Saturday, July 28, 2012

More olympic activity ideas


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


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


Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be


Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two



Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]


Here are some things we have done. Remember you can have senior olympics any time, not just during olympic season.


We have it once a month during the non holiday season


It seems to be easy for my staff to do and our residents really like it.


First I bought paper pompoms at the dollar store.


I have cheerleaders so participants have something to do when it is not their turn.
We do a lot of cheering.


I announce the activities like a sports commentator which makes it more fun


I try to get everyone in a big circle and move around the circle for the physical events
We have pretty low functioning residents, either physically mentally, visually and some are hard of hearing as well. Of course there are several high functioning residents who I use as helpers.


I mentioned a trivia contest in an earlier post
Besides that we do a dice throw. I have made large ones. I covered cardboard boxes with white paper and wrote numbers each side of them instead of drawing dots.Alternately you can buy a pair of large fuzzy dice.


You can have everyone throw the two dice and see who can add up the two numbers thrown.


You could have several rounds.


Then you can announce the winners. I usually give out trophy stickers, but not until the end of the activity.
You can use anything you want as prizes. You could make gold silver and bronze and participant medals with ribbon and cardboard. This is a good project for volunteers or higher functioning residents


Anyway back to the events


Of course we have a bean bag toss.
We use two laundry baskets. We allow each participant to throw all the items(usually about seven) in one basket to the other basket. We, of course, adapt and modify according to the residents ability. Some residents can only place the bean bags in the basket. Others can get the bean bags in the basket that is several feet away.
Actually we have a thing toss. I have made my own bean bags by putting dried beans in mismatched socks. that family members and others donated. I tie a knot in the top of the sock so no beans fall out. I have squishy balls and fuzzy balls. It makes this event interesting.and tacitly stimulating


Another event is bowling pin knock down.
We place a bowling pin on the floor in front of the resident and see if he can knock it down with a ball or kicking it if that is all he can do.
You could use more bowling pins if you like. Of course, we vary the distance depending on the resident's ability


We also have a domino pick.Each participant picks out a domino piece. Then we see who can add up the total number of dots. I do this like the dice throw


We do balloon toss, either individually with the group leader or in teams. We count to see how many times we can toss the balloon beck and forth before it hits the ground.


We may have several different rounds of trivia with different topics


We might do an event similar to a spelling bee. It is surprising who might be able to spell words


We could have a baseball game either with teams or individually with the group leader. I give the participant a large air filled plastic bat. I shorten it, blowing it partially up and folding the end without air and then taping it with duct or similar tape. I find if the bat is more than two feet long,it is hard to use.


You see you can use shortened versions of all the games the residents like to do. How many different ones you do depends on how many participant there are and how long you want it to last.


I find our group can only tolerate an hour.


You can serve snacks. play the olympic theme music. have an awards ceremony. I like to give every participant a prize or no one a prize. Often the residents do not even care about the prizes. They just care about having fun.


If you try to introduce new events, it can confuse the residents. By the time they get it, it is time to stop. That is why we use familiar events.


You could have a playing card toss or a playing card pick to see who gets the highest number.


The possibilities are endless. I think short quick events are the best so no one gets bored.


I hope this helps you


We have made olympic flags in the past if you have someone who is able to cut out appropriately colored rings out of construction paper. Alternately, you can pass out paper flags with circles drawn on them in the appropriate places. You can find these flags at enchanted learning. I did get them several years ago. I assume they are still available .


Feel free to leave a comment on anything that is not clear

Thursday, July 26, 2012

How was love expressed in the families of your residents with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia?


