Simple apple facts

Activities that ANYONE can do with a RESIDENT with or without dementia

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

Red Delicious Apple
I’m a conical (cone) shaped apple with a greenish-yellow background covered with red stripes. I have a firm, crisp, creamy-white flesh with a sweet juicy, highly aromatic flavour.

Jonathan Apple
I’m a small to medium round apple with a deep red skin which has faint, deep red stripes. I have a fine grained, juicy white flesh with a sweet acid flavour and I’m great eaten out of hand.

Granny Smith Apple
I’m a round, conical shaped apple with a rich green skin. I have a crisp, firm, juicy, greenish-white flesh with a distinctive acidy flavour, which makes me excellent for cooking.

Braeburn Apple
I’m a medium to large, round to conical shaped apple with a glossy, striped red blush over yellow coloured skin. I have a sweet flavour with pale cream, crisp, juicy flesh.

Bonza Apple
I’m a medium to large, flat-round apple with a bold red blush which overlays green to yellow coloured skin. I have a distinct, sweet flavour and firm, juicy, white flesh.

Pink Lady Apple
I’m a medium, round-oblong shaped apple with yellow skin overlaid with a pink to light red blush. I’m a cross between a Golden Delicious and Lady Williams, which makes me excellent for eating out of hand as I have a crisp, fine, sweet tasting flesh.

Golden Delicious Apple
I’m a medium to large, round to conical shaped apple with a pale green to yellow coloured skin with creamy-green, crisp flesh. I have a pleasant sweet flavour and good aroma. I’m great for eating out of hand or I can be used for cooking.

Fuji Apple
I’m a medium to large, flat-round to round shaped apple with a blushed dull red to crimson colour with firm, dense flesh. I have a high water and sugar content which makes me a juicy apple and my distinctive honey-sweet flavour is wonderful in stews and bakes.

Gala Apple (Royal Gala)
I’m a medium, round shaped apple. My skin colour varies slightly depending on which strain I belong to and can range from a pale, golden yellow with slight red blush, to solid brightly red blushed. I have a crisp, dense flesh with a flavour sweeter than a Delicious Apple.

Alzheimer's and Dementia Activities: What Works for Your Loved One?

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 

I thought this article might give you, as an Activities Directors, some ideas
Harriet Hodgson
Harriet HodgsonLevel: PlatinumHarriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist

Coming up with activities that work for my 98 1/2-year-old father-in-law is difficult. He has severe dementia, can hardly hear (he has a cochlear implant and a hearing aid), has trouble seeing, and needs a walker to get around. Many resources have been written about activities for people with memory disease and they include crafts, sing-alongs, music therapy, dancing, cooking, gardening, woodworking, and walking clubs.
None of these activities work for Dad. We have racked our brains to come up with activities that work for him. The things we do with Dad take lots of advance planning and we consider:
TIMING. It takes Dad several hours to awaken fully and get his mind working. We have found that afternoon and early evening activities work best for him.
WEATHER. We check weather forecasts ahead of time and make sure Dad is dressed for the weather and has extra clothing.
MEDICATIONS. If we are going to be gone for several hours, or a day, we order Dad's medications ahead of time. We make a list of what he takes and when he takes it.
EXTRA SUPPLIES. As Dad has gotten older his asthma has gotten worse. We make sure Dad has an inhaler with him and extra batteries for his hearing aid.
Dad lives in Assisted Living........read the whole article

Pet therapy for those with dementia (Part 2)

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

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

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Get your subscription to Activity Director Today's e magazine

Pet therapy(Part 2)

Finally, although pet therapy is effective with many people with dementia, it is important to remember that not everyone enjoys the presence of animals. A man who has been terrified of large dogs his entire life, for instance, will probably not benefit from being visited by a Great Dane, and a woman who spent her childhood chasing rabbits out of the garden may not want to have one curled up on her lap. Like any other type of therapeutic intervention, pet therapy should take the patient's likes and dislikes into account.

For people who enjoy animals, though, pet therapy offers some solid benefits: better health, more relaxed mood, enhanced connection to the world, improved communication, and the badly needed chance to play and create.

