies or single out the different instruments.
Turn it down. Normal conversation is about 60 decibels. A portable music player with the volume at one-quarter is 85 decibels; at full volume it's 120 decibels. Enough said.
Muffle it. When you can't avoid noise exceeding 85 decibels (a subway train is 90 decibels, for example), wear earplugs or earmuffs (which can cut 15 to 30 decibels). In a pinch, donning a hat or sticking your fingers in your ears is better than nothing.

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A flag making activity

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Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, here is a faily easy flag making project that can be used for Flag Day and beyond

Materials
red crepe paper roll
4-11x17 sheets of white paper
approx 10x11 piece of blue construction paper
50 1x1 stars
alternately a clip art page of the 50 stars on the flag. The group members can color the background blue or you can print it out.
glue
scissors



Paste the four sheets together so the final is 20X30

Paste the blue construction with stars paper in the upper left corner of the flag

Paste 7 equispaced red crepe paper strips on the white paper.

Do not cover the blue piece