Activities directors and other healthcare professionals here is a great 
dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two




Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

So often it is difficult to find the ways a person with Alzheimer's or a related dementia, wants to be cared for because they lose the ability to communicate. The question to ask the children when the person cannot answer is, "How was love expressed in your family growing up? When you had a bad day at school or you weren't feeling so well, what did your mom or dad do to show you they cared." Listened to youRubbed Vics Vapor rub on your chestSat with you Hugged youFelt your forehead with their cold hand Prayed with you Made you chocolate chip cookiesTouched your cheekShared a piece of gumHot Water BottleTucked you in with a warm blanketBrought you an extra pillowBrought the TV tray filled with "goodies" ie: hot wash cloth, 7-up, comic book, favorite snack, hot soup
Maybe your parents' way of being endearing was to jab you on the shoulder and say, "That's life! Deal with it." Or "Get over it!"My mom always made me warm tapioca pudding on glooming days and I still love it to this day. But betcha, just betcha, if your mom or dad loved and cared for you this way…you have just discovered the way to care for them today.




click here to learn more about Jolene Brackey

Olympic Activities for Nursing Home ResidentsActivities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals, Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two Follow alzheimersideas on twitter The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]


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


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


Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be


Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two



Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]


I was asked about Olympic activities since the Summer Olympics are rapidly approaching


Here are some thoughts


Watch a live or taped portion of the opening ceremony
This will get the paticipants in the mood. Remember it is the group leaders attitude and enthusiasm that make a big diffference in the success of an activity.


Have several events planned
trivia is always good-
even though you might have only one winner- you can have seoond third etc., best effort, best smile, best attitude. This way you can give everyone a chance to participate
-You always have those who like to shout out the answers
-For those who are shy or not as quick, I always ask them by name what they think.
Of course I am extra complimentary to these people


I will be posting more events anf more ideas.


If you cannot wait email alzzheimersideas@gmail.com


This site may also be helpful
Suite101

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Red Hat Society for your residents

Activities directors and other healthcare professionals here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals.


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be


Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two


Follow alzheimersideas on twitter


Red Hat Society



They are a global society of women that supports and encourages women in their pursuit of fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment, and fitness.
Fun – we celebrate life at every age
Friendship – we solidify and expand the bonds of sisterhood
Freedom – we discover and explore new interests
Fulfillment – we realize our personal potential
Fitness – we embrace healthy, life-lengthening lifestyles
The Red Hat Society has become the international society dedicated to reshaping the way women are viewed in today's culture.

For even more information go to the Red Hat Society official website

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Lyrics to Eight Days a Week



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



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


Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be


Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two


Follow alzheimersideas on twitter


Subscribe to Current Activities in Geriatric Care







From elyrics.net
Eight Days A Week lyrics
Songwriters: Mccartney, Paul; Lennon, John;

Ooh, I need your love, babe
Guess you know it's true
Hope you need my love, babe
Just like I need you

Hold me, love me
Hold me, love me
I ain't got nothing but love, babe
Eight days a week

Love you every day, girl
Always on my mind
One thing I can say, girl
Love you all the time

Hold me, love me
Hold me, love me
I ain't got nothing but love, girl
Eight days a week

Eight days a week
I love you
Eight days a week
Is not enough to show I care

Ooh, I need your love, babe
Guess you know it's true
Hope you need my love, babe
Just like I need you, oh

Hold me, love me
Hold me, love me
I ain't got nothing but love, babe
Eight days a week

Eight days a week
I love you
Eight days a week
Is not enough to show I care

Love you every day, girl
Always on my mind
One thing I can say, girl
Love you all the time

Hold me, love me
Hold me, love me
I ain't got nothing but love, babe
Eight days a week
Eight days a week
Eight days a week

Monday, July 16, 2012

Residents benefit from being the voice of the consumer


Activity directors and other healthcare professionals, here is some information that you will find useful.

Do you want to give your residents a voice in consumer products? Here are some ideas. Choose a favorite food or drink and have taste tests with several different brands. Then you can contact the winning company to tell them about results of your taste test. Who knows, maybe they will send you some coupons for money off their product or they might give you some free publicity.

Here is another idea. Talk about foods and drinks that your residents like. Then ask then if they would like a variation of a particular product. For example, would they like to see an added taste to a drink like orange Pepsi or vanilla root beer? I hope you get the idea.