Watermelon art project

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

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, here is an easy fun art project for those in long term care with or without dementia



The above watermelon picture was from a shopping list tablet

Here is the a poem made up by a group of residents
Watermelon
We like our watermelon
cold juicy and sweet
We cannot wait to bite in
with our teeth
Yum yum, let's eat



Use this clip art as a base for the picture. Make copies of it,at least two for each participant.



Cut out the picture minus the rind. Place it on top of a red piece of paper. Cut a red piece the size of the white graphic



Pste it on another watermelon clip art paper. Have the participants draw seeds on it with black magic marker. Alternatly use black stickers for seeds.




You may want to cut offthe black outline of the rind and draw a green line for the skin representation in the picture. Paste a poem about watermelons on the paper if you desire. Making up some watermelon poems can be part of this project or done on another day
Alternately this project can be done in assembly line fashion. Each person has a job matching his/her skill level/
Or you can have a volunteer do most of the project and have the residents draw the seeds or save whatever job you think they can handle.

Smile ideas for those with dementia

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

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Activities directors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, here are some smile ideas from the book Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful, Mind-Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones, and Involved Professionals, a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals

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.

Smile songs
Till We Meet Again
Smile the while you kiss me sad adieu
When the clouds roll by I'll come to you.
Then the skies will seem more blue,
Down in Lover's Lane, my dearie.

Wedding bells will ring so merrily
Ev'ry tear will be a memory.
So wait and pray each night for me
Till we meet again.

Tho' goodbye means the birth of a tear drop,
Hello means the birth of a smile.
And the smile will erase the tear blighting trace,
When we meet in the after awhile.

Smile the while you kiss me sad adieu
When the clouds roll by I'll come to you
Then the skies will seem more blue
Down in Lover's Lane, my dearie,

Wedding bells will ring so merrily
Ev'ry tear will be a memory
So wait and pray each night for me
Till we meet again.

When You Are Smiling
When youre smilin, when youre smilin
The whole world smiles with you
When youre laughin, when youre laughin
The sun comes shinin through

But when youre cryin, you bring on the rain
So stop that cryin, be happy again
Keep on smilin, cause when youre smilin
The whole world smiles with you

When youre smilin, when youre smilin
The whole world, it smiles with you
When youre laughin, oh babe, when youre laughin
The sun would-a come shining through

But when youre cryin, you bring on the rain
So stop that sighin, come on and be happy again
Keep on smilin, cause when youre smilin, baby
The whole world smiles with you

Smiles
There are smiles, that make us happy
There are smiles, that make us blue
There are smiles, that steal away the teardrops
Like the Sunbeams steal away the dew

There are smiles, that have a tender meaning
That the eyes of love alone can see
But the smiles, that fill my life with sunshine
Are the smiles that you gave to...

But the smiles, that fill my life with sunshine
Are the smiles that you gave to me!

Pet therapy for those with dementia

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

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

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Get your subscription to Activity Director Today's e magazine

Pet therapy days are different. When Mitzi, a lovely golden retriever, and her owner come into Martha's room, a smile crosses Martha's face. She reaches out to pet the dog. It is the only activity she ever initiates. Sometimes, she even mumbles a word or two.

A small miracle, to be sure, but a miracle nonetheless to Martha's family, who thought they would never see her smile or hear her speak again.

In nursing facilities, day care centers, hospitals, and private homes throughout the country, pets are being used for therapy with senior citizens. Owning a pet has been correlated with lower blood pressure, lower blood triglyceride levels, increased activity and socialization, and even increased length of survival following a heart attack.

Pet therapy seems to be especially effective with senior citizens suffering from cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer's. Many people with dementia experience periods of agitation, especially in the evening hours. This is referred to as "sundowning." Sundowning is not only stressful for the person with dementia, it can be very difficult for caregivers as well. Studies have shown that regular contact with a pet can help decrease anxiety and increase feelings of calm and well-being, even during the difficult evening hours. Some Alzheimer's patients have been able to stop taking anti-anxiety medication after regular contact with pets was initiated.

Pets can also enhance the patient's connection to his or her world. Even people with very advanced dementia, like Martha, will sometimes respond to the comforting presence of an animal even if they respond to little else.

People with dementia are at risk for loneliness and isolation. As they become forgetful and disoriented, they may be reluctant to talk to new people or even to friends and family. A pet visit can help break the ice and provide a happy topic for conversation. Some people with dementia will communicate more readily with animals than with humans. A pet, after all, is a nonjudgmental listener who won't notice that they've used the wrong word or scold them for telling the same story four or five times.

Finally, pet visits allow people with dementia a chance to play and express themselves creatively. Pets can even become a valuable part of a therapy program. A man who might not want to practice walking with a physical therapist because it feels too much like work, for instance, might be overjoyed at the chance to take a dog for a walk because that seems more like play.

When most people think of therapy pets, they automatically think of dogs. Other animals used in therapy programs include horses, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and fish.

Not every animal is appropriate for pet therapy work. The ideal therapy pet is calm and gentle with no aggressive tendencies. This is especially important for therapy pets who work with people with dementia. Like a small child, a person with advanced dementia may not know how to respond appropriately to a pet and may accidentally startle it or pull at its fur. The animal's tendency should be to withdraw rather than to attack.

Very anxious or loud animals also do not make good therapy companions, as they may increase the anxiety of dementia patients rather than reduce it.

Finally, although pet therapy is effective with many people with dementia, it is important to remember that.....read more next time

Canada Trivia

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]

Activities directors, other healthcare professionals and caregivers, Canada day will be here before you know it.


Below is some trivia that will help you celebrate the day. It is celebrated on July 1


Canada Trivia


What is Canada’s national anthem?
O Canada


What is Canada’s royal anthem?
God Save the Queen


What is the national emblem of Canada?
The maple leaf.


What are Canada's national sports?
Ice hockey and lacrosse


There are two official languages of Canada. What are they?
English and French.
What is the origin of the name "Canada"?
Canada is a name derived from the Huron-Iroquois kanata meaning, a village or settlement




Who was the first Prime Minister of Canada?
Sir John A. Macdonald




What animal is on the Canadian quarter?
the CARIBOU




How many oceans touch Canada?
THREE - the Atlantic on the east, the Pacific on the west and the Arctic to the north




How many countries border Canada?
ONE - the United States of America




How many provinces in Canada?
TEN - from west to east they are: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland




What is the capital city of Canada (the national capital)?
Ottawa




True or False? Canada is the world's second largest country, by land mass?
TRUE




What is the Canadian $1 coin called?
the Loonie (the loon is a Canadian bird and is pictured on the coin, thus the name)




When was the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms included in the Constitution Act?
1982 (no, that isn't a typo) Unlike the majority of democratic countries whose basic law derives from one document, Canada's basic law derives not only from a set of documents known as Constitution Acts, but also a set of unwritten laws and convention
True or False? Superman was created by a Canadian?
TRUE


Who were the first people to live in Canada?
(a) Europeans, (b) Americans, (c) Aboriginals, or (d) Norsemen
(c) the aboriginals or first nations peoples were the first inhabitants of Canada


What is the name of the elected lower house of Canadian parliament?
the house of commons


What is the leader of Canada called?
the Prime Minister


What leaf is on the Canadian flag?
the maple leaf - it is the national emblem of Canada


What is the Canadian national anthem called?
O'Canada -- oddly enough, although it has been sung since the late 1800's, it wasn't proclaimed Canada's National Anthem until 1980.


What is the "big prize" for the Canadian Football League ("CFL") called? The ________ cup
the GREY cup


What is the "big prize" for the National Hockey League ("NHL") called? The _______ cup
the STANLEY cup


What rodent is described by the Canadian Encyclopedia as having "had a greater impact on the
history and exploration of Canada than any other animal or plant species"?
the BEAVER


What measurement is used in Canada to measure temperature?
Celsius
Who was the first French-Canadian Prime Minister of Canada?
Sir Wilfred Laurier




What was the name of the system of safe passages and safehouses that allowed American slaves to escape to freedom in Canada?
The Underground Railroad


How many time zones in Canada?
SIX


How many national parks are there in Canada?
(a) under 10 (b) between 10 and 50 (c) between 50 and 100 (d) over 100
(B) between 10 and 50