After you have some good ideas for different twists on established products or a new product entirely, they can be the voice of the consumer

Caps for sale: A fun story about hats



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



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


Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be


Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care  professionals to get an easyceu or two


Follow alzheimersideas on twitter


by
Esphyr Slobodkina



Caps!  Caps for Sale!  Fifty cents a cap!"  calls the peddler, walking up and down the streets.  He balances a huge stack of caps on his head.
One day he stops under a tree to take a nap.  When he wakes up all the caps have disappeared except his own red cap.  Where on earth could the caps be?
He looks all around for the caps.  No caps.  When the peddler finally looks up into the tree, what do you think he sees?  On every branch is a monkey and on every monkey is a cap.
The peddler calls over and over, shaking his hands and stamping his feet, "You monkeys, you!  You give me back my caps."  But the monkeys only shake their hands and stamp their feet and reply,  "Tsz, tsz. tsz!"
Finally the peddler throws down his hat and begins to walk away.  All the caps come flying down from the tree.  And back to town he goes calling, "Caps!  Caps for Sale!" Fifty cents a cap!"

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Real estate specialist just for you

Activities directors, health care professionals, caregivers and others interested in land development and other real estate ventures, here is some information that you will find useful especially if you live in the Tampa Bay area and beyond.

Alday-Donalson has been a leader in the real estate community in the Tampa Bay area for over 35 years. They had six offices that thrived in this area. Recently another company, Universal Title Company acquired Alday-Donalson which is good news for all of us because they are licensed in over 30 states.

Although I am sure all of you will miss the name Alday-Donalson in the real estate community, you will be impressed with all the services offered by Universal Title Company. Even though they are bigger than Alday Donalson, they still give their customers the personal attention they deserve.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Get help planning the perfect wedding

Wedding Planner Infographic
Infographic Provided by EquipSupply
Activities directors, other professionals, caregivers, and anyone interested in planning a wedding, here is some information that you will find most useful.


What could be more fun than planning a wedding? However there are many details to planning the affair. There are so many decisions to make. You need many wedding supplies.

Of course a wedding can be expensive. You, of course want to get the most for your dollar when it comes to wedding supplies. You do not want to sacrifice quality just to get the best price. That is why you want someone with knowledge and experience helping you every step of the way.

So if you are planning a big wedding or just an intimate affair, you want to get the best.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Reaching those with Alzheimers and related dementias through music


Activities directors and other healthcare professionals here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,


Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two




Follow alzheimersideas on twitter

The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]



Dr. Oliver Sacks, Professor of Clinical Neurology and Psychiatry at Columbia University, in his current bestselling book, Musicophilia, writes about the amazing therapeutic effects of music on people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. He states, "Music is no luxury to them but a necessity, and can have power beyond anything to restore them to themselves and to others at least for a while." In this eye-opening book he devotes a chapter to this subject entitled, "Music and Identity: Dementia and Music Therapy." For this population Dr. Sacks describes how familiar music is the key to eliciting emotions and unlocking words that have been silent.
Researchers have discovered that the teen years around the age of 14 are when musical preferences and memories are formed. Daniel Levitin in his book This is Your Brain on Music states, "We tend to remember things that have an emotional component because our amygdala and neurotransmitters act in concert to tag as important the memories of these emotionally charged years of self-discovery." Therefore, people with Alzheimer's disease can often sing the songs they heard during their teen years, even when they can no longer remember the names of their children. This behavior is also well documented in people with advanced dementia



Saturday, July 7, 2012

Why not work for a nonprofit organization

Activity directors and other health care professionals, here is some information that is sure to be of interest to you.

Working for a non profit company, that is being a person who has one of many nonprofit jobs, certainly has its advantages. There is some concern for the bottom line but less than if you work for a for profit business. All the money that is made at non profit jobs, after expenses, goes back into the business for improvements.

This can be most advantageous to you because if you need a new piece of equipment or more people to work in your department, you most likely will get them sooner than if you work for a for profit company.

Another advantage of working for a non profit business is that you will be able to get volunteers easier. Schools and other institutions require that their students volunteer. They want them to volunteer at non profit businesses.

In addition, if you work for a non profit business, you will be eligible to get grants, government and private sector. Getting these grants will allow you to develop new programs as well as expand ones that already exist.

So think about nonprofit careers because careers nonprofit in type are sure to be more satisfying to you. Thus if you are in the market for a new job, consider careers nonprofit ones that is.